Schaerrer

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Emma Schaerrer
Prof. Simone Suddreth
IEP Essay Final
9 December 2015

To Conquer the Monster Within

The definition of disease is a particular abnormal condition, a disorder of a structure or

function, that affects part or all of an organism. Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain
disorder that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful
consequences. Drug addiction is a disease, although not particularly taken as seriously as one.
The common generalization of what drug addiction is and what it looks like commonly comes
from older research that is not necessarily out dated or invalid, because it is still valid
information, but doesnt always tie in with new found research that has been put to the test.
Nobody really can grasp the topic of what it is until they experience it for themselves or go
through it with someone in close relation to them. It is important for the people of our society to
recognize that drug addiction is a big problem and having the education for awareness and
prevention is the way to fix the issue. The starting point of it all is gaining an understanding of
what exactly drug addiction is and how it effects the brain as well as discover effective treatment
methods to help those fighting this battle, get through it with active support to avoid relapse.

Most people can agree that being addicted to some sort of substance is evidently hard to
quit but its hard to understand the real deeper reasons a person begins to abuse a substance.

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), addiction is a worldwide problem. Indeed,
more than 15.3 million people confront drug abuse issues internationally, and the abuse of
alcohol results in 2.5 million deaths every year (World Health Organization, 2012) (McMahon).
It is commonly assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they
could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior (DrugFacts). In many cases
where the addict started abusing substances at a young age could be a result of peer pressure, the
inability to make many friends, or poor self esteem, etc. Every addicts story is different and they
have different triggers for their cravings. Some people take drugs for simple reasons to feel good,
feel better, do better, and even out of innocent curiosity or because everyone else is doing it.
Aside from social issues/negative experiences in social situations there are also the cases of
mental, emotional or physical abuse maybe at a young age or maybe not. Addicts find comfort in
these substances because the high gives them a feeling of security or is a scape-goat out of the
reality of a bad situation or issue that is occurring in their life. Its a getaway where they feel
good and a place where everything is okay.

The effects that drugs have on your brain disrupt the natural chemical messengers by
imitating them and over stimulating the reward circuit of the brain. Some types of opiate drugs
such as heroin, release high levels of dopamine that affect the areas of that brain that control
movement, emotion, motivation and feelings of pleasure. This is essentially the euphoric high
the addict experiences and with the excessiveness of the chemicals in the brain it almost trains
people to continue to take these drugs to repeat the rewarding behavior of abusing the substance.
Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that influences the reward circuit and the ability to learn Brain
imaging studies of drug-addicted individuals show changes in areas of the brain that are critical to

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judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Together, these changes
can drive an abuser to seek out and take drugs compulsively despite adverse, even devastating
consequences- that is the nature of addiction. (DrugFacts) Long-term abuse creates changes in
other chemicals in the brain circuits that cause them to show the familiar behavior of an addict.
For example, anti-social lack of interest in life activities, secretive and sneaking around, sometimes
bad hygiene, pawning of personal belongings of the addict or those closely related to them for
extra money, lying, etc. J. Shedler And J. Block conducted a longitudinal study to look at drug use
in relation to psychological characteristics. Specifically, they assessed both ego and cognitive
development during seven different interviews with each of the 101 participants at ages three, four,
five, seven, eleven, fourteen, and eighteen years. Frequent users were identified as: not dependable
or responsible, not productive, deceitful, rebellious and nonconforming, having fluctuating moods,
etc. Furthermore, "the frequent users appear to be relatively maladjusted as children. As early as
age 7, the picture that emerges is of a child unable to form good relationships, who is insecure, and
who shows numerous signs of distress". As children, these subjects exhibited similar
characteristics as when they were eighteen. (McMahon)

Some can argue that drug addiction is fueled by the chemical hooks of the drug while
others disagree to say it is merely a mental or emotional crutch. Above in the essay you read
about the different chemicals released and maximized from taking the drugs but not everyone,
depending on the situation, gets addicted to the feeling but instead they abuse the feeling by
escaping to it to get away from whatever is going on in their life. As mentioned in the TED
Talk linked on the Works Cited page, there was a human experiment done that shows
perfectly that these people were not attached to the chemical pleasure, but simply abused the

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drugs to take up their time and take them to a place they could feel secure. The experiment was
taken on the soldiers during the Vietnam War. Around 20% of soldiers in the war heavily abused
heroin and people were concerned that when the soldiers came back home there would be
hundreds of heroin addicts around. They kept a close eye on these soldiers when they were sent
home and came to find that they went back to their normal lives and simply stopped using the
drug. These soldiers abused it while they were away from their families and home to maybe feel
a sense of security while on the battlefield. Now there have been countless experiments done on
the behaviors of rats with drugs and it is also explained in the video that the rats that were
isolated with drug water and normal water, always overdosed on the water laced with drugs.
When their environment was changed and filled with other rats, toys and food, none of the rats
ever overdosed or hardly drank the drug water. So that is an example to show that drug addicts
are not necessarily only hooked on the chemical reaction of these drugs, but using it as a crutch
to be someone or feel a certain way they dont normally feel in reality or conceal the demon
inside of them that they are scared to face by numbing it down with these drugs.
A successful treatment plan for drug addiction puts different types of support together in a
way that works for each person's particular situation. When relapse happens, it's time to step back
and adjust the plan, which can be constructed from many different types of support, including:
Treatment for the addiction, recovery support groups, safe, healthy, and fun activities, support of
family and/or friends, working to complete life goals (e.g., education), protection from abuse or
trauma, meditation and self-monitoring, treatment for mental illness or stress, etc. (Junior
Scholastic/Current Events). Most effective addiction treatment entails either self-help, peer
support, or both. To address this strategic deficit, psycologists have developed an approach that
engages the support of a small group, some family, some friends, to meet with a substance abuser

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and therapist at regular intervals to secure abstinence and help with the development of a drug-free
life. The evolution of this new approach did not come easily, but through careful attempts to
manage many patients over the course of their rehabilitation. It can often be referred to as network
therapy. Family and peers become part of the therapist's working team, not subjects of treatment
themselves. Such an approach is warranted by the unique characteristics of the substance
dependence syndrome. Social supports are necessary for overcoming the denial and relapse that
are so compromising to effective care for the substance abuser. It can be hard to know what to say
to a friend or loved one when they are suffering in a crisis. Sometimes it can feel safer to keep
distance and avoid the uncomfortable communication and mixed feelings. What that person needs
though when they are taking the first steps towards recovery is support, not silence. One of the
most helpful things to do for someone in recovery is talk less and listen more. Share comfort and
confidence, not expectations. Letting that person know they have someone there for them to listen
and confide in really shows them how much they are cared for. Something to ultimately avoid is
attempting to give advice, making judgments, or asking them to live up to an expectation of how
their recovery should go. This process is about them and what is going to work out the best for
them, not anyone else.

It is important that everyone has a basic knowledge of what drug addiction is really about
and an understanding of how much control it has over someones life. Now one thing is for
absolute certain: drug addiction can never develop in people who never use drugs prevention is
the ultimate cure. Addiction, once someone is in so deep, is very hard to come out of and stay out
of. There are excellent therapists, psychologists and physicians all around the world to help these
addicts but it is a long and rocky road to recovery. With the right medication and therapy, addicts

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can learn to lead a normal and productive life after overcoming addiction but it is so easy to
relapse back into it, so the number one solution to all of this is prevention. Education of this issue
is so important because it is so difficult to deal with and get through. It is ultimately challenging
but not impossible. Where there is a will, there is a way.

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Works Cited
Drug Abuse and Addiction. Drug Abuse and Addiction. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
McMahon, Maureen Howson, Alexandra. "Sociology Of Addiction." Research Starters:
Sociology (Online Edition) (2015): Research Starters. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.
"Recovery from drug addiction: science helps us understand the challenges of drug addiction and
staying off drugs." Junior Scholastic/Current Events 2015: 22. Opposing Viewpoints in
Context. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.
TED Talk Everything You Think You Know About Drug Addiction is Wrong Johann Hari
http://youtu.be/PY9DcIMGxMs
Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction. DrugFacts:. N.p.n n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.