Melissa Da Costa

COMM 1715
12892
Christine Conacher
November 24, 2019
How Addiction Has Impacted My Character

My uncle’s struggle with addiction has impacted my character in three significant ways:

made me cautious of substance use, compassionate towards others, and curious about health care

addiction programs. First, watching how my uncle’s battle with drugs and alcohol has affected

my grandparents financially and emotionally has impacted me significantly. For example, my

grandparents have continued to prolong retirement to financially support my uncle’s rent, bills,

and rehab treatments. My grandma has also endured sleepless nights, many tears, and health

complications, which she attributes to be the result of emotional stress caused by my uncle’s

addiction. Not wanting to put my family through the same has resulted in a personal choice to

stay away from drugs and alcohol. Next, my experience watching the challenges of my uncle’s

addiction has made me compassionate, patient, and kind. His struggle to sobriety has helped me

better understand the challenges and emotions an individual might face when seeking recovery.

He has often spoke of feeling embarrassment and shame about his addiction, which has given me

perspective on what it is like for individuals going through similar struggles. This experience has

allowed me to approach others with empathy and care as I never know the struggles they may be

facing. Lastly, my uncle’s negative experience with health care has increased interest in my

wanting to take part and learn more about hospital protocols for patients suffering from

addiction. My desire to learn more about treatment programs for patients with addiction has

resulted in my choice to pursue a career in health care. I hope to get involved and change

negative perspectives on drug addiction to ensure that individuals, like my uncle, will be treated

fairly within the health care system. In conclusion, my avoidance of drugs and alcohol, empathy
toward individuals and their struggles, and my passion for learning more about addiction

protocols in health care has resulted from watching my uncle’s fight with addiction.