Drug Addiction and Homeostasis
Homeostasis refers to the regulation of an organism's vital functions via internal processes. The central nervous system governs the human body's maintenance of homeostasis. The introduction of any chemical substance into the body via ingestion, inhalation, or absorption can disrupt the body's homeostasis, or alternatively, create homeostasis when there was previously an imbalance. Therefore, the use of narcotic drugs can alter a body's homeostatic state, just as much as the use of psychiatric medications can. Antidepressants are designed to regulate an individual's neurological processes and responses and ideally to create homeostasis. If mood disorders such as depression are caused by organic imbalances in brain chemistry, then so too can addictions be caused by upsets in the body's homeostasis. The addict seeks to self-medicate through the use of various substances, whether alcohol, cocaine, or marijuana. For example, cocaine increases the rate of neurotransmission and is therefore called a…...

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Works Cited

'The Biological Mechanisms of Addiction." Addiction. Spark Notes Health Study Guides. Online at <  http://www.sparknotes.com/health/addiction/section4.rhtml >.

Deans, David Allen. "Drug Addiction." California State University, Northridge. 1997. Online at <  http://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/students/drugs.htm >.

(Cussen, 2006, pp. 39 -- 48)
The Role of the Church, Family, Community and Nonprofits

Like what was stated previously, our focus will be on those organizations that are through: the church, family, community and various nonprofits. The basic idea here is to have each one of these groups effectively reach out to various addicts and offer them a way of effectively dealing with their addiction. This is significant because, this kind of basic approach has been used consistently throughout the course of human history to address these kinds of problems. Evidence of this can be seen by looking no further than a direct reference from 1 Corinthians 10:13 with it saying, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you…...

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Bibliography

About Us. (2011). West Care. Retrieved from: http://www.westcare.com/

Drug and Alcohol Addiction. (2011). Live Baptist Church. Retrieved from:  http://olivebaptist.org/Addiction/ 

Drugs and Crime. (2010). Everything Addiction. Retrieved from:  http://www.everythingaddiction.com/addiction-society/drugs-and-crime-the-impact-of-drugs-within-societies/ 

Fact Sheet ADAM II Report. (2008). White House Drug Policy. Retrieved from:  http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/pdf/adamii_fact_sheet_2008.pdf

Drug Addiction Treatment Instead of Jail Time
epeat drug offenders deserve mandatory jail time. However, people who are arrested for the first time for a drug offense may deserve a chance at rehabilitation within a treatment facility. While many judicial systems utilize the use of drug treatment programs within the jail system, there is currently a push for alternative drug programs-based within hospitals and clinics. Close supervision can prevent drug-addicted criminals from becoming repeat offenders. That has created a national system of six hundred drug courts that currently provide treatment and counseling to inmates as an alternative to regular jail time (Yang, 1999).

The Los Angeles Times reports (Greene, 2000) that one answer to the problem of jail overcrowding has a simple and cost-effective solution. The Orange County jail system is currently overcrowded due to sentencing drug offenders to jail time instead of residential rehabilitation. The County Sheriff cites statistics that show…...

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References

Bell, D.. Montoya, I., Richard, A., & Dayton. C. (1998). "The motivation for drug abuse treatment: Testing cognitive and 12-step theories." American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Retrieved April 26, 2003, from www.findarticles.com

Greene, M. (2000, January 30). "Jail alternative: Drug treatment." Los Angeles Times, pB-12.

Nazareno, A. (2002, March 24). "Drug court to offer jail alternative; Defendants would receive treatment." The Houston Chronicle), p47.

Peters, S. (Dec 15, 2000). "Drug treatment over jail." Family Practice News.

Drug Addiction: A Social Problem
DUG ADDICTION

The drug addiction has radically increased throughout the world over the past few years. This research study aims at analyzing the problem of drug addiction, its individual and social implications and the experts' opinion about this life-threatening practice. The paper has also discussed the current prevention measures launched at the private and public forefront along with examining their effectiveness in the practical arena. The alternatives to curb drug abuse and their potential effectiveness have also been elaborated.

Drug Addiction: A Social Problem

The problem of drug addiction has been significantly rising throughout the globe over the past few decades. The changing moral trends in society and increasing depression have radically increased the problem of drug addiction. It has strengthened its roots swiftly in all parts of society particularly among the teenagers. Numerous reports have stated the fact that all major countries of the world are suffering from…...

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References

DuPont, R.L., M.D. (2010). Drug addiction: An epidemic dilemma. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 42(2), 127-32. Retrieved from  http://search.proquest.com/docview/603183100?accountid=32521 .

Elliott, E.T., Souder, C.A., Privette, T., & Richardson, W.H. (2008). Teen Prescription Drug

Abuse. Clinician Reviews, Vol. 18(11). Retrieved from   .http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=5&hid=122&sid 

Friedman, R.A. (2006). The changing face of teenage drug abuse - the trend toward prescription drugs. The New England Journal of Medicine, 354(14), 1448-50. Retrieved from   .http://search.proquest.com/docview/223934259?accountid=32521 

" (Leshner, 2001) According to the NIDA drug addiction, much like cardiovascular disease causes changes in the individual's biological make up as shown in the following chart.
Addiction and Cardiovascular Disease Change iology

Source: NIDA (2007)

Furthermore, the NIDA reports that recovery from drug addiction is very much like recovery from other diseases as shown in the following chart.

Recovery from Diseases

Source: NIDA (2007)

The Interim and Final Reports of the Joint Committee of the American ar Association and the American Medical Association on Narcotic Drugs entitled: "Drug Addiction, Crime or Disease?" relates: "An Authoritative definition of drug addiction is that propounded by the World Health Organization: "Drug addiction is a state of periodic and chronic intoxication detrimental to the individual and to society, produced by the repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic). Its' characteristics include:

1) an overpowering desire or need (compulsion) to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any…...

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Bibliography

Leshner, Alan I. (2007) Oops: How Casual Drug Use Leads to Addiction. National Institute on Drug Abuse and Addiction. NIDA. Online available at  http://www.nida.nih.gov/Published_Articles/Oops.html 

Ploscowe, Morris (nd) Drug Addiction, Crime of Disease? Interim and Final Reports of the Joint Committee of the American Bar Association and the American Medical Association on Narcotic Drugs. Scaffer Library of Drug Policy. Online available at  http://www.druglibrary.org/SCHAFFER/library/studies/dacd/appendixa_3.htm 

Addiction or Chronic Disease (2005) National Institute on Drug Abuse and Addiction. Online available at  http://www.nida.nih.gov/about/welcome/aboutdrugabuse/chronicdisease/ 

Leshner, Alan I. (2001) Drug Addiction, a Brain Disease. 11 July 2001 Issue 106. Online available at http://web.uvic.ca/psyc/skelton/Teaching/General%20Readings/Drug%20Addiction%20opinion.htm

Untrained individuals may help, but the chemical and genetic side of addiction must be acknowledged and addressed for the addict to make a full recovery.
The purpose of the justice system is to punish. The truth is, most alcoholic and addicts have already been punished, before they ever walk into a courtroom. They have lost loved ones, promising careers, and their physical health to their illness. Could prison take away more of their dignity and act as a deterrent? Incarcerating addicts without specific, substance-abuse therapy designed to treat the physical compulsions and psychological conditions (including but not limited to depression and anxiety) that motivated them to become addicts will do little to ensure that addiction, and the crimes it may have spawned, will cease.

In fact, given the levels of drug use and abuse in prison, it may only give addicts further reason to remain addicted, by normalizing the behavior, isolating…...

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Works Cited

Addiction." DSM-IV. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th edition. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association (AMA). 1994. Definition found at "Alcohol Abuse: Diagnosis." Mental Health Channel. 26 Apr 2008. http://www.mentalhealthchannel.net/alcohol/diagnosis.shtml

Increasingly, POMETA has come under close scrutiny, with several individuals and experts claming that the treatment does not achieve all that it claims to do, although there have been numerous testimonials testifying to the efficacy of the system of treatment for addiction. In one patient's own words, "I had tried everything, and nothing worked for me. But POMETA has!" (Addiction Medicine, 2006) in the words of Chicago based addiction specialist David Ostrow, there had been attempts to create hype, to an extent that was not essential, in the publicity associated with this new treatment POMETA. In fact, he reiterated, there was very little evidence presented by the promoters of the product, to show that this indeed was a form of treatment that would work for addicts and alcoholics, in maintaining their abstinence over prolonged periods of time, and in acting against the chemicals that promote the addictions in the…...

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References

Addiction Medicine. (2006, April) "Dr. Raymond Johnson presents preliminary outcomes data on PROMETA addiction treatment" Drug Week, 39. Retrieved January 14, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1022559421).

Gracer, Richard I; Gracer, Richard I. (2007) "A new prescription for addiction, Subutex,

PROMETA: Subutex, Prometa, Vivitrol, and Campral..." Gracer Medical Group.

Hythiam, Inc. (2007, August) "Hythiam Announces Second Quarter Results" Drug Week, 315.

Righteous Dopefiend: The Moral Economy of Heroin Abuse
One of the first images of Righteous Dopefiend, an anthropological analysis of California homeless heroin addicts, is that of several men shooting up heroin in a dirty and unsanitary place; even though there are cleaner places to do this, the men are attempting to conceal their activity because they do not want to share their stash: this indicates the extent to which the priorities of the addicts revolve around maximizing the efficacy of the drug and not around their own personal safety. "Fear of arrest exacerbates risky injection practices; discouraging possession of syringes, encouraging injectors to hide paraphernalia in unsanitary locations, and relegating the injection process to filthy hidden locales" (Bourgois & Schonberg 9). However, despite the fact that the addicts struggle with such issues, there are also moments of tenderness, such as when Hank chooses to inject Sonny in the neck to…...

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Work Cited

Bourgois, Philippe & Schonberg, Jeffrey. Righteous Dopefiend. University of California Press,

Addiction: A brain disease with a biological foundation
Addiction is a brain disease with a biological foundation, which means that it couples together the mental and physical states of the individual in an action which can lead to negative or bad behavior. There are many types of addictions but two of the biggest addictions in modern times are sexual addiction and drug addiction. Many young people develop both addictions or one or the other, either becoming addicted to Internet sexual sites or becoming addicted to illicit street drugs like heroin or marijuana. Either addiction can be damaging to the person's health, and in some cases they can even be deadly. In fact sexuality and drug addiction can sometimes even be linked (Newcomb, 2014). For young people these two issues are especially dangerous as "experimentation with addictive drugs and onset of addictive disorders is primarily concentrated in adolescence and young adulthood" (Chambers,…...

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References

Asamsama, O., Dickstein, B., Chard, K. (2015). Do scores on the Beck Depression

Inventory-II Predict Outcome in Cognitive Processing Therapy? Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, 7(5): 437-441.

Chambers, A., Taylor, J., Potenza, M. (2014). Developmental Neurocircuitry of Motivation in Adolescence: A Critical Period of Addiction Vulnerability. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 160(6): 1041-1052.

Cotto, J. (2010). Gender Effects on Drug Use, Abuse, and Dependence. Gender Medicine, 7(5): 402-213.

addiction over the past several decades, that addiction, specifically drug addiction, has been present in society for most of mankind's presence on earth. Such addiction may have been known by other descriptions and may not have been known to be the result of something exactly identified as a drug but such use was still likely an addiction. The use of drugs has been recorded by historians for thousands of years (Crafts, 2009). Wine was used by the early Egyptians and narcotics and marijuana have been noted to be used as far back as 4000 B.C. But it was not until the 19th century that the active ingredients in drugs were extracted. For many years many of the drugs that are now heavily regulated and controlled were freely available and prescribed by physicians. There easy availability resulted in many becoming addicted to their use and by the early1900s there were…...

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References

Anthony, J.C. (2000). Patterns of Co-Occurring Consumption and Dependence in the United States. Alcohol Research & Health, 201-.

Courtwright, D. (1992). A Century of American narcotic policy . Treating Drug Problems, 1-62.

Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, Pub. L. No. 91-513, 84 Stat. 1236 (Oct. 27, 1970)

Crafts, W.F. (2009). Intoxicating Drinks & Drugs in All Lands and Times: A Twentieth Century Survey of Intemperance. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

Usually, both physical and psychological components need to be addressed. Byrd (2001) explains, the function of brain cells (neurons) is affected when a drug is used repeatedly over a long period of time. Each neuron produces and releases chemicals called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters can impact the function of the nerve cell, making it produce and release hormones. "The neurotransmitters that have been associated with addiction include serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, gamma-amino-butyric acid, and glutamate" (p. 71). Drugs and the secretion of neurotransmitters can interfere with nerve cell functions and in some cases can damage them. Addiction becomes a fact when the body increases its level of resistance to immediate drug effects and develops a tolerance for the substance. As this happens, the brain tries to maintain a normal state, but the nerve cell membrane is changing. "elease of dopamine affects the part of the brain that regulates motor behavior. The…...

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References

Bailes, B.K. (1998). What perioperative nurses need to know about substance abuse. AORN Journal, 68 (4) Oct. 611-622. Retrieved 16 February 2007 from Expanded Academic ASAP (Thomson Gale) database.

Byrd, P.B. (2001). Do you know if your patients, co-workers, friends, family, or you have an addiction? Journal of Dental Hygiene, 75 (1), 65-81.

Carlson, K.J., Eisenstat, S.A., and Ziporyn, T. (2004). The new Harvard guide to women's health. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Critser, G. (2005). Generation Rx: How prescription drugs are altering American lives, minds, and bodies. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

According to NIDA (2007), tobacco use resulted in the death of approximately 100 million people in the twentieth century, with a projected total approaching 1 billion by the end of this century at the current rate of usage.
Nevertheless, NIDA still currently considers "drug" addiction as a disease, despite its contradictory failure to ascribe the same characterization to nicotine addiction.

In justifying its position that addiction is a "disease of the brain," NIDA (2007) relies primarily on neurological data provided by advanced methods of brainwave studies and brain imaging technologies, which identify characteristic differences between neurological responses to the ingestion of drugs and alcohol by individuals prone to addiction and the responses of individuals less prone to addiction to the same agents.

These studies demonstrate that the brains of addicts respond very differently from those of non-addicts, in intensity, as well as in terms of regional involvement (NIDA, 2007).

However, as einarman (2005)…...

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References

Brecher, E. (1972) Licit and Illicit Drugs. Little Brown & Co.: Boston

LeGrand. L., lacono, W., McGue, M. Predicting Addiction," American Scientist (March-April 2005)

Reinarman, C. Addiction as Accomplishment: The Discursive Construction of Disease. Addiction Research and Theory; Aug 05-13(4): 307-320

Sullum, J. "The Surprising Truth about Heroin and Addiction," Reason (June 2003)

Souls is a book about drug addiction and its relation to crime. It is a memoir by Michael MacDonald and it shows how both crime and drugs have brought death to his family, as they grew up in Southie, "in the all-Irish housing projects where everyone claimed to be Irish" (2). It was, according to MacDonald, the best neighborhood in the world. That, of course, was a kind of dream -- for the reality of Southie soon became known to him as it took the lives of his brothers. This paper will explore the reality that MacDonald describes in his memoir All Souls and show how it relates to the realities depicted in two essays: William J. Bennett's "Should Drugs be Legalized?" And Linda Hasselstrom's "Why One Peaceful Woman Carries a Pistol." The relation shows this: that there is no answer to the problem of drugs, guns, crime and…...

PAENTAL DUG ADDICTION & IMPACT ON CHILDEN
Impact of parental drug use

Neurobiological causes of drug addiction

Social support to victims of parental drug addiction

Child needs during treatment of parental drug addiction

Impact of parental drug use

Barnard and McKeganey (2004) investigated the impact that parental drug use created on their children and ways and means that can be helpful in mitigating these effects. The study was aimed at reviewing the literature on this subject. The researchers adopted 'narrative review' as the qualitative method to review the research on this subject. Intervention studies were selected for this purpose and studies published in last three decades were made part of this study sample. The authors reported some insightful findings. Primarily, the study found that problem drug use did impede the parenting ability and responsibility of parents that were drug addicts. The study found that such parents used to neglect their children and care was often provided…...

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References

Barnard, M. (2003). Between a rock and a hard place: the role of relatives in protecting children from the effects of parental drug problems. Child & Family Social Work, 8(4), 291-299.

Barnard, M., & McKeganey, N. (2004). The impact of parental problem drug use on children: what is the problem and what can be done to help? Addiction, 99(5), 552-559.

Erickson, C.K., & Wilcox, R.E. (2001). Neurobiological causes of addiction. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 1(3), 7-22.

Gruenert, S.M., Ratnam, S.S., & Tsantefski, M. (2006). Identifying Children's Needs When Parents Access Drug Treatment: The Utility of a Brief Screening Measure. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 6(1-2), 139-154.

eradicating alcohol and drug addiction from a woman offender's life is seen in the research results of aylor Correctional Institution women inmates. The research questions pertaining to increasing their knowledge of what constitutes unlawful behaviors, identifying the triggers associated with drug use, and increase their knowledge of and identification of coping skills to remain drug-free are the basis of this methodology section. Methodologies pertaining to drug treatment programs often concentrate on the externalities and easily tracked causes, neglecting the internal, attitudinal and situational factors that trigger relapse (McCusker, Vikers-Lahti, Stoddard, et.al.1995). The outcome of the initial research validates this point, showing how women offenders from aylor Correctional Institution can successfully define and identify unlawful behaviors, and can also increase their coping skills through programs. This finding is consistent with empirical studies that illustrate how residential drug treatment programs are successful in teaching drug offenders for what specific external factors…...

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Bibliography

Chan, M., Guydish, J., Prem, R., Jessup, M.A., Cervantes, A., & Bostrom, A. (2005). Evaluation

of probation case management (PCM) for drug-involved women offenders. Crime and Delinquency, 51(4), 447-469.

Guydish, J., Chan, M., Bostrom, A., Jessup, M.A., Davis, T.B., & Marsh, C. (2011). A

randomized trial of probation case management for drug-involved women offenders. Crime and Delinquency, 57(2), 167-198.

Writing an essay about drug abuse, it is important to start by distinguishing it from drug usage. Most people use some type of drugs casually or recreationally.  Whether it is a morning caffeine fix, a glass of wine with dinner, over-the-counter painkillers when a headache strikes, or some recreational marijuana, substances are a part of everyday life.  While using drugs may be an acceptable way to relax, to ease pain, or to handle other issues, drug abuse can have profoundly negative effects on a person’s life.

Unfortunately, there is not a bright-line between drug use and drug abuse. ....

Reason, appetite, and spirit are three concepts that you will find throughout Western versions of philosophy. Understanding what they mean can be critical to understanding the core concepts of many philosophers. However, it is important to understand that general meanings are only general meanings. Each philosopher can define them slightly differently in their philosophical framework. So, it is critical to examine each concept within the context of the philosopher that you are studying because their personal interpretations can critically alter the meanings of these three core concepts.

Spirit has multiple meanings in modern philosophy. It can....

Drug Trafficking in Italy: A Complex and Evolving Problem

Introduction

Italy, located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Sea, has long been a strategic transit route for drug trafficking from producing countries to consumer markets in Northern Europe and beyond. In recent years, the country has faced significant challenges in combating drug trafficking, with organized crime groups playing a major role in the illicit trade. This essay will explore the current state of drug trafficking in Italy, examining its impact on society, the efforts of law enforcement to combat it, and the need for comprehensive strategies to address this complex problem.

The Role....

1. The impact of drug addiction on individuals, families, and communities
2. The role of genetics and environment in predisposing individuals to drug addiction
3. The connection between mental health disorders and drug addiction
4. The effectiveness of different types of treatment options for drug addiction
5. The relationship between drug addiction and crime
6. The societal stigma and discrimination faced by individuals struggling with drug addiction
7. The role of prescription medications in the opioid epidemic
8. The influence of social media and popular culture on drug addiction trends
9. The challenges faced by individuals in maintaining sobriety after completing a rehabilitation....