Drug addiction and its treatment are complex issues for medical, psychological, and even legal and moral reasons. Addicts are vilified as objects of ridicule, but children are using intoxicating substances for the first time every day and substance abuse has occurred in almost every society in the history of human existence. The only realistic and rational response is to accept that each and every individual, especially adolescents, needs effective treatment that reflects their physical, social, and mental health needs. Different types of rehabilitation are required based on the types of drugs a user might be abusing, and the related problems that often emerge alongside addiction (e.g., HIV positive status or poor health, poverty, a criminal record, lack of self-care skills) can often require further or additional treatment ranging from the activities of daily living to job readiness to anger management.
[...] Genetic factors may make a drug enjoyable to one individual, while it would not be to another, and may also make withdrawal from the substance more difficult. It is important for individuals to know if they are more susceptible to addiction, so that they may work to avoid addictive chemicals and situations. The study of the role of genetics in addiction is helping to treat drug addiction. As each new addiction gene is identified, methods to target the gene can be created. Help is readily available though most studies make a full resolution of addiction look statistically unlikely. [...]
[...] As previously mentioned, many drug dealers change the appearance or taste of the illicit substance in order to mask the danger of addiction and injury. The nature of addiction is to want more and more. It behaves like a progressive and chronic illness. A classic 12-step recovery metaphor is that it is like jaywalking. A person who had a problem with jaywalking that was so severe that they injured themselves to the point of frequent injury (or even hospitalization), or neglected their children, or did not pay bills or any of the other obvious signs that a behavior is causing severe and negative repurcussions There is also the issue of multiple addictions. [...]
[...] P., Schwabe, W. L., & Chisea, J. (1997). Mandatory Minimum Drug Sentences: Throwing Away the Key or the Taxpayers' Money? Santa Monica, CA: RAND. Everingham, S. S., & Rydell, C. P. (1994). Modeling the Demand for Cocaine. Santa Monica, CA: RAND. Gossop, M. (1989) Relapse and Addictive Behavior, New York: Routledge. Gossop, M., Griffiths, P., Powis, B. and Strang, J. (1994) "Cocaine: Patterns of Use, Route of Administration, and Severity of Dependence." British Journal of Psychiatry164: 101-4. Lipton, D. and [...]
[...] Preventing the spread of diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C has become important for limiting the damage to human life, and the cost of treating an individual who is not only drug addicted, but very ill. Often, teenagers feel omnipotent or immortal. Adding the rush of euphoria that early stages of addiction can bring only adds fuel to a smoldering fire. No amount of education to "just say no" has worked. The problem of youth drug addiction is not new and requires new attempts to thwart the cunning, baffling and powerful force of addiction. [...]
[...] Often, drug addicts have lost the usual support system of family and friends, or their family and friends may enable or encourage continued use of illicit drugs. Funding to move away to an area away from this false support, to encourage community involvement and healthy behaviors should be made available to those individuals who truly show determination to remain drug free. The classic study of methadone programs (Ball & Ross, 1991) showed in- treatment reductions in crime of 70 percent or more. [...]
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