Addiction and Cases Against Addiction

¶ … Addiction and Cases against Addiction

Addiction is "Not" Just to Drugs During 1914, addiction to laudanum ranked as one of the most prominent drug addictions adversely affecting individuals in society, as noted by a letter dated April 26, 1814, by Samuel Taylor Coldridge, which included the excerpt presented in introductory quote for this paper. (Columbia)

Today, instead of laudanum, alcohol, cocaine, meth, heroin and a multitude of other illegal drugs, along with "legal" drugs such as opoids, sedative-hypnotics, stimulants and other substances constitute the primary categories of addictive drugs plaguing society. (Addiction; Advanced Pain Treatment)

Types of Addiction

Various types of addictions include the Tolerance-Based Addiction, Psychological Addiction, and the Physical Addiction.

Tolerance-Based Addiction Tolerance occurs over time after a serious injury requires use of an opioid for pain management. In this addiction, a normal physiological process, a person experiences a "need" for an increased dosage of medication to produce the desired effect. (Advanced Pain Treatment)

Psychological Addiction a psychological addiction, an addiction, as well as a behavioral phenomenon, results when the person revolves around his/her drug of choice. he/she will continue to use the drug even when harming him/her self. (Advanced Pain Treatment)

Physical Addiction a physical addiction is noted by withdrawal symptoms when a person using drugs suddenly abstains from use. The drug use has become a habit a person physically depends on to experience physical effects and to keep from going through withdrawal. (Advanced Pain Treatment)

Experts Contend in addition to alcohol and other substance/drug addictions plaguing society, experts contend addictions today also reportedly include activities. They may be, but are not limited to addictions to the internet; sex; gambling; shopping; stealing; violence. "Whether addiction is to a substance (e.g., alcohol) or activity (e.g., gambling)," Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., C.A.S., a licensed psychotherapist, purports, "addiction has the capacity to change how the brain works, thereby potentially compromising every aspect of daily life." As individual's brains are influenced by addictions to work in ways contrary to producing positive behaviors, they also, this researcher contends, adversely affect not only the addicted individual, but his/her family and the society in which he/she lives.

Major Public Health Concern Addiction currently constitutes a major public health concern, adversely affecting society in more ways than many individuals may realize. Shaffer presents the following "alarming facts":

The lifetime prevalence of alcohol abuse or dependence is 13.2%.

The lifetime prevalence of drug abuse or dependence (other than alcohol) is 8.0%.

The lifetime prevalence of nicotine dependence is 24%;

19.5% of the U.S. population experiences some substance use disorder during their lifetime.

The U.S. population experiences other addictive behaviors: gambling-related problems (4%); heroin dependence (1%); cocaine dependence (1%); and shopping-related problems (1%). (Shaffer)

Shaffer perceives one of the greatest contemporary concerns in addiction involves the use of pain medication. In regard to addiction and addiction-related disorders, he states: "I have become increasingly troubled by things other than my patients' actual use.... [and more] aware of [accompanying] complexities of circumstance as they [drugs] affect individuals." Contemporary pain medications, which individuals may abuse, and which in turn, may develop into an addiction, and in turn complicate circumstances, consequently adversely affecting the addicted individual and society, include: Opoids, which include: Buprenorphine, Darvon, Dilaudid, Heroin, LAAM, Lorcet & Lortab, Methadone, MsContin, Norco, OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin; Sedative-Hypnotics include which include: Ativan, Barbiturates, Fiorinal & Fioricet, Klonopin, www.advancedpaintreatment.com/drugs/librium.asp"Librium, Valium, and Xanax; Stimulants, which include: Cocaine (not prescribed), Dexedrine, Meridia and Ritalin. Other contemporary non-prescriptions substances potentially triggering drug addictions include: Angel Dust, Boat, Ecstasy, GHB, LSD, Mescaline, PCP, Peyote, and Wack. (Advanced Pain Treatment)

Addictions Change and Challenge Society

2007 Press Release According the October 29, 2007 release by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), approximately one third high school students surveyed reported driving a vehicle while they were under the influence" or ridding in a vehicle when the driver was impaired. ("Drug-Impaired Driving")

Large numbers of American adolescents are putting themselves and others at great risk by driving while under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol, according to a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In 2006, 30% of high school seniors reported driving after drinking heavily or using drugs, or riding in a car whose driver had been drinking heavily or using drugs, at least once in the prior two weeks. These findings are based on data obtained from the Monitoring the Future study, in which nationally representative samples of high school seniors have been surveyed annually since 1975. The data analysis is published in the November issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

These findings are another wake-up call that we cannot afford to be complacent about this great public health risk," said Elias a. Zerhouni, NIH director. "This study shows that not only are too many teens putting themselves and others at risk by driving under the influence of drugs, but that there has been little improvement in the past six years."

Although there was some progress between 2001 and 2003, with rates declining from 35 to 31%, between 2004 to 2006 rates leveled off at just under 30%.

Dr. Patrick O'Malley, the lead author of the study observes that, "Driving under the influence is not an alcohol-only problem. In 2006, 13% of seniors said they drove after using marijuana while ten percent said they drove after having five or more drinks."

Most teens are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving, yet many ignore it. And many don't seem to recognize the dangers of driving after using illicit drugs, including marijuana." said Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA director. "Educational efforts need to be targeted to include the dangers of both drinking and drugged driving." ("Drug-Impaired Driving")

All Ages Drive "Under the Influence"

When youth seniors and/or other adults, addicted to alcohol and/or drugs drive "under the influence," members of society, not addicted to mind-altering substances, are also put "at risk" for harm from the addicted person's actions, particularly when driving. As Zerhouni notes, this addiction put into practice proposes a "great public health risk." ("Drug-Impaired Driving")

Costs in Billions and Millions of Dollars

The following figures (1) and figure (2) denote 1992 costs to society from addictions.

Figure 1: Costs Related to Drug Abuse (Swan)

Figure 2: Costs to Society in Millions (Swan; Advanced Pain Treatment; iStock Photo)

Difficult Research Challenge Because no clear definition of addiction exists, researchers discover research in this field to be a difficult challenge, particularly in trying to determine "addiction prevalence rates, etiology, or the necessary and sufficient causes that stimulate recovery."

In addition, due to the dearth of a working definition of addiction, clinicians routinely counter diagnostic and treatment matching challenges (e.g., Havens, 1982; Marlatt, 1988; Shaffer, 1987, 1992; Shaffer & Robbins, 1995, cited by Shaffer), which consequently, contribute to elusive satisfactory treatment outcome measures. Social policy makers also experience difficult when they try to "establish regulatory legislation, determine treatment need, establish health care systems, and promulgate new guidelines for health care reimbursement." (Shaffer) Despite no clear definition of addiction, "in the field of addictions," Shaffer argues, "workers need precise operational definitions. To avoid confusion, researchers and clinicians have developed handy operational schemes to reduce inconsistency. One simple model for understanding addiction is to apply the three Cs:"

Behavior that is motivated by emotions ranging along the Craving to Compulsion spectrum

Continued use in spite of adverse consequences and Loss of Control. (Shaffer)

Ongoing Research

Research methodologies/tools available to help an individual conduct research on addiction abound. One multidisciplinary research initiative, Bridging the Gap (BTG), aims to increase understanding of the ways policies, practices programs, and other environmental pressures impact youth behaviors, including addictions. (Addiction) Lettieri, Ph.D., Sayers, and Pearson, editors of Theories on Drug Abuse note the following "helps' in their book relating a number of "Theoretical Perspectives and Overviews" regarding addictions:

Theories on One's Relationship to Self (an Interactional Approach to Narcotic Addiction)

The Cap Control Theory of Drug Abuse

The Bad-Habit Theory of Drug Abuse

Interactive Models of Nonmedical Drug Use

An Existential Theory of Drug Dependence

An Ego/Self Theory of Substance Dependence:

Contemporary Psychoanalytic Perspective

General Theory of Addiction to Opiate-Type Drugs

Theory of Drug Use

An Availability-Proneness Theory of Illicit Drug Abuse

Perceived Effects of Substance Use: A General Theory

Drug Use as a Protective System

Theories on One's Relationship to Others

Incomplete Mourning and Addict/Family Transactions: A Theory for Understanding Heroin Abuse

Framework for an Interactive Theory of Drug Use

Social-Psychological Framework for Studying Drug Use

Self-Esteem and Self-DerogationTheory of Drug Abuse