Discussion responses unit 1

Martha D

RE: DB 1.1

Hello Everyone, its nice to meet you all.  

My name is Martha, I am a wife and mother of 2 adult children, one of whom recently completed all college courses in December, just waiting to walk in May to make it official, ” I am a proud mama”.  This is my second course with Prof. Fernandez.  I am currently working toward obtainig my LADC licensure, I just have one my course after this.  I am looking forward toward learning more about addiction.  

Jesus L 

RE: DB 1.1

Class and professor,

I am Jesus Lopez; I received my Bachelor’s degree from Post University in Psychology. I did not want to stop studying or the schedule I had placed, and I picked a degree with a drug and alcohol focus. I know I want to work with adults and veterans. I think I connect with them very well, and I can relate. I am currently in the U.S. Army and have a pretty busy schedule. I always reach out to old teammates and friends and ensure they are doing ok. They all seem to have one major common issue, coping with the non-military world. I believe that I can help some veterans cope with their issues. I chose this class because it caught my interest to research and understand how addiction sets in, not only physical withdrawal. I want to understand what has been discovered about the mental state during withdrawal. I have never been addicted to anything, but American is not only addicted to drugs or narcotics medication. I see many people addicted to simple sugar, like Starbucks, dunking droughts, and other sugar establishments. 

I look towards learning with you all and seeing your point of view on these topics. 

Jesus

Mary B

RE: DB 1.2

Hello everyone, 

There are so many ways that drugs and alcohol have impacted our society over the years that it is difficult to narrow it down to just three. In this writer’s opinion, the economic impact has been extremely devastating. Working in recovery, this writer witnesses daily the amount of money being spent on treatment by insurance companies and other government assistance programs. In 2016, $27.6 billion dollars was requested by the president to support efforts fighting the drug epidemic in the United States; this was a  $1.2 billion dollar increase from the year prior (Stevens & Smith, 2017). According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons statistics (2023), drug offenses account for 44.8% of the prison population. Housing each inmate costs tax payers between $35,000 and $40,000 per year (BOP, 2021). This is an overwhelming expense that can amount to about $120 per day that an inmate is incarcerated (BOP, 2023). 

Another way that drugs and alcohol have impacted our society includes diseases that are related to using these substances, for example, Hepatitis, HIV and AIDS (Stevens & Smith, 2017). This writer would guess that probably between 80% or 90% of her clients report they have been diagnosed with Hep C, which is related to their use of IV substances. Hep C is an inflammation of the liver that can lead to cancer and/or cirrhosis, which can be fatal (NIDA, 2022). The most common method of transmission of Hep C is through the use of needles (NIDA, 2022). When a person is in active substance abuse, they do not take into consideration the importance of proper self care, often sharing needles with one another, which makes the transmission of Hep C very common among IV substance users. Among those with chronic Hep C, 20-30% will develop cirrhosis if not treated (Zeuzem, 2017). Another thing to consider is that, those in active substance use, do not typically see a primary care physician and often neglect any type of self-care. Once in recovery, they are often overwhelmed with the responsibilities of being an adult, which includes health care maintenace. 

Endocarditis, which is inflammation of the inner lining of the heart caused by bacteria, is another potential danger to people in society who inject illicit drugs (Sampson, 2018). This writer actually lost a client a couple years ago to this disease, which was a result of his history of IV drug use. He was only in his 20s at the time and was in and out of the hospital with multiple surgeries. Ultimately, he lost his life. People using drugs and alcohol seem to believe these things will not happen to them, or they simply do not care. The use of substances takes over the mind of an individual to the point that all they care about is the next fix to avoid withdrawal. It is such a sad reality. 

A really sad reality of the epidemic of addiction is the effect it has had on children. Because those in active addiction often are not capable of caring properly for their children, the impact of drugs and alcohol have had a profound effect on families in our society. About one in five children live in a household with at least one parent who is struggling with a SUD (Lander, 2013). Studies have proven that families with SUD issues contribute to many negative effects on child development, for example, there is an increased likelihood that the child will struggle emotionally and/or behaviorally (Lander, 2013). Because the homelife is typically very chaotic and lacking structure, these children do not experience the normal security and routines that are required to raise a child. Children who are raised in homes with substance abusers are also more likely to abuse substances themselves at some time in their lives (Lander, 2013). This writer has worked in both substance abuse counseling and education. This has allowed her to witness the effects on the parents and the children. Many clients report using with parents for the first time and that they did not realize their homelife was not the norm. Also, developmental delays, resulting from using during pregnancy, seems to be more prevalent today in society in this writer’s opinion. The family dynamic has definitely been impacted by the drug epidemic. 

The article, Alcohol and Global Health, notes that alcohol-attributable burdens are prevalent in the most populous countries around the world (Rehm, 2009). While the effects of alcohol may be different for different countries, all seem to have felt an impact. It is undeniable that alcohol consumption puts one at risk for many major diseases that can be detrimental to health. According to Rehm (2009), eastern Europe hias the highest rate of alcohol consumption, with the United States being second. According to the findings in this article, men consume more alcohol than women across the world and women from higher income countries tend to consume more alcohol than women in lower economic areas (Rehm, 2009). It appears that people are aware of the implications of alcohol consumption, however, they do not seem to find the risks high enough to decrease drinking. 

References

BOP. (March 4, 2023). Federal Bureau of Prisons Statistics. BOP Statistics: Inmate OffensesRetrieved March 7, 2023.

BOP. (September 1, 2021). Federal Bureau of Prisons, Justice. Annual determination of average cost of incarceration fee (COIF). Federal Register :: Annual Determination of Average Cost of Incarceration Fee (COIF)Retrieved March 7, 2023.

Lander L, Howsare J, Byrne M. The impact of substance use disorders on families and children: from theory to practice. Soc Work Public Health. 2013;28(3-4):194-205. doi: 10.1080/19371918.2013.759005. PMID: 23731414; PMCID: PMC3725219. 

NIDA. 2022, March 22. Addiction and Health. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/addiction-health on 2023, March 8

Rehm, J., Mathers, C., Popova, S., Thavorncharoensap, M., Teerawattananon, Y., & Patra, J. (2009). Alcohol and global health 1. The Lancet, 373, 2223-2233. 

Sampson, S. (September 17, 2018). Healthline. Endocarditis. Endocarditis: Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Diagnosis (healthline.com)on 2023, March 8.

Stevens, P., & Smith, R. L. (2018). Substance abuse counseling theory and practice (6th ed.). Pearson.

Zeuzem S. Treatment Options in Hepatitis C. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017 Jan 9;114(1-02):11-21. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0011. PMID: 28143635; PMCID: PMC5373481. 

Meghan E

RE: DB 1.2

Dr. Fernandez and Class – 

Substance abuse has and continues to have a tremendous impact on our society as it impacts people of all ages, socioeconomics, ethnicities, religions, and more.  Addiction does not discriminate.  Addiction changes the courses of lives, often taking with it homes, families, jobs, and more.  In working with addicts, families of addicts, and observing  addicts in my own personal circles, the impact of the addiction has a true ripple effect that extends so far beyond the individual, but rather, touches every person that cares for them and every facet of their life.  There is much debate, even in professional circles, about whether substance abuse is an illness or a choice, but that may be a debate for another day…

While there are many different substances that are addictive in nature, some are more easily accessible and also socially acceptable than others.  For example, recreational alcohol use is generally accepted societally, with more than 50% of people  (age 12+) reporting using alcohol (Stevens & Smith, 2017).  The statistics about alcohol use are particularly concerning, especially that 12% of children ages 12-17 are drinking alcohol.  The fact that there is an alcohol related automobile death more than once every minute is devastating (Stevens & Smith, 2017).  I was saddened, but not surprised, to learn that in 2012, more than 27 million prescriptions for narcotics were covered by Medicare for our elderly population (Stevens & Smith, 2017). Many people in this demographic are already facing great health and financial challenges.  Compared to global statistics on alcohol, the US consumes more than most of the rest of the world (Rehm et al, 2009).

I found the statistics shared by Stevens and Smith (2017) regarding the use of tobacco to be quite interesting when broken down by education level, race/ethnicity, and users of other substances.  Since the publication of this text, the incidence and use of vaping products has nearly tripled in the last decade with more than 60% of youth saying they have tried it (Julia, 2023). As a school administrator, we almost never encounter cigarettes or rolled marijuana, but rather their vape cartridge counterparts.  

The video actually presented a number of unintended consequences of addiction I had not considered including the impact of drug raids and innocent lives caught in the cross hairs, impact on our law enforcement and relationships with the public, correlations between drugs and weapon possession, and more (YouTube, n.d). While I feel that there are countless consequences to addiction, three major ones are (1) death of the user or loss of life related to the addict’s use, (2) loss of employment as a result of addiction, (3) impact on family systems.  In 2021, there were more than 106,000 drug related deaths in our country. In 1999, there were fewer than 20,000 (NIDA, 2022).  I often wonder what has led to such dramatic increases in serious drug use. Are drugs more easily accessible?  Are we not educating people on the dangers as we used to? Is life so much more stressful that higher numbers are self-medicating?

According to the Addiction Center, nearly seventy percent of those with a substance abuse disorder maintain employment, however, the loss of productivity costs employers more than $80 billion dollars each year (Addiction Center, n.d).  Certainly, even if they are able to maintain employment, addicts often see a financial impact as they spend money to support their addiction (Addiction Center, n.d). 

The impact on families is substantial Depending on the role in the family of the addict, the consequences can be far reaching (American Addiction Center, 2022). In addition to loss of trust, finances, and stress, children can be neglected, physically or emotionally abused, or even removed from the home (American Addiction Center, 2022).

In summary, our country has a great deal of work to do to bring down the incidence of abuse, to make substances less accessible, especially to fragile populations, and to support people in recovery.  

?Job Problems Caused by Addiction. (n.d.). Addiction Center. https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/job-prob…

November 17, E. S. U., & 2021. (2022). Guide for Families Part I: The Addiction Problem and Approaching It. American Addiction Centers. https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/guide-for-families-i

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Julia, N. (2023, January 13). Vaping Statistics: How Many People Vape in 2023?CFAH. https://cfah.org/vaping-statistics/

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National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2022, January 20). Overdose Death Rates. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates

Stevens, Patricia, and Robert L. Smith. Substance Use Counseling. Available from: Bookshelf, (6th Edition). Pearson Education (US), 2017.

High Costs of the Cannabis War in the US. (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cMRmxCoXCc&t=41s

Mary B

RE: DB 1.3

Good afternoon all,

The use of mind altering substances can probably be dated back as far as recorded history (Stevens & Smith, 2017). Although substances were used mostly for religious and healing practices, it is doubtful for this writer to believe people had any understanding of the addictive properties that can result. One would assume, since the opium plant grows in nature, the pain relieving effects were probably viewed to be a safe and beneficial way to deal with pain. As far back as the third millennium BC, there is evidence that opium was used to remedy severe crying in children (Crocq, 2007). Before 1800, opioids and cocaine were unregulated and used for many ailments, including toothaches and even diarrhea (Jones, 2018). It wasn’t until 1914, that the Harrision Narcotic Control Act was passed to begin to regulate the use of opioids (Jones, 2018). Today, society has learned more about the large negative impact that can result from a long term opioid use, as well as understanding the risk of addiction with these substances. It certainly would not be acceptable today to provide opioids to remedy a crying child. Today’s society has learned a great deal about the potential harms and effects of long-term opioid use, as well as how addictive substances can be to the human body. 

This writer found it interesting that, while cocaine has been used for thousands of years, the active ingredient in it was not identified until 1860 (Stevens & Smith, 2017). Once that ingredient was isolated, it was added to wine and snuff, as well as, advertised as an effective treatment for asthma (Stevens & Smith, 2017). Sigmund Frued even used cocaine daily and experimented with it as a possible cure for several ailments, including depression and digestive disorders (Stevens & Smith, 2017). Knowing what we do today about the addictive properties of many illicit substances, it seems almost comical that someone so well known for his intelligence and behavioral theories was under the influence of cocaine and believed in its many healing properties. By the mid to late 1800s many medical professionals were even addicted to cocaine (Stevens & Smith, 2017). Interestingly enough, as this writer had always heard, the original Coca-Cola recipe included 60 milligrams of cocaine per 8 ounce serving (Stevens & Smith, 2017). The evolution of the use of substances throughout time shows the great amount of knowledge that has been gained by society over the years and decades. 

References

Crocq MA. Historical and cultural aspects of man’s relationship with addictive drugs. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2007;9(4):355-61. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2007.9.4/macrocq. PMID: 18286796; PMCID: PMC3202501. 

Jones MR, Viswanath O, Peck J, Kaye AD, Gill JS, Simopoulos TT. A Brief History of the Opioid Epidemic and Strategies for Pain Medicine. Pain Ther. 2018 Jun;7(1):13-21. doi: 10.1007/s40122-018-0097-6. Epub 2018 Apr 24. PMID: 29691801; PMCID: PMC5993682.

Stevens, P., & Smith, R. L. (2017).?Substance Use Counseling?(6th ed.). Pearson Education

Rebecca D

RE: DB 1.3

           Since the beginning of recorded history, and likely before, humans have used substances to alter their minds and/or moods, using substances medicinally, religiously, and socially (Stevens & Smith, 2018). There are very early recordings of alcohol and drug use, which were often used for healing, but they were also used for enjoyment. During the Neolithic period, approximately 10,000 BCE, humans found that the juice of fermented berries provided pleasant feelings and reduced discomfort (Stevens & Smith, 2018). There are also several biblical examples of alcohol consumption for enjoyment, such as Noah, who planted a vineyard, made wine, and became intoxicated, and, of course, Jesus’ famous story of turning water into wine. There are also Biblical recordings of Esther, Daniel, the apostles, and Job’s family drinking wine socially (Wallace, 2004). 

Other substances were also used, shown by very early recordings of human history. Cocaine was often used for social, medicinal, and religious purposes, such as by Native Southern Americans that would chew the leaves to obtain its effects (Stevens & Smith, 2018). Native American cultures also frequently used hallucinogens by consuming mushrooms for religious ceremonies (Stevens & Smith, 2018). In the Neolithic Age, opioids were harvested from poppy plants and used to reduce pain (Stevens & Smith, 2018). Marijuana has also been used historically for enjoyment and for its medicinal properties. Very early recordings include Egypt in the 20th century BCE, using cannabis to treat sore eyes, and ancient Greece used cannabis for earache, edema, and inflammation (Stevens & Smith, 2018). Substances are still used today for social enjoyment, religious practices, and medicinal benefits. Alcohol, marijuana, opioids, and other substances can effectively alleviate pain, inflammation, and other ailments (Stevens & Smith, 2018). The problem arises when individuals become addicted to the substances, going from using them for momentary enjoyment or pain relief to an addictive physiological need. 

In a review of the historical uses of the various substances described in our text, the substance that most surprised this writer was cocaine. This writer was not aware of how cocaine is made and that chewing the leaves of eythroxylum coca plant will release the substance directly into the chewer’s bloodstream through the mouth (Stevens & Smith, 2018). The eythroxylum coca plant is cultivated in Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2023). When the leaves of this plant are chewed, they produce a strong warmth in the mouth with a strong but pleasant taste (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2023). It wasn’t until 1860 that the active ingredient of the eythroxylum coca leaves was isolated, which was then added to wine and tonics or snuffed, as it was advertised as a cure for asthma and hay fever (Stevens & Smith, 2023). This writer found it interesting that the initial marketing and understanding of cocaine was harmless and healthy. This is similar to the history of tobacco products, where scientists did not discover the harmful health effects of tobacco until the 1950s, long after it was already being marketed as a healthy substance (Stevens & Smith, 2023). This writer also found it very interesting that it is true that Coca-Cola did initially contain cocaine. It was even marketed as an “intellectual beverage” and “brain tonic” by its creator John Stith Pemberton (Stevens & Smith, 2023, p.13). It was very interesting learning these various facts about the history of cocaine. 

Encyclopedia Britannica. (2023). Coca plant. Britannica. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/plant/coca

Stevens, P., & Smith, R. L. (2018). Substance abuse counseling theory and practice(6th ed.). Pearson. 

Wallace, D. B. (2004). The Bible and alcohol. Bible.org. https://bible.org/article/bible-and-alcohol