Addiction and Abuse Assignment: Impact and Considerations

This homework assignment analyzes the impact of addiction and abuse, drawing from readings on mental health and psychoactive substances. The student reflects on how the readings altered their understanding of opioid use, heroin, and fentanyl, highlighting the disturbing effects on personal and professional life, as well as the detrimental impact on family dynamics and child upbringing. The assignment emphasizes the need for public awareness regarding the dangers of substance abuse, the importance of considering the health of pregnant women and babies, and the link between addiction and family violence. The student also critiques the production of synthetic drugs and the government's support of legal substances like cigarettes and alcohol. The assignment concludes with a call for increased attention to the societal consequences of addiction and the need for preventive measures.

1ADDICTION AND ABUSE
Question 1
What bothered, disturbed or drew attention?
After reading the chapter 2 (p: 19-25), as reported in Seventh Edition (2018) of
Addiction and Mental health by Ralph, I have found several new facts which would make me
think twice before engaging myself into intoxicated practices. I felt these unknown facts must
be publicized for the welfare of society, acknowledging the fact that people who are
practicing such behaviour can hardly be motivated through this. However, such practices are
disturbing as far as a person’s professional and personal life are concerned. As discussed in
(Children.gov.on.ca, 2018), it not only disturbs conjugal life but also hampers a child’s
upbringing if a single or multiple family members are involved into such practices. Attention
must be drawn towards this issue as it influences entire social degradation and children face
its negative effect the most. I believe, instead of such drug formulas the affects and
withdrawal syndromes must be circulated as people must scared of such dangerous outcome
for few hours of pleasure.
Question 2
Did the reading make you change thinking in any way?
I used to consider consumption of OPIOID, as a pain reliever. I did not know the fact
that alteration of formula can lead towards a numb state and has a long term effects on human
body. Apart from unintentional overdose, people do it intentionally as well as an intoxicated
practice. As far as use of Heroin and Fentanyl is concerned, after reading (Drugabuse.gov,
2018), I started to become aware of their illegal dealings but never cared much to know the
intensity of this illegal business and its different mode of consumption. I was surprised to
know the syndromes after withdrawal. People must consider the ways of amusement through
intoxication sometimes yet such synthetic drugs which take so much efforts and resources to

2ADDICTION AND ABUSE
produce cannot be the a source of relaxation. I used to think such activities must be done at
least once to add adventure in life. However, after considering the studies I have started to
fear overdose of such synthetic medicines as well.
Question 3
What important facts, ideas or issues do you think need to be considered? Did the
author(s) leave anything out that can be considered as important?
After reviewing the Psychoactive Substances of Abuse and Misuse (p. 138-163) by
Csiernik; I have found, issues that are dominating the health industry are the practice of
intoxication among pregnant women or a prolonged practice of smoking or snorting has been
influencing the physical and mental growth of the baby. This issue must be considered with
high concern, as reported by (Children.gov.on.ca, 2018), degrading health of babies indicates
a damaged backbone of society. Therefore, both the mother and medical care units must be
careful about the dose of medicine and especially mothers must understand their
responsibility if not towards themselves but to their infants.
Besides, family violence has been increased at an alarming rate. A child and members
who are not into such practices are suffering from the actions of people who are regularly
engaging themselves into heroin or such synthetic drugs. According to the report presented
by (Drugabuse.gov, 2018), incidents of abuse are increasing in number both in public and
private places. Even in professional places people are being victim of abuse and violence if
not because of intoxication all the time; definitely the proportion is high that has been done
under the influence of drugs.
Moreover, a lot of resources are required to produce such synthetic drugs. For
environmental concerns as well, misuse of medicated formulas must be stopped. I do not
support deforestation in the procedure of formulating synthetic drugs. Government has

3ADDICTION AND ABUSE
allowed smoking cigarettes and alcohol and collects taxes too as things are legal. It must not
be supported as well as it has long term consequences and influences abuse too.

4ADDICTION AND ABUSE
References
Drugabuse.gov. (2018). National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Retrieved from
https://www.drugabuse.gov/
Children.gov.on.ca. (2018). Mental Health Services. Retrieved from
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/specialneeds/mentalhealth/index.aspx