Essay Analysis: Journal Insights on Drug Addiction and Coping

This essay provides an analysis of two journals focusing on drug addiction and the coping mechanisms employed by individuals. The first journal explores the initial introduction to opiates, highlighting factors such as exposure to drug use within families and the search for inner peace as drivers for addiction. The essay questions the relevance of these historical patterns in contemporary society. The second journal delves into the methods used to obtain drugs, including interactions with dealers and doctors. It reveals the strategies addicts employ to secure their supply, and the essay raises questions about supply reduction policies and healthcare responses to drug misuse. The essay references literature discussing drug addiction and the challenges faced by addicts. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of interventions to improve the quality of life of drug users.

Running head: ESSAY 4
Essay 4
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

1ESSAY 4
The essay provides an analysis of journals related to factors leading to drug addiction in
people and the way these people cope with the need to obtain narcotics on regular basis or cope
with the pain of withdrawal. The post gives idea about the main idea given by the journal, the
way the author supports his argument and the queries found after analyzing the author’s
argument.
The analysis of first journal ‘turned on’ shows that the main idea presented by the author
is how drug addicts get introduced to opiates for the first time in their life. By interview with
several drug addicts, author supported his argument that drug use was mainly confined to
criminal circles or those experiencing worse adversities in their life. The interesting point for me
was the manner in which each of the drug users got introduced to the drug and very few had the
regret of using narcotics. For some clients, their parent’s exposure to drugs was the main reason
for them to start using opiates whereas for others exposure to constant life struggle encouraged
them to use the drug to get inner peace (Courtwright, Joseph & Des Jarlais, 2013). The journal
gave the insight that some close acquaintance introduced people to narcotic drugs like opiate.
The journal mainly mentioned about the likelihood of introduction to the drugs in the twentieth
century, however, the question is whether the same trend continues even today? Do all drug
abuse people start taking drugs because of their close acquaintance or there is other factors too
that predispose them to drug addiction.
The journal titled ‘scoring’ mainly gave details about the way narcotic drugs used availed
drugs on a regular basis. Although it was known that street dealer engage in the illicit business of
supplying drugs, however a surprising finding was that these drugs users also persuaded doctors
to prescribe the drug based by giving some fees. Another very vital insight that was gained from
the journal was that the drugs addicts tend to specialize in taking drugs either from a doctor or a

2ESSAY 4
dealer and they established such connections when they found that it was easier to get drugs from
a particular source. The author supported his main arguments by stating about the shortage of
illicit narcotics during the World War II and interview with Teddy, who managed to purchase
drug during these times too. Such shortage of drug was also associated with increase in crime. In
those times, the sale of drugs was controlled by increasing the price by about thirty three times
(Courtwright, Joseph & Des Jarlais, 2013). The question that arise now is that, whether
developing countries have implemented any effective supply reduction policy after witnessing
such events in the past and health care system have taken action to spread awareness about the
misuse of drugs (Brett & Murnion, 2015).
Seeing the aftermath of sufferings for drug addicts by reviewing the experience of drug
users, many important ideas were gained regarding the way people engage in such habit.
However, the incidence of crime found due to the supply problem of drugs also brings to
attention the question whether effective steps have been taken to help drug addict come out from
drug dependence and improve their quality of life.

3ESSAY 4
References:
Brett, J., & Murnion, B. (2015). Management of benzodiazepine misuse and
dependence. Australian prescriber, 38(5), 152.
Courtwright, D. T., Joseph, H., & Des Jarlais, D. (2013). Addicts who survived: An oral history
of Narcotic use in America before 1965. Univ. of Tennessee Press.