Attitudes About Addiction Need Adjustment
By Philip Hough
The highly publicized death of acclaimed actor Philip Seymour Hoffman due to an apparent heroin overdose early in the morning of Feb. 2, has revealed a new face of an "addict." Personal experiences and stereotypes have often led to the general public turning a blind, uncaring eye to such occurrences.
Social media and news comment sections have been bombarded with support for families and those struggling with addiction, as well as some who firmly believe there is no tragedy involved in a drug overdose brought on by addiction.
One writer who posted in the comments section of the CNN.com article, "How Heroin Kills," wrote, "What I want to know is ... What is going through someone's head when they decide, 'Hey, I want to take a hit of heroin today' for the first time?' I'm sorry, but it's pure idiocy and people who do this and die because of it deserve to be selected out of the gene pool."
Others have cited personal experience and support for families and addicts. Both vehemently defend their stances.
At the heart of this controversy seems to be the label of "disease" being tied to addiction. Many will not accept an addiction as falling into the same category as traditional, clinical illness. It is my belief that those individuals are short-sighted, often missing the bigger picture of addiction and disease.
Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines disease as "a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms."
This definition can easily fit "addiction" because addiction is most certainly a condition which "impairs normal functioning" and does include distinguishing symptoms.
It is with this in mind that we should look at those suffering from addiction. In my experience, addiction is an aspect, or symptom, of an underlying illness or disease. Many turn to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism, in an attempt to self-medicate an underlying illness.
It is generally acceptable to call off sick from work if one is experiencing an illness with more visible symptoms, such as a virus or the flu; however, it would be less acceptable to call off, citing depression or any other psychological illness. This is where the line gets blurred for many who contend that addiction is not an illness. Mental illness and addiction often are not outwardly visible; however, they seem to be most certainly tied together.
This is where the new face of an addict comes into play. We see, as the case was with Hoffman, that addiction grips not just those who stereotypically fit the bill for an addict, but also those held in high regard by the public and their loved ones. High profile, successful people suffer, as well, from addiction, and I think this can help change our misconceptions.
Many believe that the addict uses drugs or alcohol only as a selfish decision to escape his or her own reality, but often these observers never delve deep enough into the topic of addiction and possible underlying mental illness.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse, which can be found online at drugabuse.gov, answers the question, "Is drug addiction a mental illness?" with a resounding, "Yes." The Institute explains that drug abuse is a mental illness "because addiction changes the brain in fundamental ways, disturbing a person's normal hierarchy of needs and desires and substituting new priorities connected with procuring and using the drug. The resulting compulsive behaviors that override the ability to control impulses despite the consequences are similar to hallmarks of other mental illnesses."
I don't know that any one essay, or any amount of research, will change the minds of people who do not see addiction as an illness, but rather, as a selfish condition that the user chooses to perpetuate; however, I would like to think that we should all be familiar with facts and studies before we judge.
Years ago, I lost a close friend to addiction. I will not reveal his name in this essay; however, I will say that he died of an apparent overdose resulting from mixing the drugs heroin and cocaine.
He was, by all accounts, a "normal" person; in other words, he didn't display signs of an addict. He served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and seemed to maintain a typical lifestyle upon his return. It was only after spending time with him upon his return, at small gatherings and parties with mutual friends, that I saw him break down over his experiences overseas. He gained weight, and he would become overwhelmed with intense periods of grief and sorrow for his actions.
He once told me, in the early hours of the morning after a night with a few friends, that, "No matter how many people you kill (referring to war), it never gets easier."
This was a man, a war veteran, well over 6 feet tall and around 240 pounds, breaking down. This was only a few weeks before he died, and the last time I spoke to him.
There are always underlying issues that result in addiction, with even addiction, itself, sometimes being the issue. There are stories behind the people who become addicts, stories that often reveal disease, psychological or otherwise, but still a disease. A more opened-minded public, in the case of addiction vs. disease, may result in a willingness for those suffering to do so in a more public manner, seeking the help they need to save their lives.
Philip A. Hough, a California University of Pennsylvania undergraduate, has been pursuing a degree in English with a concentration in journalism. You can visit his website at philtherealdeal.weebly.com.
The highly publicized death of acclaimed actor Philip Seymour Hoffman due to an apparent heroin overdose early in the morning of Feb. 2, has revealed a new face of an "addict." Personal experiences and stereotypes have often led to the general public turning a blind, uncaring eye to such occurrences.
Social media and news comment sections have been bombarded with support for families and those struggling with addiction, as well as some who firmly believe there is no tragedy involved in a drug overdose brought on by addiction.
One writer who posted in the comments section of the CNN.com article, "How Heroin Kills," wrote, "What I want to know is ... What is going through someone's head when they decide, 'Hey, I want to take a hit of heroin today' for the first time?' I'm sorry, but it's pure idiocy and people who do this and die because of it deserve to be selected out of the gene pool."
Others have cited personal experience and support for families and addicts. Both vehemently defend their stances.
At the heart of this controversy seems to be the label of "disease" being tied to addiction. Many will not accept an addiction as falling into the same category as traditional, clinical illness. It is my belief that those individuals are short-sighted, often missing the bigger picture of addiction and disease.
Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines disease as "a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms."
This definition can easily fit "addiction" because addiction is most certainly a condition which "impairs normal functioning" and does include distinguishing symptoms.
It is with this in mind that we should look at those suffering from addiction. In my experience, addiction is an aspect, or symptom, of an underlying illness or disease. Many turn to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism, in an attempt to self-medicate an underlying illness.
It is generally acceptable to call off sick from work if one is experiencing an illness with more visible symptoms, such as a virus or the flu; however, it would be less acceptable to call off, citing depression or any other psychological illness. This is where the line gets blurred for many who contend that addiction is not an illness. Mental illness and addiction often are not outwardly visible; however, they seem to be most certainly tied together.
This is where the new face of an addict comes into play. We see, as the case was with Hoffman, that addiction grips not just those who stereotypically fit the bill for an addict, but also those held in high regard by the public and their loved ones. High profile, successful people suffer, as well, from addiction, and I think this can help change our misconceptions.
Many believe that the addict uses drugs or alcohol only as a selfish decision to escape his or her own reality, but often these observers never delve deep enough into the topic of addiction and possible underlying mental illness.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse, which can be found online at drugabuse.gov, answers the question, "Is drug addiction a mental illness?" with a resounding, "Yes." The Institute explains that drug abuse is a mental illness "because addiction changes the brain in fundamental ways, disturbing a person's normal hierarchy of needs and desires and substituting new priorities connected with procuring and using the drug. The resulting compulsive behaviors that override the ability to control impulses despite the consequences are similar to hallmarks of other mental illnesses."
I don't know that any one essay, or any amount of research, will change the minds of people who do not see addiction as an illness, but rather, as a selfish condition that the user chooses to perpetuate; however, I would like to think that we should all be familiar with facts and studies before we judge.
Years ago, I lost a close friend to addiction. I will not reveal his name in this essay; however, I will say that he died of an apparent overdose resulting from mixing the drugs heroin and cocaine.
He was, by all accounts, a "normal" person; in other words, he didn't display signs of an addict. He served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and seemed to maintain a typical lifestyle upon his return. It was only after spending time with him upon his return, at small gatherings and parties with mutual friends, that I saw him break down over his experiences overseas. He gained weight, and he would become overwhelmed with intense periods of grief and sorrow for his actions.
He once told me, in the early hours of the morning after a night with a few friends, that, "No matter how many people you kill (referring to war), it never gets easier."
This was a man, a war veteran, well over 6 feet tall and around 240 pounds, breaking down. This was only a few weeks before he died, and the last time I spoke to him.
There are always underlying issues that result in addiction, with even addiction, itself, sometimes being the issue. There are stories behind the people who become addicts, stories that often reveal disease, psychological or otherwise, but still a disease. A more opened-minded public, in the case of addiction vs. disease, may result in a willingness for those suffering to do so in a more public manner, seeking the help they need to save their lives.
Philip A. Hough, a California University of Pennsylvania undergraduate, has been pursuing a degree in English with a concentration in journalism. You can visit his website at philtherealdeal.weebly.com.