Few factors have caused a rapid rise in the number of deaths in the US as drug overdoses. The rapid spike in fatal drug overdoses is attributed to the increased use of heroin and other synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Fatal drug overdoses have surpassed fatal traffic accidents and shooting deaths. Only the HIV epidemic that affected the country in the 1980s can be compared to the deaths caused by drug overdoses. Few people have demonstrated demanding for help against the drug related problems. The reason why most people have not come out strongly against drug and substance abuse is that most of the incidents occur in rural and small town America especially in the South West and Appalachia ( Connors et al., 2013) . The deaths caused by heroin increased by more than 440% between 1999 and 2017. The paper will explain my personal philosophy regarding drug abuse and how to address the issue.
Personal Philosophy
I believe that the people take drugs because they want to change certain aspects of their lives. Some drugs are legal such as nicotine and alcohol. Some people also get a prescription for drugs. The main misconception is that all doctor prescribed drugs are safe. All prescription can be as addictive and dangerous as heroin and cocaine. Teenagers and young adults may take drugs as a way of “fitting in” or rebelling. It may have started as “recreational” and “fun” use that may evolve into addiction ( Segal, Morral, & Stevens, 2014) . In some cases, people may turn to drugs to fight the feelings of emptiness. They may turn to alcohol and drugs with the belief that it may fill the voids in their lives. Substance abuse may also be caused by peer pressure. The pressure of being in a group that abuse alcohol or drugs may make any individual to follow suit.
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In a bid to feel happier, some people may turn to alcohol and drugs because they can make a person feel good. Substance abuse may make them forget the problem facing them. Ultimately, they may feel that their lives would be incomplete without drugs. Globalization has made alcohol and drugs more available than ever recorded in history. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs can be accessed through the streets and even online ( Segal, Morral, & Stevens, 2014) . Most addictions often begin with alcohol. If the effects of alcohol are not enough or used to be, the individual may turn to other stronger and harder drugs. Substance abuse may even emanate from curiosity and experimentation with drugs and alcohol. A case may begin with marijuana and alcohol but end up with heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, or even some prescription medication. Substance abuse may also occur due to self-medication. Some people take prescription drugs or alcohol to unwind after a tiresome day, and it may quickly turn them into addicts.
Drugs are just poisons, and the amount determines the effects. A small amount may act as a stimulant, but a larger amount may act as a sedative while an even larger quantity may be fatal. Most drugs have a direct impact on the mind. It distorts the perception of their surrounding, and their action may become destructive, odd, irrational, or even inappropriate ( Galanter, Kleber, & Brady, 2014) . Despite the fact that they offer short term relief of pain, they can distort an individual’s alertness and ability thus affecting their thinking. Substance abuse may blur a person’s mind leading to blind spots. It may also cause failures in their lives. Moreover, it may destroy their creativity. People may take drugs when they feel sad, and it may give them temporary cheerfulness, but as the drug wears off, they may be in a worse state than before. Ultimately, it destroys their creativity.
Ways of Addressing Substance Abuse
Most of the fatal drugs abuses occur due to the deadly respiratory suppression caused by narcotic pain pills, heroin, and methadone. Naloxone should be easily accessible to families, first responders, and the people who are narcotic dependent to reduce overdose deaths. The government should then identify and crack down on all prescribers who offer pill mills. State prescription databases should be used to identify and distinguish the prescribers from legitimate doctors who practice in communities of cancer and pain patients. Social media, TV, and radio should be used to educate communities and families about substance abuse prevention ( Connors et al., 2013) . The technique has been efficient in minimizing the utilization of narcotic pain pills. There should be proper medical guidelines for chronic pain treatment. The adequate medical guidelines can be established and implemented through performance improvement strategies and quality improvement techniques.
The government should make alcohol and drug use screening part of the standard of care. It should be a universal practice in primary care so that the medical institution can identify and intervene before addiction sets in. Moreover, there should be an increase in the access, availability, and affordability of drug treatment programs. More than 80% of people with drug issues do not benefit from treatment ( Segal, Morral, & Stevens, 2014) . In most cases, wealthy celebrities access treatment because they have enough funds. All medical providers and not just the addiction specialists should be educated about good addiction treatment. The treatment centers have substandard quality of care in substance abuse should be exposed. Proper treatment options should involve medication, motivational enhancement, wellness efforts, cognitive behavioral treatments, family education, and relapse prevention. The government should promote and fund medication assisted treatment. Some medication may be efficient in the recovery efforts and harm reduction. Various drugs exist for alcohol and drug addiction control.
All in all, it is vital to keep hope alive. Any person with substance use problems can recover. Nevertheless, it requires hope, good treatment, ongoing support, and hard work. Most people with addictions may be on the road to recovery, but it is quite difficult to predict its outcome. Some addicts may only require one or even two treatment programs, but some may need 6, 12, or even 20 rehabilitation programs ( Connors et al., 2013) . Too many relapses may cause further suffering and pain. Clinical providers, the addicts, and their families should sustain their hope that a recovery is possible even at the darkest time. The darkest moments are quite dangerous. It is the moment when all appears lost, hope is lost, and the addict is exiled from communities, family, and friends. The addicts may commit suicide. All clinical providers, friends, and family should be quite supportive to the addicts.
Conclusion
The paper explains my personal philosophy regarding drug abuse and how to address the issue. Initially, I had a belief that substance abuse only affects criminals and is often caused by poverty. Due to the materials learned in class and increased exposure, I realized that it could affect any individual including the wealthy members of the society. The sooner, the community acts to control substance abuse, the more families and lives will be saved from the problem. Most people who have never been addicted to any substance may find it difficult to grasp or understand the logic behind substance abuse ( Galanter, Kleber, & Brady, 2014) . However, as the issue becomes prevalent in the country, everyone should understand the risk factors. There are many reasons why people take part in substance abuse. I believe that it is a way of trying to solve or change some attributes in their lives. Ultimately, the government should offer better policies to control the problem.
References
Connors, G. J., DiClemente, C. C., Velasquez, M. M., & Donovan, D. M. (2013). Substance abuse treatment and the stages of change: Selecting and planning interventions . Guilford Press.
Galanter, M., Kleber, H. D., & Brady, K. (Eds.). (2014). The American Psychiatric Publishing textbook of substance abuse treatment . American Psychiatric Pub.
Segal, B., Morral, A. R., & Stevens, S. J. (2014). Adolescent substance abuse treatment in the United States: Exemplary Models from a national evaluation study . Routledge.
