obvious that those initial arguments and beliefs are flawed. In the majority of cases, drugs quickly take total control until, over time, the pleasurable effects of the drug weaken and excessive use and abuse become necessary for addicts to simply feel “normal.” They arrive at a point where they continually seek and take drugs, despite the tremendous problems caused for themselves and their loved ones. This is one of the major components of addiction.
It has been shown that many individuals who use drugs become addicted far earlier than once believed. Studies reveal many abusers began feeling the need to take higher or more frequent doses in the early stages of their drug use. In experiments carried out on rats, a team of American researchers at Brown University in Rhode Island showed that even a single dose of morphine physically altered neural pathways. The change persisted long after the effects of the drug had worn off. Other studies have shown that a single dose of methamphetamine has resulted in damage to nerve terminals in the dopamine-containing regions of the brain. While this reveals the severe toxicity of methamphetamine, it also may be indicative of how addictive the substance is.
Research supports the argument that not only do drugs interfere with normal brain functions, creating powerful feelings of pleasure, but they also have long-term effects on brain metabolism and activity. At some point, changes occur in the brain that can turn drug abuse into addiction—a chronic, relapsing disease.
Like many other illnesses, addiction can be influenced by environmental conditions, behavior, and the ability to respond to treatment, which nearly always includes long-term lifestyle modification. Studies on addicts reveal both environmental and genetic influences in the disease, as well as interactions between the two.
NIDA reports one biological/environmental argument for the disease of addiction includes having a family history of drug or alcohol abuse. This may genetically predispose a person to drug abuse. Another explanation is that starting to abuse a drug may lead to affiliation with more drug-abusing peers, which, in turn, exposes the individual to other drugs.
“Different patterns of drug initiation have been identified based on gender, race or ethnicity, and geographic location,” NIDA explains. “While most youth do not progress beyond initial use, a small percentage rapidly escalates their substance abuse. Researchers have found that these youth are the most likely to have experienced a combination of high levels of risk factors with low levels of protective factors. These adolescents were characterized by high stress, low parental support, and low academic competence.”
Costs for drug abuse in the US are nearly $500 billion per year. NIDA says this figure includes treatment and prevention, as well as other healthcare costs. Add to that the costs associated with reduced productivity or lost earnings and other costs to society, such as crime and social welfare, and one can see the enormity of this chronic and, if untreated, fatal disease. The costs of drug abuse are as substantial as that of other chronic conditions; diabetes costs society $121.7 billion and cancer $171.6 billion annually. This includes healthcare expenditures and lost earnings. Throw in the costs associated with accidents that occur because of drug abuse, and the drug abuse costs easily outweigh those of these other life-threatening diseases. This is a huge burden that affects us all—those who abuse substances and those who don’t.
BENEFITS OF ANIMAL-ASSISTED PROGRAMS IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS
The first prison dog programs began in the 1980s as a way to improve prison conditions and help inmates become contributing members of society. They began in women’s prisons, but now can be found in many correctional institutions around the country. The concept behind these programs is that dogs that are to be used as service animals for individuals with disabilities (e.g., guide dogs for the blind) or as police dogs need months of dedicated training, and prisoners have the time and can establish the routine needed to accomplish this. The inmates learn usable job skills, practice responsibility and commitment, and become less self-centered. Professional dog trainers assist in the process.
The programs have proven to be beneficial in rehabilitating prisoners, as well as benefiting society and many unwanted animals (most of the dogs used are rescued from shelters). Most prison dog programs are run by outside volunteer organizations, not by the prisons or the government. After the inmates complete their training period, most dogs are given to a guide dog school or law enforcement agency for placement or further training. Some programs use the inmate training to make dogs more adoptable and after training is complete, the dogs are able to be placed in permanent homes.
Drug abuse is, without question, one of the greatest health issues facing society today. The tentacles of addiction reach into every level of American life. Directly or indirectly, every family, every business, and every community is affected by drug abuse and addiction. Drugs take a catastrophic toll on our society. Consider the following from the Bureau of Justice Statistics:
No place left to go
It’s hard to imagine how individuals caught in the destructive cycle of addiction can continue to do the things they do to nurture and feed the disease. Their lives crumble before their eyes as their families dissolve and their friends leave them. Yet the only focus, the only reason to live is to get and use more drugs. Nothing else matters more than the drugs that are beckoning the addict to certain death.
Addiction causes emotional and spiritual death, and in time, will result in physical death. But death is not the only way addiction can end, and in fact, some in active addiction often wish for death to bring a welcome end to their suffering. Prison and mental institutions are common stops en route to the addict’s final resting place. These places can provide a last opportunity for the addict to discover the depths to which he or she has spiraled. As long as life remains, though, recovery is possible.
I struggled with the challenge of how to present the following story, for it graphically illustrates how appalling and destructive addiction is. However, the story of recovery and the hope it offers cannot be told without telling the story of the horror living in active addiction often brings. What is shared here is unsettling and tragic. Unfortunately,
