Thomas Gouard
Previously, I attended an addiction awareness symposium at my school. Some of the things covered were substance abuse on the individual; substance abuse on the family; and treatment, recovery, self-help and spirituality. All great topics! I put together this short writing on a few of the topics mentioned during the symposium, and things that I took from my Mental Health classmates during the symposium. Many of us have our reasons for pursuing careers in the mental health field, whether it was from being impacted by it ourselves or knowing someone, such as a coworker, friend, or family member that was impacted by it. Quote by Kennedy King College alumni graduate Darwin Gordon MSW, CADC “Everyone has a story! It’s not yours to keep”.
Someone with a drug addiction will go through any means to get their drug of choice, whether that drug be Crystal Meth & Methamphetamine; Cocaine; Heroin; Ecstasy; LSD; Synthetic drugs, etc. The drug user will get it even if they must lie, steal, or sell something expensive of value to get it. One, that is prisoner to the addiction cycle has no compassion for loved ones, and will even take them for granted, so that they can get a hold of their drug of choice. It is almost as though they are possessed! Per quote from Sober Nation, “Once an addict sets his mind on a goal, the addict will find a way to get what they want, and will accumulate it through any means necessary.”
The same feeling that the drug user got the first time they used is no longer there, because dopamine levels have reached depletion due to chronic drug use. By then, the drug has taken over their entire brain, and the user does not feel normal without it. Per, University Health News, when depletion has been reached; the nerve impulses, or “messages,” cannot be transmitted properly and can impair brain functions: behavior, mood, cognition, attention, learning, movement, and sleep. For those that are unfamiliar with what a dopamine is, a dopamine is the brain chemical that allows us to have feelings of bliss, pleasure, euphoria, drive, motivation, focus, and concentration, per University Health News.
A drug dependent individual will even turn on their loved ones when their loved ones see the changes in them, and are clearly trying to help them, or help them get help. It is crazy that a simple experiment for pleasure can result in the ruining of relationships with loved ones who in all reality want to see you normal again, but in your mind as an addict you feel that you are normal, and have no issues in your life that have resulted from the addiction.
Nobody wakes up and wants to become an addict, or live that lifestyle of an addict; it just happens! It happens from experimenting with that in particular drug of choice to have a good time, fit in, and feel rebellious or using to cope through life stress or psychological issues just for a time of pleasure that only lasts temporary, but starts an addiction that lasts a lifetime. Being an addict is a lifelong process, because you never will get over it!
Overcoming an addiction, one must change their way of thinking, because the triggers will always be there. Think of how empowering it would be to overcome something as impactful as a drug addiction. Quote by Kennedy King College alumni graduate Joycelyn Lane Jones “I would rather be free; then be broke and locked up”.
“8 Natural Dopamine Boosters to Overcome Depression.” University Health News, 10 July 2017, universityhealthnews.com/daily/depression/8-natural-dopamine-boosters-to-overcome-depression/.
“Watch Truth About Drugs Documentary Video & Learn About Substance Addiction. Get The Facts About Painkillers, Marijuana, Cocaine, Meth & Other Illegal Drugs.” Foundation for a Drug-Free World, www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/drugs/why-do-people-take-drugs.html.
“What is Addict Mentality? | How do we Cope with it?” Sober Nation, 22 July 2014, sobernation.com/what-is-addict-mentality/.
#drugs #mentalhealth #life #culture #sobernation #dopamine #college #google #writing #addiction
thank you for your first service to our nation. Thank you again for your second service to our nation. You are a hero!
And thank you for acknowledging. This was a very old post that was lost once I hit the delete profile button. You’ll see a few others.
it is a good post and a sad topic.
I’ll have plenty more to share being that I still have ways to go to get where I want to be. I believe I shared a story of my first screening as a intern.
well this one is good. My wife read it as well and said you’ve got a good future as a therapist/social worker/caregiver.
I’ll try to put together things that I go through as the caregiver to. In a pass I have created articles on autism with the interest of doing some on bipolar, tourettes, down syndrome, and schizophrenia in the future. I feel that in this world we don’t do a great job at informing our youth about these individuals with these disabilities.
i would love to read it and will share it with my wife as well!!!
Schizophrenia is by far one of the most intriguing.
my wife decided to stay away from the mental illness part and focus on Hospice. Although she has to deal with other issues.
It is definitely work. And I find myself taking advantage of my off time in full, doing what I love because its mentally draining.
my wife focuses on the same thing.
I would lose my mind if I did not have fitness or any other one of my hobbies to fall back on outside of work.
my wife likes to go boating, or off exploring on the weekends to get away!