Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a chronic condition characterized by a compulsive behavior to seek and us psychoactive drugshttps://studygroom.com/the-origin-and-the-behavior-of-the-shark-family/ despite their harmful effects. Initially, most people voluntarily decide to use drugs. However, repeated use of the drugs alters the brain structure and functions, leading to addiction. Drug addiction deprives a person of self-control and the ability to resist the intense urge to use harmful drugs. In most cases, brain changes are persistent and long-lasting, making it difficult to recover from substance addiction. Addiction alters the social behavior of a person, prompting them to be dependent on drugs to accomplish their daily chores. The alteration in expression is due to changes in the brain’s reward circuit, flooding it with dopamine. The reward center stimulates an individual to repeat pleasurable behaviors such as eating and singing. As for drug addiction, the reward center prompts the person to depend on drugs to perform daily duties.
The way people think or talk about addiction influences can promote or challenge stigma against drug addicts. When we use noble and accurate language when talking about substance abuse, we de-stigmatize the subject. Proper communication is the premise upon which healthcare workers treat the cognitive behavior of a person addicted to drugs. As educators and advocates against substance abuse, socializing with drug addicts presents us with an opportunity to use language appropriately to help them. We should not characterize addiction as taboo, but rather an experience to support and challenge the stigma facing drug addicts. Using discriminatory language perpetuates the stigma associated with drug addiction, hindering their recovery process. It is, therefore, essential to use polite and noble language when addressing people suffering from drug addiction because it will reduce stigma and facilitate their recovery process.
Reference
Herie, Marilyn & Skinner, W. J. Wayne. (2010). Substance Abuse in Canada.