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AssignmentTwo
BackgroundInformation/Introduction
Househasbeenaphenomenonsincepremieringin2004.Withratingsreceivedfromthe
topTVcriticswithan8.8fromIMDb,anda9.2fromTV.com,thisshowisahit.Overiseight
yeardurationthisshowhasattractedaverybroadaudiencefrompeoplewhoareinvolvedinthe
medicalfieldtothosewhojustenjoyagoodTVshow.Oneofthequestionsthatmanypeople
havewhenwatchingHouseishowdoestheMainCharacterHousewhoisarrogant,pessimistic,
andhasmanyproblemsinhispersonallife,becomeageniusdiagnostician.Onethingthatreally
intriguedmeaboutHouse,ishisaddictiontoprescriptionpainkillers.InoneepisodethatI
observed,itisseenthatwhengoingacoupleofhourswithouttakinghisprescribedpain
medications,Housebecomesveryangry,anddoesnotmakegooddecisionswhencomingtohis
patients.Observinghisaddictiontopainkillers,andhowitaffectshisdailylifehasmademe
lookintohowaddictiontonotonlyprescriptiondrugs,butalsohardcoreaffectsthoseinsociety
today.
TheUnitedStateslongest,unwinnablewaristhewarondrugsduetothefactthat
illicitdruguseintheUnitedStateshasbeenincreasing.In2013,anestimated24.6million
Americansaged12orolder(9.4percentofthepopulation)hadusedanillicitdruginthepast
month.Mostpeopleuseddrugsforthefirsttimewhentheywereteenagers,andDruguseis
highestamongpeopleintheirlateteensandtwenties,butsurveysshowthatDruguseis
increasingamongpeopleintheirfiftiesandearlysixties.(NIH)Also,mostteensdiefrom
prescriptiondrugsthanheroin/cocainecombined,and60%ofteenswhoabuseprescriptiondrugs

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getthemfreefromfriendsandrelatives.TheUnitedStatesrepresents5%oftheworlds
populationbutyetrepresents75%ofprescriptiondrugstaken.(DoSomething)Thesestatistics
areshockingright?So,myfocusandpurposeforwritingthispaperwillbeaddressingdrug
addictionintheUnitedStates,throughlookingattheprocesstheonthebrainandthebody,and
treatmentsavailableforthosewhoaregoingthroughaddiction.

LiteratureReview
Peoplewhooftenseethosewhoareaddictedtodrugsashavingnowillpower,oras
weak,butmanypeopledonotknownorunderstandtheaffectsthatdrugshaveonthebrain,and
thebody.Addictiontonarcoticdrugsisoneofthemostseriousbutleastunderstoodmedicaland
socialproblemsofourtimeduetothefactthattherearemanyphysical,psychological,and
socialaspectsofaddiction.Mostdrugsreleaseadrugknownasdopaminewhichisa
neurotransmitterthatcausesintensepleasureinpartsofthebrain.Itlinksbrainareasthatcontrol
andregulateemotions,andbecauseofthispeoplebecomepsychologicallyandphysically
dependentondrugsveryquickly.(NatureDrugs)Systemsthatdrivejudgement,planning,and
organization,areoverruledbydrugsandoftentimesseekthosewhoareaddictedtoseekthat
pleasureofgettinghigh.Addictionsrecruitsmemorysystems,motivationalsystemsand
continuestostimulatethedrivetouse.(Anatomy)
Manyofthosewhoareaddictedtodrugsarethosewhoattendedtheworkplaceevery
day.TheuseofOpioidsisverycommonintheworkforce.PatrickKrill,whodirectsatreatment

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programattheHazeldenBettyFordFoundationthatfocusesonlawyersandjudgesstatedthat
Themoreprofessionalstatureyouhave,thelesslikelyyouaregoingtobeforcedintorecovery,
andthelongeryouraddictionislikelytogounchecked.(Opioid)Inresponsetothisepidemic
thathassweptthecountrytheCDChasreleasedguidelinesonprescribingopioidpainkillers.
Theadviceisaimedatprimarycarephysicians,whoprescribednearlyhalfoftheopioid
painkillersconsumedintheU.S.(CDC)Althoughthatisonesteptowardstreatmentthereare
manyotherobstaclesthatpeoplefacewhenseekingtreatment.
Oneofthemainreasonsthatpeopledonotseektreatmentismoney.Itcostthousandsof
dollarstogoandseekhelp,andmostpeoplewhoarefacingaddictiondonothavethatmoney.
ButtherehavebeenbillspassedsuchastheAffordableCareActandotherfederallawstohelp
givepeopleinsurancetohelpthosewhoareseekingtorecoverfromaddictionpayforthose
services.(Medicaidmaysoon)But,whatgoodishavinginsurancewhenwedonothaveenough
counselorstohelpthosewhoareinneed.Notonlydowenothaveenoughcounselorstohelp,
butontopofthattherearemanycounselorswhohaveleftthejobformultiplereasonssuchas
lowpay,aswellashowhardthejobcanbewhenseeingthepainofthosewhoarerecovering.
(ShortageofAddiction)
Evenifyouareabletoovercomethoseobstacles,therearenowwaysthatthosewhoare
tryingtoovercometheiraddictioncanbepunishedfordoingso.Recentlythefederal
governmentproposedupdateguidelinesthatgovernthereleaseofpatientrecordsabout
treatmentforalcoholanddrugabuse.Theseguidelinesputtheprivacyforthosewhoarebeing
treatedforaddictionatrisk,andmayhavedevastatingeffectsontheirworkandfamilylives.In
somecases,itmayhavelegalrepercussions,includingarrest,prosecutionandjail.(FedsPlan)

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Thentherearepeoplewhofeelthatthewayweasacountryhandlethosewhoaregoingthrough
addictioniscompletelywrong,andweasasocietyareinfluencedbyshowssuchas
Interventionandtellthosewhoareaddictedthewewillcutthemoffordistanceourselves
fromthem.Butthatisthecompleteoppositeofwhatweshouldbedoing.Studieshaveshown
thatthosegoingthroughaddictionaremuchmoresuccessfulwhenshownsupportandlovefrom
familymembers,andknowthattheyhavetheirsupportsystemtodependonratherthanthe
drugsthattheyaretaking.(TedGlobalLondon)

EnteringtheConversation
Whenobservingallofthisinformation,thereisonegapthatcomestomyattention.Asshownin
myobservations,Housewhoisamedicalpersonnelwhoisaddictedtoprescriptiondrugs.When
readingallofthesearticles,Ifeelthattheyarebiasedinasortofway.Thesourcesdonottalk
aboutthosewhoworkinthemedicalfieldthatareaddictedtodrugs.Therewerenotanyarticles
inthedatabasesthattalkedaboutthis.Inmyopinionpeoplewhoworkinthemedicalfieldcan
haveaneasieraccesstoprescriptiondrugsduetothefactthattheyknowtheeffectsofeach
drug,howitwillaffecttheirbody,andsincetheyaremedicalpersonneltheyhavetheabilityto
prescribeittothemselves.OnereasonIbelievenotwedonothearaboutthisasoftenisnotone
hospitalwantstohaveareputationofhavingadoctorwhoisaddictedtodrugs,andoftentimes
doctorscouldlosetheircredibility,andtheirlicense.SotodoanewapproachtothistopicI

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woulddoaTedTalkontheconceptofDoctorsondrugs,andwhatwecandotospread
awareness.
InmyTedtalk,Iwouldopenbygivingalloftheinformationpresentedinmyliteraturereview,
andthenIwouldpointoutwhatIstatedpreviouslyaboutmedicalpersonnelnotbeingmentioned
inthesources.Ihaveneverturnedonthenewsorheardastoryofsomeoneinthemedicalfield
beingaddictedtodrugs.SomethingsIwouldmentionwouldbethatthenumberofdrugand
alcoholaddictedphysiciansandnursesisestimatedat1014%whichprovesmypointthat
doctorsstruggleataddictionatasimilarorevenhigherratethanthegeneralpopulation.And
alsointhemedicalworld,threespecialistaccountforasubstantiallyhigherproportionthanother
specialtieswhichincludeanesthesiologist,E.Rspecialist,andpsychiatrist.(NIH)InadditionI
wouldtalkabouthoweasyitisfordoctorstoturntoaddictionduetothefactthattheyaretoo
human,andgothroughsituationssuchastrauma,anxiety,depression,andontopofthatthey
havetogothroughpressuresthatcomewiththemedicalprofessionsuchaseducational
demands,longworkdays,takingcareofpatients,stress,andonceagainthattemptationof
havingthatavailabilityofaddictivesubstances.Iwouldalsotalkabouthowweenjoyshows
suchasHouseandNurseJackiewheretherearedoctorswhoareaddictedtoshows,andactlike
theseshowsareonlymadeupfromimaginationwheninreality,theconceptofmedical
personnelbeingaddictionisrealityanditconstantlyhappening.ThenIwouldleadintowaysas
tohowwecanbringawareness.
OnewayIbelievewewouldhelppreventdrugaddictionisbystartingwiththosewhoare
aspiringtobeinthemedicalfield.Soonewaythatwecoulddothatisbyteachingthosewhoare
onaprehealthtrackincollege,orthosewhoareinmedicalschoolaboutdifferentwaystocope

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withthehardshipsofmedicalpersonnel.Whetherthatbegoingtostartingasupportgroup,or
doingphysicalactivity.Iwouldalsomakesuretoeducatethemondifferentresourcestogethelp
suchasaddictioncentersspecificallyfordoctors,aswellasdifferenthotlinesorclinicstoattend
thataredesignatedtowardsdoctors.IwouldthenmakesuretoendmyTedtalkbytalkingabout
signsthatdoctorsareimpairedsuchasslurringwords,stumbling,beingirritableoreasily
angeredorlackingcoordination.(Health.Haravard)AndIwouldencouragetheaudienceto
spreadtheinformationthattheyhavelearned,andalsopromotemyTedTalkonsocialmediato
helpspreadawareness.

Conclusion/SoWhat?
WhendoingmyobservationsinAssignmentOneandlookingathowHouseactedwhenhedid
nottakehisprescribedmedicationmotivatedmetolookintodrugaddiction.Whendoing
researchondrugaddictionIinstantlybecameintriguedandlearnednewandusefulinformation.
Idecidedtolookintowhatdrugsdotothebrainandthebody,whattreatmentsareavailablefor
thosewhoaregoingthroughaddiction,andwhathardshipstheyhavetoface.WhendoingthisI
foundthatwhenaddictedtodrugs,itaffectsthebrainandbodybyimpairingvitalareasinthe
braininthefrontallobewhichcontrolmotorskillsandcriticalthinking.Ialsofoundthat
treatmentisnotasavailableasmanythink.Notonlyisthereashortageofcounselors,butalso
althoughthegovernmenthastriedtoexpandinsurancecoverage,thecostisstillveryhighfor
rehabclinicsmakingthosewhoarelessfortunateunabletogetthehelpneededtorecover.Ialso
foundthattherewasaverybiggapwhencomingtodrugaddictionduetothefactthatmost

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informationonlycoveredthegeneralpublic,whenshowninmyobservationmedicalpersonnel
areverypronetodrugaddictionaswellifnotmore.MysolutiontothiswastodoaTedTalk
thatwouldaddressthisissueaswellasshowaplanthatwouldhelpthoseinthemedicalfieldas
wellasspreadawarenessonthistopic.Ihavecometotheconclusionwhencomingupwith
solutionswithdruguseincreasingintheUnitedStatesthatweasacountryreallyneedto
evaluatetheresourcesandpersonnelthatwehaveinplaceforthosearegoingthroughaddiction.
Ibelievethatweshouldmakesurethatthereareenoughclinicsandcounselorstohelppeople
helpthosegoingthroughrehab,andalsomakesurethatinsurancecoversareasonableamountto
helpthosewhoarelessfortunate.Atthesametime,wehavetoalsodopreventionprograms
whetheritbeinschools,advertisementsont.v,oreducationandawarenessprogramstargeted
towardscareerfieldsthathaveahigherriskofaddiction.Ialsobelievethatweshouldnottreated
thosewhoaregoingthroughaddictionaslessofahumanbeing,andencouragethemtogethelp
andshowthemloveandsupportbeingthatstudieshaveshownthatitincreasesthecompletionof
therehabilitationprocessanddecreasesthechanceofrelapse.Whenlookingintoareasfor
potentialresearchIwouldlookintopoliticsforthedifferentlawsandregulationswhendealing
withdrugsandaddictionhowwecanimprovethoselawstodecreasetheaddictionrate.

WorksCited

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1.
"AnatomyOfAddiction:HowHeroinAndOpioidsHijackTheBrain."
NPR
.
NPR,n.d.Web.13Mar.2016.

2. DoesEarlyOnsetofNonmedicalUseofPrescriptionDrugsPredictSubsequent
PrescriptionDrugAbuseandDependence?ResultsfromaNationalStudy."
McCabe
.
N.p.,n.d.Web.13Mar.2016

3. "DrugAddiction:Physiological,Psychological,andSociologicalAspects."
APA
PsycNET
.N.p.,n.d.Web.13Mar.2016.

4. "EverythingYouThinkYouKnowaboutAddictionIsWrong."
JohannHari:
.
N.p.,n.d.Web.13Mar.2016.
5. Nature.com
.NaturePublishingGroup,n.d.Web.13Mar.2016.
6. "ObamaBeginsDrugAddictionPreventionConversationInWestVirginia."
NPR
.NPR,n.d.Web.13Mar.2016.
7. "ToPreventAddictionInAdults,HelpTeensLearnHowToCope."
NPR
.NPR,
n.d.Web.13Mar.2016.
8. "TragedyMovesACommunityToCombatDrugAddiction."
NPR
.NPR,n.d.
Web.13Mar.2016.
9. "TreatingAddictionAsAChronicDisease."
NPR
.NPR,n.d.Web.13Mar.
2016.

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10. "WhatDoctorsDon'tKnowabouttheDrugsTheyPrescribe."
BenGoldacre:
.
N.p.,n.d.Web.13Mar.2016.

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