Drug addiction is a pervasive social problem, affecting so many lives and families. While there are persistent actions to protect communities from it, many still fall victim to the lure of temporary ecstasy offered by drugs.
A curious question is further raised when talking about how it latches onto the psyche of an individual. Is it something that an individual is solely responsible for, or is the social environment possibly a contributing factor as well? Ashley Alman with The Huffington Post recently reported an academic opinion on what makes the environment and the social context of addiction important factors in addressing the problem:
Hart said that humans’ addiction to drugs stems not from their makeup, but from social context. He suggested the environment in which people consume and obtain cocaine encourages a competitive and addictive habit, while the environment in which people obtain and consume marijuana — which is more widely accessible — does not.
“So you’re saying there’s nothing chemically in the distinction between these two drugs or what they are doing to your brain that produces addiction or not, saying whether it produces addiction or not is the social context or degree of restraint around access to it?” asked Hayes.
“That plays a large part in why these drugs are addictive or not,” Hart responded.
There are three factors as to why people become addicted to drugs: biology, environment, and development. The factors of environment and development fit the notion that the place where substance dependents live in and the people that surround them affect how and why they attained competitive and addictive habits towards drug consumption. This is why it is important for drug abusers to go out of their comfort zones if they really want to leave their vices and turn over a new leaf.
Many substance dependents do, in fact, go across the country to get treated for their addiction problems, having realized that staying in their neighborhood will only end in unsuccessful attempts to clean up. Some opt to check in at inpatient treatment facility, like a St. Louis rehabilitation center, raising patients’ chances for success at detoxifying and starting over a new life. Here, they will have to follow strict house rules and participate in group or private sessions.
For people who cannot afford to check themselves in, on the other hand, outpatient rehabilitation centers in St. Louis, MO, such as Midwest Institute for Addiction, are also viable options. Although the patient will be staying in their own homes, however, they will still have to abide by the strict program to be provided by the rehabilitation center. They will also have to regularly check in for their progress report.
(Source: A Columbia Professor Reveals The Shocking Reality Of Drug Addiction, Ashley Alman, March 6, 2014)
