Drugs in the Media

TV drama shows often use addiction and drugs to spice up the story lines and improve ratings. They seldom address the huge impact that drugs can have on a person’s life and the extreme danger that a person might be in from using drugs. In our society, addiction has become commonplace. It is no longer a surprise or necessarily a bad thing. We have become immune to addiction, just as we have become immune to acts of violence and sexual exploitation on television. Drugs and addiction have creeped into many popular TV shows. Too often, they are not dealt with in a serious way, but as something that will introduce humor into the show. This is a compilation of popular TV shows, many of which I have watched, that use drug and addiction in their storylines.

·         The first TV show that came to mind when thinking about addiction was “House.” This medical drama focused on Dr. Gregory House, who is addicted to pain medication. I think this is a good example that addiction can affect any type of person, even a respected, educated, and wealthy doctor. Although “House” did a decent job of revealing the negative impacts of addiction, House’s addiction is often used as a humorous plug. The following videos show the large quantity of pills that House consumes. They also reveal the negative impact they would have had on his life, but also how the show used his addiction as a humor outlet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qeTgRBGCOo  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj1-EQrgma0

·         Another popular TV show was “Gossip Girl.” “Gossip Girl” shared the stories of elite Upper East Siders in New York City. The show had many scandalous moments, including affairs, racy sex scenes, underage drinking and illegal financial situations. However, a huge component of the show was made up with scenes of drug use. Serena, the show’s “bad girl,” was often featured in questionable situations with drugs and alcohol. This started when Serena was in high school and continued into her college years. This show accurately portrayed the fact that children are using drugs at a young age. It also showed that drugs and alcohol often go hand in hand. Serena had many problems with drugs throughout the series, but this clip depicts her worst experience with drugs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Reg47R-uNE

·         One Tree Hill is another teen drama focusing on the tumultuous lives of 5 teenagers. Peyton was the show’s angry artist. Peyton had been through a lot in her life. When she was 12, she lost her adoptive mother in a car accident. Her father was often away from home for work and Peyton was left to raise herself. Later on, she meets her birth mother and discovers that her birth mother is a former addict. Peyton also struggled with a drug problem in one of the seasons. I believe that this show and their depiction of drug use showed that hard life circumstances often leads people to drugs as a coping mechanism. In this clip, Peyton is wearing her mother’s old dress, one of the last things that she owns that reminds Peyton of her mother. It gets ruined and Peyton breaks down. Later on the show also addresses that drug use is in fact a hereditary development and that Peyton could have been attracted to drugs in the first place because of the genes she received from her birth mother. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M57Iz9MNPoE

These are just a few shows that depict drug use during their air time. As I mentioned before, society has become immune to this. Drug use is often featured in a positive, cool way, especially for young or teenaged children that are exposed to this material. Even though the positives are the main highlights, the negativity of drug use creeps into the shows. Hopefully, it will be enough to deter people from using drugs, instead of convincing them that drugs are the cool things to be doing.

Habit Summary

For the habit assignment, I decided to try to break my habit of constantly eating unhealthy snacks and junk food. I chose this behavior because it is a habit I have been trying to break for a while. Also, the positive bonus benefits of a healthier diet and possible weight loss appealed to me. However, it was very hard for me to change my snacking behavior. Sometimes, I would eat a cookie or a piece of cake not even realizing what I was doing. Hours later, I would think to myself “I wasn’t supposed to do that!” It had become an unconscious habit. I needed to put my goal in the forefront of my mind to be able to avoid junk foods. It was not until I started reminding myself repeatedly that I couldn’t have junk food that I made any progress with my goal.

My friends were very supportive of my goal to break this habit. They would remind me that I was not to eat junk food. However, sometimes they would also forget of what I was trying to do and offer me something sweet. When the weather started to get nice, and my friends realized that summer was right around the corner, they also started to watch what they were eating. This was a tremendous help in trying to break my habit. When everybody around you has the same goal, it is much easier to reach it. We would hold each other accountable to our aspirations and remind each other of what we could and could not eat.

            Another thing that was helpful in trying to break my habit was an action plan. After a few weeks of not being successful, I realized I needed additional conditions to my plan so that I would not eat sweets. First, I stopped buying junk food (which I had bought for occasions when other people would come over to my house). Also, I noticed that when I worked out in the mornings I was less likely to eat sweets for the rest of the day because I did not want to ruin or waste my workout by eating something unhealthy. I successfully switched my workout routine around to accommodate my new discovery. It was much easier to reach my goal after making these adjustments.

            Things that I learned about myself from this project were numerous. Firstly, I learned what my triggers are for eating sweets. When I was stressed I noticed that I ate significantly more junk food. I also did this when I was bored or with my friends on the weekends. This realization will make it that much easier to junk food in the future. I also learned a snack does not have to be sweet or unhealthy to be enjoyable to me. When I stopped eating junk food, I began snacking on healthier things, such as yogurt and granola. I also learned some things about my own mentality when it comes to trying to accomplish a goal. I have tried several times before to cut junk food out of my diet with no success. I would make excuses for myself and give up before I really even started. For this project, however, after failing for the first couple of weeks, I reevaluated the situation and formed a plan. It was much easier after this. From now on, I will approach every change I am trying to make in the same way.

            Based on this experience, I think it would be very difficult for someone with an addiction to change their behavior. Since an addict’s brain and body changes due to the substance they are addicted to and they crave the particular substance every day of their life, it would be much harder to overcome than any bad habit. Some addicts would also have to be deal with withdrawal symptoms and pains while trying to overcome their addictions, which is an extra struggle. I also struggled with breaking my bad habit, but not as much as an addict would struggle. An addict would need the support of friends and family. They might also need the support of a counselor, psychologist or medical staff. Depending on their addiction, they might need the added support of medication to cure their addiction. I also think a harm- reduction approach would be helpful for some types of addicts. I found this approach very helpful when trying to break my habit. I could not immediately abstain from junk food and that approach was keeping me from making any process. I found that eating less and less junk food each day was much more successful in my situation. Completely abstaining might not work for certain addicts. However, every addiction is different, and some addicts might need to completely abstain from the substance right away and for the rest of their life to function and survive.

After taking this course and trying to break my own bad habit, I believe that the road to breaking a habit or curing an addiction is long, but possible! An addicted person might always have the desire for whatever substance they are addicted to, and it is true that their brain structure may be forever altered to crave a certain substance. However, they can choose not to partake in that behavior. People change for the better every day. The will to change is essential in the process. To break a habit that has become a central part of your life requires 100% effort and perseverance.  In the process of curing an addiction, it requires special services and possibly medication. Depending on the circumstances, it could require love and support from others, or somebody may have to reject an addicted person before they realize they have a serious and life-threatening problem. Every situation is different, but just as hard. With the proper plan, support, desire and commitment, I truly believe that people can change!

Article Summary

Butch/femme differences in substance use and abuse among young lesbian and bisexual women: Examination and potential explanations

 

Within substance abuse research, disparities in substance use, abuse and misuse between homosexual individuals and heterosexual peers has been a primary focus. Lesbian and bisexual women report higher levels of alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use and greater symptoms of substance misuse than heterosexual women, yet they do not report high levels of heavy alcohol use. Gender atypicality has recently become a focus in this research. Butch (male) and femme (feminine) personalities affect lesbian women in many ways. Butch lesbian women seem to be at greater risk for stress, emotional distress and discrimination. They are also at greater risk to use substances such as alcohol and marijuana as coping strategies. Also, since heavy drinking is seen as a masculine behavior, butch women may be more susceptible to alcoholism and addiction.          

In this study, butch and femme personalities were looked at as an influence of substance abuse and addiction. Female and male youths aged 14 to 21 were interviewed, with young lesbian women serving as the focus. All participants were assessed three times over the course of one year by answering several questionnaires. These questionnaires focused on substance use during the past 6 months, the youth’s self-identification as butch or femme, how others label them, their experiences of gay-related stressors and level of emotional distress. The interviewer’s view on the participants as butch or femme was also included. Experience of gay-related stress was operationalized as arguments with other, losing a close friend, or being physically assaulted due to their sexuality. A rate of internalized homophobia (their comfort with their own sexuality) was also assessed. Emotional distress was operationalized as depression/anxiety, conduct problems (skipping school, stealing, fighting, running away, etc.), and social desirability.

The results of this study supported the main hypothesis set by the researchers. Young women with a butch self-presentation were more likely to use alcohol, marijuana and smoke cigarettes and to use larger quantities. Potential theoretical for this finding were also examined. Gay-related stress, both internalized homophobia and external stressful events, was found to be a factor. Also, emotional stress was found to be more prevalent in women with a butch self-presentation. The emotional and gay-related stressors cause the women to use the substances as coping mechanisms. For the women who did not experience stressors, other factors such as sensation seeking personalities and following masculine norms of alcohol consumption accounted for the high prevalence of substance use.

These findings have important research and intervention implications. It emphasizes the need to consider gender atypicality as a factor in substance use and abuse. Interventions with addicted lesbian clients should target butch women and should also address experiences of gay-related stress and emotional distress.

 

 

Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E. W., & Hunter, J. (2008). Butch/femme differences in substance use and abuse among young lesbian and bisexual women: Examination and potential explanations. Substance Use & Misuse, 43(8-9), 1002-1015. doi:10.1080/10826080801914402



Chapter 10 Article Summary

Latino/a Culture and Substance Abuse

This article provides descriptions of the relevant research that is related to Latino/a use and abuse of alcohol and other substances. Discussions of treatment interventions, prevention, clinical implications and directions for future research are included.

What We Know         

It is unclear how Latino/Hispanic substance abuse compares to that of other cultures, but several findings indicate that Hispanics have the highest rate of substance abuse in the United States. This rate of abuse is thought to be increasing, especially among Hispanic adolescent populations. An interesting finding indicates that U.S. - born Hispanics report higher rates of experimental drug use, abuse and dependence that immigrants do. It was also found that Hispanics born in the United States were likely to have more behavioral disorders, mental illness concerns and problems with gambling than Latino/Hispanic immigrants. This suggests that there is something unhealthy about acculturation into the US culture. However, it is unclear what the causal factor is: is substance use caused by the stress that accompanies acculturation, or is substance use a product of Hispanic acceptance of US norms?

Another concern is that substance abuse begins early, with the highest prevalence rates among young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Alcohol, inhalants and marijuana were the most abused substances in the Latino adolescent population. Lifetime alcohol use rates have been shown to decrease among ethnic groups, but this trend is not apparent in the Latino population. Intervention must begin early and should focus on the cluster of problems that comes with substance abuse, including risky behavior, delinquency and academic failure.

Guidelines for Intervention and Treatment

All helping professionals are encouraged to explore their attitudes and beliefs about culture and ethnicity. As humans, we are shaped by our cultural beliefs, and some of these can detrimentally influence our perceptions and interactions with individuals who are ethnically and racially different from ourselves. Every professional must assess their possible biases and consider culturally appropriate responses to their clients. They are encouraged to recognize the importance of multicultural sensitivity and how a history of oppression and diversity may affect potential ethnically diverse clients.

Clinical Implications

There is a need to increase the amount of ethnic minority helping professionals to meet the needs of the substantial amounts of ethnic minorities suffering from substance abuse and addiction. If this is not possible, White helping professionals must enhance their ability to provide competent services to ethnic minorities with a focus on cultural beliefs and values. One suggestion is to focus on a certain ethnicity and see what type of treatment is best for them. For the Latino population, it has been found that brief strategic family therapy is helpful in treating drug abuse. This therapy draws on the cultural importance of the family structure. Also, strategies for intervention have been developed to engage the therapist in the family structure by joining the family and supporting them. Helping practitioners must be able to advocate for their clients and give them the skills, knowledge and attitudes to help them cope with stress and difficulties.  

Research Recommendations

Genetic research is needed to help understand racial differences and biological factors related to drug abuse and addiction. There are genetic differences in how alcohol is metabolized by the body. Also, Hispanic men have a different biological response to alcohol and Hispanic men in the US have nearly twice the mortality rate for alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. Additional research must be completed to examine racial differences with regard to medication. Supplementary recommendations focus on promotion of research organizations at minority-serving institutions.

Country Strong

“Country Strong” tells the story of Kelly Canter, a country music super-star who unfortunately suffers from addiction to alcohol and prescription medication. Kelly publicly displayed her addiction at a televised concert and was forced to go to rehab. At the time of her drunken display, she was 5 months pregnant and she lost the baby. She was let out of rehab a month early because her family and doctors convinced her she was “better.” She immediately began touring again, with disastrous results. Kelly drank so much before her first two concerts that she could not perform.   She pulled it together for her third concert, but, afterwards, succumbed to her addiction and committed suicide. I chose this movie because I thought it was a good depiction of the effects of an addiction and I genuinely like this movie.

There were several different reactions to Kelly’s addiction. Her husband/manager got her out of rehab early even though he knew her “legs were still shaky.” When she was back on tour and began drinking again, he ignored it. He thought her performing would solve her problems, not realizing that the pressure of performing was the cause of the addiction, not the solution. Kelly’s sponsor/boyfriend knew that Kelly needed help and tried to give it to her. However, he also had a tendency to baby her, wanting to be her savior. Kelly’s fans seemed to love her despite her problems. However, there were some who hated her and thought she was a “baby killer.”

Throughout the movie, I felt empathetic toward Kelly. She knew that she was not ready to leave rehab and perform again. She tried to tell her husband this, but he wanted everything to go back to the way it was. When she could not cope with the pressure, she began drinking again. When Kelly wasn’t drinking, you could catch a glimpse of the woman she used to be: a strong, fearless person with a good heart. The only time I was slightly mad was when I learned she drank while she was pregnant. It reminded me that people who suffer from addictions can have two very different personalities.

I think the movie did a good job in their portrayal addiction. It accurately displayed what her triggers were and that addicts can have good days and bad days. I think the movie also properly explained that recovery is a long road and that many people do not understand that. I think that this is the hardest and saddest part of addiction: it can take a lifetime to recover, but there are always people and things that will try to convince suffering people that they should be over it in a certain amount of time.

Addictions are partly caused by the person’s environment, or context. Kelly’s addiction developed because of the pressure that comes with stardom and the disappointments of a failing marriage. She turned back to her addiction after rehab because of the continued pressure and the inability to talk and reconnect with her husband. Kelly also suffered from low self-esteem. Millions of people adored her and her talents, yet she was always begging for approval and fishing for compliments. Alcohol and other drugs are often abused to escape from reality. In Kelly’s case, she turned to alcohol when she could not fix or control her environment.

 

 

Chapter 6 - Adolescent Drug Use

Reviewing the connection between paradigms and theories to understand adolescent drug use

There is evidence that about half of adolescents aged 10 to 17 use, and sometimes abuse, substances. These youths will also engage or come in contact with other risky behaviors, such as delinquency, violence, homicide, unprotected sexual intercourse, homicide and suicide. To understand these problems, Clark (2010) summarizes and explains theoretical frameworks and paradigms to organize and comprehend adolescent drug use.

            Before we can understand how theoretical frameworks can solve problems of adolescent drug use, it is important to realize what these things are. Clark (2010) says that “theories are sets of concepts and propositions that explain a phenomenon that stem from a set of assumptions that are influenced by the social, economic, and political context of the theorist.” A paradigm is an organizing standard that describes. There are four main sociological paradigms: functionalist, radical structuralist, interpretive, and radical humanist.

So how do sociological perspectives relate to adolescent drug use and interventions for this subset? Helping professionals build their practices and interventions around certain theoretical concepts, comparable to a worldview. This would shape what type of clients professionals take on and what type of interventions they use. The following are explanations about the views of each perspective:

·         Traditional functionalist – believe in incremental change and evidence-based practice. This paradigm would encourage the use of therapies that have been well researched and proven.

·         Radical structuralist – move for empowerment and social reform. This would involve seeking policy change that would better the lives of their clients.

·         Interpretive – believe that context must be the determinant for solving a social problem. Says that there are multiple truths and realities that must be taken into consideration. The goal of a practitioner would be to fully understand their client and what their perception is of their problem.

·         Radical humanist – anything that limits is considered oppressive. A practitioner with this perspective would not survive in any type of agency.

Which paradigm is the best to use? At the present moment, most theories and research are in the functionalist paradigm, but this may not be the best option. Multiple paradigms should be used simultaneously to obtain knowledge about a social phenomenon, such as adolescent drug use. Prevention programs could also be created from each paradigm and be equally effective.

Although it is sometimes helpful to work out of a particular paradigm, this idea has not really been discussed in class in connection with addictions. Our book has constantly suggested using the strengths perspective, which seems to be anti-paradigm. Paradigms may limit practitioners because they would not be able to start wherever the client is and focus on their definition of their problem. The interpretive paradigm seems to be the closest thing to a strengths perspective approach, but this has not been mentioned. This leads me to believe that most practitioners in the addictions field would suggest not to become attached to a certain paradigm.

References

Clark, T. T. (2010). Reviewing the connection between paradigms and theories to understand adolescent drug use. Journal Of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 19(1), 16-32. doi:10.1080/10678280903400479

AA

Last week I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at a church in Mount Joy. There were around 60 people in attendance. Most of the attendees were in their middle ages, between 30 and 60 years old. There were several young adults in attendance, but these people were not as vocal during the meeting. Regarding gender, I believe it was approximately half men and half women. The majority of people were Caucasian.

These people acted very comfortably with one another. One woman went around and hugged every person who showed up for the night, even me! Before the meeting, everybody was chatting. From what I could hear, they were catching up about work and families, not necessarily about anything that would be covered in the meeting. These people were obviously friends, having deeper connections than just showing up for the same AA meeting that night. Unfortunately, I was not involved in the meeting. I mainly observed what was happening around me. We were unsure whether to introduce ourselves when they asked if there were any newcomers in attendance. However, we did introduce ourselves to those we were sitting by and told them that we were at the meeting for educational purposes. Everybody was very accepting and welcoming.

An older man took charge of the meeting. He started the meeting with the Serenity Prayer and then opened up the floor for anybody who had some general information or announcements. After that, he designated people to read the general history of AA and what the meeting was all about. The Steps of AA were also read aloud. Then the floor was opened for story-sharing. The man who opened the meeting asked for everybody to share in a timely fashion so that anybody who wanted to speak had the chance to do so. He was also in charge of deciding whose turn it was to talk. When somebody shared a thought or story, they always started by saying, “Hi, my name is _____ and I am an alcoholic.” The rest of the group would then greet them. Everybody was very respectful of everybody else. There was no chatting while other people were talking and everybody was very attentive. The meeting lasted for an hour.

I believe that this meeting was very helpful to the participants. It was a time when they could vent their frustrations and talk about whatever was on their minds. They also had the peace of mind that they would not be judged and that everybody would understand their struggles. Many of the participants said that these meetings kept them sane and also away from the alcohol that once ruined their lives and had the potential to ruin everything that they had worked so hard to build. One woman shared that she had been in her car getting ready to head to a bar when she found the AA schedule on her passenger side seat. This gave her the strength to come to avoid the bar and go to the meeting. These meetings are literally saving lives.

This experience connected with a lot of the information that we have reviewed in class and from the book. AA attendees use this meeting and group as their primary support system. Many of the people mentioned having relationships with one another outside of the weekly meetings. They understand each other as not many other people can. This meeting also enforced some of the stereotypes that alcoholics must deal with. Many people associate alcoholism with the poor. However, from looking around the room, I could tell that this disease/problem could affect any type of person. Also, the fight is a lifelong battle, which some people do not understand. One woman shared that she was about 1 year sober. Her husband had recently asked her why she kept going to the meetings. He said, it had been a year, wasn’t she cured now? It amazed me that somebody so close to her did not understand alcoholism. Only people who have been through the same thing can truly understand.

Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy was originally developed by Michael White and David Epston in the 1970s in Australia. It became popular in America in the 1990s. The therapy’s name is derived from its primary foundation, storytelling.  Narrative therapy is focused on the stories of people’s lives, the meanings that the client attaches to these stories and the differences that can be found in the telling and retelling of these stories (Dulwich Centre Publications [DCP], n.d.).  It involves collaboration between client and helping professional to re-author these stories to include their history and the broader context that affects lives, such as society, economy and other people (DCP, n.d.). It is a way to organize information from a person’s life and make sense of new experiences within this context (Sween, 1998). It also involves the client’s discovering of who they are and what is most important to them (Sween, 1998).

                The following definition of narrative therapy sums up the important points of the perspective: “Narrative therapy involves exploring the shaping moments of a person’s life, the turning-points, the key relationships, and those particular memories not dimmed by time. Focus is drawn to the intentions, dreams and values that have guided a person’s life, despite the set-backs. Oftentimes, the process brings back stories that have been overlooked – surprising stories that speak of forgotten competence and heroism (Sween, 1998, p. 4).”

 

 

Although White and Epston were both influential in the creation of the therapy, White is credited as the Father of Narrative Therapy. White created the Dulwich Center in Australia, which is where he first came in contact with Epston. White’s specialization was in family therapy, but he also worked with children and people suffering from anorexia, bulimia, and schizophrenia (GoodTherapy, 2007). The creation of narrative therapy was a result of his work with these patients and his other work with trauma victims (GoodTherapy, 2007). One of his victories with narrative therapy was helping communities in Canada settle years of land disputes. Another accomplishment was the founding of the Adelaide Narrative Therapy Center in Canada in 2008 (GoodTherapy, 2007).

Narrative therapy draws upon the strengths perspective in that it looks at the client as the expert of their own life, not the counselor or other helping professional (DCP, n.d.). Narrative therapists also believe that all people have competencies, values and commitments that will help them overcome the problems that they face in life (DCP, n.d.).

Narrative therapy was originally created to be used by family therapists, but today a variety of helping professionals use narrative therapy as a tool, including therapists, community workers, teachers, school counselors, and community cultural development workers (DCP, n.d.). Although addiction therapy was not specifically mentioned in the research, it would be very helpful in that situation. Narrative therapy was first developed and used with people who had no choice but to attend therapy or with people who were at first unwilling to talk to a therapist (DCP, n.d). Therefore, it would work well for addiction clients who may be commanded to attend counseling as part of their treatment or who may at first be unwilling to admit that they have a problem.

Below is the picture from our notes depicting the addiction cycle:

 

 

Narrative therapy can help addicted clients break this cycle. Clients would be able to look at their reconstructed stories to find another way to deal with their shame, guilt, anger and depression. These are also options for the negative feelings section. They can also look at the integrated pieces of their life to see where the cause of their addiction lies. When negative consequences arise, clients would be able to re-evaluate these things and make them apart of their story so that they know how these things negatively impact their lives. The strengths perspective component of narrative therapy will also help clients identify their capabilities and use these in overcoming their addictions.

 

One aspect of narrative therapy that would be helpful to clients suffering from addictions is this slogan: “The person is never the problem; the problem is the problem (Sween, 1998).” This takes the blame away from the client. It will also help the client find the outside triggers of their addictions, such as stress, jobs and the economy. The narrative therapy will help the clients identify relationships that will be useful for support and also their own competencies that they can depend upon.  

 

 

References:

 

Dulwich Centre Publications (DCP). (n.d.). Commonly asked questions about narrative therapy. Dulwich Centre Publications. www.dulwichcentre.com.au. Accessed February 20, 2013.

 

Good Therapy. (2007). Michael White Biography. GoodTherapy.org. Copyright 2007-2013. http://www.goodtherapy.org/famous-psychologists/michael-white.html. Accessed February 20, 2013.

 

Sween, E. (1998). The one-minute question: What is narrative therapy? Some working answers. Gecko: Vol. 2. Dulwich Centre Publications. www.dulwichcentre.com.au. Accessed February 20, 2013.

 

 



 

 

 

Bulimia Nervosa

The addiction and disease Bulimia Nervosa, commonly known as bulimia, is described as a cycle of binge eating (overeating) and then some type of behavior that compensates for that amount of eating, such as purging, fasting or excessive exercising (ANAD, 2013). The definition of binge eating is important when explaining this addiction. It involves eating larger amounts of food than one usually does in a very short period of time, usually 2 hours or less (ANAD, 2013). The overeating and purging process must occur more than 2 times a week for at least 3 months to be considered an addiction, rather than a bad habit (ANAD, 2013). The cause of bulimia is unknown, but is probably the result of a combination of factors, including genetic, psychological, family and societal factors (PUB MED, 2011).

Other symptoms of bulimia include preoccupation with food, abuse of laxatives or diet pills, induced vomiting, possibly through laxatives, denial of hunger, swollen salivary glands as a result of excessive purging, and broken blood vessels in the eyes (ANAD, 2013). This disease is also characterized by a lack of control over one’s eating and physical and emotional distress (ANAD, 2013). It is also important to remember that bulimic people are not necessarily underweight. People who suffer from bulimia nervosa can be overweight or a normal weight, which makes bulimia harder to identify than anorexia (ANAD, 2013). Bulimic people share the characteristic of believing that they are overweight. Warning signs of bulimia include consistently going to the bathroom right after meals and buying large amounts of food that disappear too quickly (PUB MED, 2011).

The first step in treatment for bulimia is counseling, usually cognitive-behavioral therapy (WEB MD, n.d.). Hopefully, this will help patients change their mindset so they do not feel the need to practice bulimic behavior. This involves changing the patient’s perspective about their body, reducing the negative triggers that result in overeating and purging, coming to a better understanding about the patient’s emotions and relationships, and developing a plan and coping skills to avert future relapses (WEB MD, n.d.). Therapy also focuses on nutrition, planning a strict diet, usually three meals a day, including two snacks, and avoiding unhealthy food.

Treatment options also include taking medication. This usually means antidepressants, such as Prozac (WEB MD, n.d.). This can help reduce the bulimia cycle of binge-eating and purging and help with depression that can often coincide with bulimia. Another option for bulimics is attending a support group, such as Overeaters Anonymous (PUB MED, 2011). Other things that may coincide with bulimia are substance abuse, especially substances that will help with purging, dehydration, and other health problems that are the result of the unhealthy diet (WEB MD, n.d.). Some of these conditions may need to be treated before dealing with bulimia. Treatment may not involve staying in the hospital, but this is dependent upon how long a patient has been bulimic and other conditions they may be suffering from (WEB MD, n.d.). Treatment for bulimia is long term, meaning that it may take weeks, months, or even up to a year, to see any results or improvement.

The next set of statistics comes from the National Institute of Mental Health (Simmers, 1980). Approximately 7 million women and 1 million men in the United States suffer from some type of eating disorder. 1.1%-4.2% of females living in the United States will suffer from bulimia at some point in their lives. Bulimia is not commonly reported by men, but it has been found that 0.4% of men have suffered from this addiction. Many people who struggle with bulimia first started experiencing it during high-school or college. 33% of bulimic people report the onset of the disease between the ages of 11 and 15, and 43% of bulimic people report their experience began between the ages of 16 and 20. Even though bulimia is a very serious problem that may take years to treat, there is hope. With treatment, 60% of people suffering from this illness will recover and another 20% of people can make partial recoveries (Simmers, 1980.

References

Anad.org (2013) Bulimia Nervosa « « National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. [online] Available at: http://www.anad.org/get-information/bulimia-nervosa/ [Accessed: 9 Feb 2013].

pmhdev (2011) Bulimia - PubMed Health. [online] Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001381/ [Accessed: 9 Feb 2013].

Simmers, M. (1980) Eating Disorder Statistics - Facts About Eating Disorders. [online] Available at: http://www.bulimia.com/client/client_pages/eatingdisorderstats.cfm [Accessed: 9 Feb 2013].

Webmd.com (n.d.) Bulimia Nervosa-Treatment Overview. [online] Available at: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/bulimia-nervosa/bulimia-nervosa-treatment-overview [Accessed: 9 Feb 2013].

Morphine

Morphine is a naturally occurring substance that is procured from opium, the juice obtained from poppy seeds (Kestin, 1993). This means that it is classified as an opioid. Morphine mainly acts on the mu receptors of nervous tissue (Kestin, 1993). Morphine is used to alleviate severe pain (Drugfree, 2013), and is often used for pain that no other analgesics can control (Administrator, 1898). The drug can work within the brain to relieve pain, but it can also act upon the spinal cord to keep it from sending pain signals to the brain (Kestin 1993). It can produce a calming effect and even euphoria on those who use it.

 

                      

 

The physiologist Francois Magendie was prominent in advancing morphine in the medicine world in the 1800s (Administrator, 1898). The Civil War was also a factor in increasing the popularity of morphine for medicinal reasons. It was used during the war to treat and reduce the pain of the soldiers (Administrator, 1898). It was called “God’s own medicine” (Administrator, 1898). However, it was the first time that people became addicted to the drug. In 1898, morphine’s popularity and credibility began to decline because of how easily people became addicted to it. The 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that nearly 12 million Americans had abused prescription pain relievers, which is a category that includes morphine (Treatment Solutions, 2012).

                Morphine has many side effects besides pain relief. It can cause slow or shallow breathing (Administrator, 1898), nausea, vomiting, cough suppression, delayed emptying of the stomach, constipation, urinary retention, itching and flushing of the skin (Kestin, 1993). It causes changes in the circulatory system and slowing of the digestive tract (Administrator, 1898). Large doses of morphine can lead to severe respiratory depression, coma or death (Drugfree, 2013).

                Morphine is one of the easiest drugs to become addicted to. Studies completed at Brown University show that a single dose of the drug could lead to addictive qualities in a patient (Administrator, 1898). Signs of addiction to morphine include compulsive use, using the drug even though it causes bad consequences and a fixation with getting and using more morphine (Administrator, 1898). Withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, agitation, insomnia, sweating, nausea, vomiting, watery eyes, runny nose, drooling and chills (Administrator, 1898). It is commonly sold on the streets and goes by names such as duramorph, M, Miss Emma, monkey and roxanel (Drugfree, 2013).

 

The following video contains more information about the drug morphine, including proper use of the drug and additional warnings about using the drug.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9LmjkMp9Nc

 

References

Administrator (1898). What is Morphine. [online] Retrieved from: http://drug-effects.us/what-is-morphine [Accessed: 2 Feb 2013].

Drugfree.org (2013). Morphine | The Partnership at Drugfree.org. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/morphine [Accessed: 2 Feb 2013].

Nda.ox.ac.uk (n.d.). Morphine. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.nda.ox.ac.uk/wfsa/html/u03/u03_016.htm [Accessed: 2 Feb 2013].

Treatment Solutions (2012). Morphine Addiction Treatment. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.treatmentsolutions.com/morphine-addiction-treatment/ [Accessed: 2 Feb 2013].

Habits

By trying to change a habit, I am hoping to gain a better understanding of the process that addicts must go through to overcome their addictions. Although this project is not comparable to the struggle that they must face, it will give me a better idea about how hard it is to give up something that your body physically craves. With understanding comes empathy, another benefit of this project.

One of the habits that I chose to track was the amount of junk food that I eat. When I realized how many sweets I was eating every day, I thought that it would be an acceptable habit to try to control. Hopefully, this will lead to some potential weight loss, or, at the very least, a healthier diet. I do not expect that this will affect those around me, except for my roommates, who are used to me buying and consuming junk food with them when we are stressed out about school.

While I would like to say that I am going to abstain from all junk food, I know that will be very hard for me (I have a major sweet tooth!!). I feel as if my commitment level is around a 7. I’m going to set out to significantly reduce the amount of junk food that I consume every day by buying less of it for my house and tracking the sweets that I do end up eating. When I tracked how many sweets I was eating in the initial stages of this project, I noticed that this alone kept me from eating too much. I will also accomplish this by eating something healthy whenever I crave a snack. Hopefully, these things will help me to control my unhealthy habit.  
I think the only support I will need from other people is some consideration. It would be hard to break my habit if my friends are constantly offering me sweets or eating them in front of me. Other than that, I think I will just need some extreme will power to make this happen.


HABIT UPDATE FEB. 6th

In some ways, I made progress this week, and in other ways I did not. I did not think it would be this hard to kick my bad habit of eating sweets. Sometimes, I would start eating a dessert, eat half of it, and then remember that I wasn’t supposed to be eating that. When I remembered what I was doing, I was very successful at not eating unhealthy snacks. It was very helpful not having junk food around the house. At night, I would look for something in the freezer or cabinets, once again forgetting about this project. When I didn’t find anything sweet, I would remember and opted for a healthier snack. As I predicted, I always craved junk at the end of a stressful day. Some days I caved, and other days I didn’t.  

One action plan step that I did not think of initially was working out. I noticed that on the days that I worked out I was less likely to look for junk food. In my mind, eating junk food would negate my work out. I am going to try to work out more often to keep myself from eating sweets. I am also going to write myself a note that I will see every day to remind myself not to eat junk. Other than that, I am not making any changes to my action plan or support network.

HABIT UPDATE February 15, 2013
This week, I think I made a lot of progress in avoiding junk food. I only had one snack, and that was a reward for doing well on my first exam of the semester. Once again, I craved sweets when I was stressed, but I was able to overcome this trigger. I believe that working out, which was an addition to my action plan last week, contributed to my success. Instead of eating snacks when I was stressed out, I worked out. Then, if I was still craving food at the end of it, I would not want to eat it because that would undo my workout. Also, if I worked out in the morning, it was very likely that I did not crave junk for the rest of the day. I do not believe that I need to make any changes to my action plan, I just need to continue to follow it.

HABIT UPDATE February 22, 2013

This week, I struggled with my plan of action. At the beginning of the week, I celebrated the birthday of one of my friends. I tried to resist eating cake, but I failed. I figured that one slice of cake wouldn’t hurt me too much and that it was just an exception that I would make one time. However, I soon found that this one exception made it easier for me to divert from my goal for the rest of the week. I also had a tough week, with many exams and assignments due. This meant that I was stressed more than usual and that I did not have time to work out as much. I had already come to know that stress was a trigger for my behavior and that working out counteracted this stress. With more stress and less time to work out, I believe I ate junk food 3 or 4 times this week. I do not believe I have to make any changes to my action plan; I just need to recommit myself to following it.  

After this week, I think I understand a bit more how easy it is for addicts to succumb to their addiction. After a while, you begin bargaining with yourself, saying that you will just do it one more time and that will be the end of it. However, that ‘last time’ makes it easier to do it again and again. Also, outside triggers are uncontrollable and sometimes it is impossible to avoid that one thing you know you are not supposed to do.  

HABIT UPDATE 3/1/13
This week I recommitted to my action plan and did not eat any sweets! I was stressed, which is a trigger of my habit, but I was able to resist. I think working out helped a lot. I would work out in the morning. When I was craving sweets, I would think of my workout and how I did not want to ruin that. It would have been a waste to eat sweets after working out. Hopefully, I can keep up the success next week!


HABIT UPDATE 3/23/13
For the past few weeks, I have not done so well in regards to breaking my habit. I have been stressed out recently and have not had time to work out. At the end of the day, I think I deserve to relax and eat some ice cream or some type of dessert. I have definitely not eaten as much as I used to, but I am still eating sweets. With a holiday approaching, I doubt I will be able to completely resist sweets over the weekend. With that being said, I think I will give up on abstaining completely and set limits for myself instead. I will still have a goal to look at and try to reach. I am going to try to not eat sweets until Thursday. Starting on Thursday, my goal is to only eat one type of junk food per day or less. After Sunday, I will re-evaluate my action plan and try to get back on track.

HABIT UPDATE 3/31/2013
I made it through the weekend and the holiday with only one type of junk food per day. Now I am ready to restart my action plan. I will work out in the mornings to keep my stress level down. I will also try not to buy any snack food. When I feel the need to eat a snack, I will reach for something healthy instead of sweet. Hopefully, I can put myself back in the maintenance stage. I think giving myself a break during the holidays was a good idea. It was unrealistic to try not to eat sweets. I would have set myself up for failure. Now, I still have something to be proud of. I set a goal and I met it. This will give me good momentum for the last few weeks.

HABIT UPDATE 4/7/2013
This week, I was able to stick to my action plan! I did not eat junk food or sweets at all. One thing that was helpful this week was the support of my friends. Since summer is quickly approaching, they also are trying to watch what they eat. This makes it a lot easier in the process of breaking my habit. There isn’t much junk food around my house and my friends remind me of my goal. This makes me wonder how addicts break their addiction if they do not have a support system. I imagine that it would be very hard. Treatment should continue to focus on the building of support systems for addicts who may be lacking this important component. Joining a 12-step group would be a first good step. I can imagine that it would be very therapeutic to talk through your issues with people who have been in the same place.



HABIT UPDATE 4/13/13
I had another very successful week in breaking my habit. I find that the more that I do not eat junk food, the more that I do not find it appetizing. Someone offered me a cookie the other day. I started eating it, but didn’t finish it because I no longer found it appetizing. This gives me hope that this will be a long-term change in my life. It also makes me wonder whether true addicts would experience this distaste of whatever substance they are addicted to after they were in recovery for a while. My guess would be that they would still be addicted to the substance since their brain chemistry changed as a result of the drug. It would be very dangerous to experiment with this thought.


HABIT UPDATE 4/21

This week, I was mostly successful in not eating sweets and junk food. There were two instances when I failed. One was during the middle of the week when I was very stressed out. I just couldn’t fully care about watching what I ate. The second was last night at the annual formal dinner and dance. For the celebratory night, I made an exception for myself and ate dessert. But I made sure to dance a lot to make up for it! All in all, I think I had a successful week.

MDMA/Ecstasy

MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, was first created in Germany in 1913 by a chemical company called Merck to be sold as a diet pill. Since its development, it has served purposes that vary greatly from its original, intended use.

http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/ecstasy-history.html

 

MDMA is a stimulant that increases heart rate and blood pressure. It is the popular drug of raves, clubs and other parties to enhance mood and feeling. It usually comes in pill form and is taken orally. MDMA increases the release of the neurotransmitters serotonine, dopamine, norepinephrine and the hormones oxytocin and vasopressine. This causes users to feel self-confident, energetic, empathetic and peaceful. It also causes a loss of inhibition. More severe effects of taking MDMA are dehydration, nausea, blurred vision, chills, sweating, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, kidney, liver and cardiovascular failure.  Long-term use of MDMA can lead to problems with mood, appetite, pain, learning and memory. MDMA use and abuse has long been a problem among college-aged students and young adults, but it is increasingly becoming a problem among children in middle and high school.

http://www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/ecstasy

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasy

HISTORY OF MDMA

Alexander Shulgin is the man responsible for modern research involving MDMA/ecstasy in the US. Shulgin graduated from the University of California in Berkeley as a doctor in biochemistry. This got him a job with Dow Chemicals, where he completed much of his research on MDMA in the 1970s. He is listed as the first person to use the drug.

http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/ecstasy-history.html

Besides Shulgin’s research, not much work was done with MDMA at this time. The drug had already been patented and a new version could not be marketed unless a company would spend time and money researching its benefits and side effects.

http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/ecstasy-history.html

 

Between 1977 and 1985, a few experimental psychotherapists examined MDMA to use in sessions with clients. Therapists liked when their patients used it because it improved communication between client and therapist. These psychotherapists used MDMA without approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The drug had not been approved for human use yet. This was also the first period of time that ecstasy became available on the streets and started being used as a recreational drug.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasy

On July 1, 1985, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) placed an emergency ban on MDMA because it thought it was a danger to the public. It was placed on the Schedule I list of drugs, which meant that it had no proven therapeutic value. It was not until 1993 that the FDA approved human use of MDMA to be tested. This was the first time that the administration allowed a psychoactive drug to be tested on humans. Currently, MDMA is being tested as a possible treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety.  

http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/ecstasy-history.html

 

While doing research, I learned that many people that were not therapists or chemists did not become interested with MDMA/ecstasy until it became illegal. When the DEA placed it on the Schedule I list, a group tried to sue them in hopes that they would move it to the Schedule 3 list, which would have allowed it to be manufactured and researched further. Clearly, they did not know what they had until it was gone, as the saying goes. All types of illegal drugs are sought after not only for their stimulating effects, but also for their illegal status. It adds another risk and more profit. Something that is illegal is sure to be in high demand, meaning that those who can manufacture or get their hands on it will benefit from it. By making it illegal, the government ensured that MDMA will be sought after. I also learned that my common perception of MDMA was only one of its uses. As a young adult, I have heard about the usage of ecstasy at parties and raves. I was unaware of its potential clinical use.