The face of drug addiction in America has continued to evolve. Over the centuries, we have come to recognize drug addiction for what it truly is: a disease rather than a crime. Drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain; they change its structure and how it works In the the past five years, addiction treatment has been a hot debate topic. In 2009, of the 23.5 million people who needed treatment for drug or alcohol use, only 2.6 million received treatment (Obamacare, pars 5-7). This leaves 20.9 million people without treatment. Many people believe that drug addiction is not an illness,
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Many insurance companies do not fully cover drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. Additionally, It is hard to persuade addicts to enter treatment. Many addicts convince themselves that they can quit at any time. For many years, our society has looked at all forms of mental illness as a character flaw, but in recent years we have grown more accepting of the disease. Addiction is a form of mental illness, and it is as physically and emotionally threatening as any other disease. Drug addiction is known to lead to other ailments such as treatment-resistant hypertension, liver and pancreatic diseases, industrial and recreational injury, sleep disorders, and family dysfunction and abuse. Medical specialists and tertiary treatment facilities see huge numbers of patients with illnesses that might have been prevented, such as hepatitis C, fetal alcohol syndromes, traumatic spinal cord and brain injuries, and end-stage psychiatric syndromes, if patients sought treatment sooner. What can be done to reduce this enormous burden? The easiest answer is making help more easily accessible for people of all …show more content…
Despite the changing views towards addiction, there are still many stereotypes as well as blame being placed. Although treatment is not a fix all, many concerns are addressed by seeking help. By making treatment more readily available, we will reduce the crime rate, make huge financial savings in health care as well as taxes, and increase drug intervention. Although today’s society often views addicts as criminals, by offering help, we are making treatment less intimidating to addicts. Too often, people avoid treatment because of the stigma our society gives it. Addiction treatment has proven to be mostly successful, and by making insurance companies more compliant to covering the disease, we are taking a huge leap forward towards solving a very difficult
Many insurance companies do not fully cover drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. Additionally, It is hard to persuade addicts to enter treatment. Many addicts convince themselves that they can quit at any time. For many years, our society has looked at all forms of mental illness as a character flaw, but in recent years we have grown more accepting of the disease. Addiction is a form of mental illness, and it is as physically and emotionally threatening as any other disease. Drug addiction is known to lead to other ailments such as treatment-resistant hypertension, liver and pancreatic diseases, industrial and recreational injury, sleep disorders, and family dysfunction and abuse. Medical specialists and tertiary treatment facilities see huge numbers of patients with illnesses that might have been prevented, such as hepatitis C, fetal alcohol syndromes, traumatic spinal cord and brain injuries, and end-stage psychiatric syndromes, if patients sought treatment sooner. What can be done to reduce this enormous burden? The easiest answer is making help more easily accessible for people of all …show more content…
Despite the changing views towards addiction, there are still many stereotypes as well as blame being placed. Although treatment is not a fix all, many concerns are addressed by seeking help. By making treatment more readily available, we will reduce the crime rate, make huge financial savings in health care as well as taxes, and increase drug intervention. Although today’s society often views addicts as criminals, by offering help, we are making treatment less intimidating to addicts. Too often, people avoid treatment because of the stigma our society gives it. Addiction treatment has proven to be mostly successful, and by making insurance companies more compliant to covering the disease, we are taking a huge leap forward towards solving a very difficult