drugrehab.org - Is Addiction a Preventable Disease?
The nature of addiction is one that has plagued addiction experts for decades. Experts now understand that it is not a moral failing, but a disease that can be treated. But debates have raged about whether it is a disease that can be prevented. Many prevention programs have suffered in finding an appropriate approach and have been either de-funded or no longer operate.
However, a major blow was dealt to prevention skeptics recently when President Obama announced that he and the nation was going to do their part in helping to prevent the disease of addiction. We are happy to hear this, as we 're major believers in prevention.
That 's why we 're going to help you understand why the president …show more content…
However, it is worth noting that the president (and other drug experts) are convinced that addiction is preventable. But is this true?
The Difficulties Of Drug Prevention
We believe that addiction is fully possible, but it has to be approached properly. Many prevention programs focus on trying to scare people away from drug use by using over-the-top claims or scare tactics that are a little too hard for most people to believe. This is especially true of children and pre-teens (the primary focus of most prevention efforts): while some very young children will be afraid, others will simply laugh it off.
That 's why anti-drug television ads that portrayed drug pushers as literal snakes have become infamous Internet memes: they go too far. They are too silly. However, it 's also true that simply listing the health problems caused by drugs may be too abstract or oblique for many people to understand. Being told that heroin use will increase your risk of heart disease is scary, but not threatening …show more content…
We 've dismissed scare tactics as being too simplistic and unbelievable to be effective. And yet, we also believe that dryly stating drug statistics and side effects is too underwhelming. How in the world can you prevent addiction? By understanding where it originates and working against those impulses, you can help your child avoid the dangers of addiction.
The Influences On Addiction
There are a variety of reasons that people turn to drugs and alcohol. While occasional use may not be a problem, that can quickly turn to abuse and addiction due to the following problems. Dealing with these situations is a major challenge, but it can go a long way towards preventing addiction:
Genetics – If people in your family have struggled with drug use in the past, your child may run into the same patterns. Set a good example by avoiding drug and alcohol use: children learn by watching your behavior and you can help keep them clean.
Trauma – Childhood can be a traumatic place and your child may turn to drug to alleviate trauma symptoms. So if they 've experienced a traumatic incident (such as a fight, sexual, verbal, or physical abuse, neglect, natural disasters, or a car accident), immediately get them psychological
The nature of addiction is one that has plagued addiction experts for decades. Experts now understand that it is not a moral failing, but a disease that can be treated. But debates have raged about whether it is a disease that can be prevented. Many prevention programs have suffered in finding an appropriate approach and have been either de-funded or no longer operate.
However, a major blow was dealt to prevention skeptics recently when President Obama announced that he and the nation was going to do their part in helping to prevent the disease of addiction. We are happy to hear this, as we 're major believers in prevention.
That 's why we 're going to help you understand why the president …show more content…
However, it is worth noting that the president (and other drug experts) are convinced that addiction is preventable. But is this true?
The Difficulties Of Drug Prevention
We believe that addiction is fully possible, but it has to be approached properly. Many prevention programs focus on trying to scare people away from drug use by using over-the-top claims or scare tactics that are a little too hard for most people to believe. This is especially true of children and pre-teens (the primary focus of most prevention efforts): while some very young children will be afraid, others will simply laugh it off.
That 's why anti-drug television ads that portrayed drug pushers as literal snakes have become infamous Internet memes: they go too far. They are too silly. However, it 's also true that simply listing the health problems caused by drugs may be too abstract or oblique for many people to understand. Being told that heroin use will increase your risk of heart disease is scary, but not threatening …show more content…
We 've dismissed scare tactics as being too simplistic and unbelievable to be effective. And yet, we also believe that dryly stating drug statistics and side effects is too underwhelming. How in the world can you prevent addiction? By understanding where it originates and working against those impulses, you can help your child avoid the dangers of addiction.
The Influences On Addiction
There are a variety of reasons that people turn to drugs and alcohol. While occasional use may not be a problem, that can quickly turn to abuse and addiction due to the following problems. Dealing with these situations is a major challenge, but it can go a long way towards preventing addiction:
Genetics – If people in your family have struggled with drug use in the past, your child may run into the same patterns. Set a good example by avoiding drug and alcohol use: children learn by watching your behavior and you can help keep them clean.
Trauma – Childhood can be a traumatic place and your child may turn to drug to alleviate trauma symptoms. So if they 've experienced a traumatic incident (such as a fight, sexual, verbal, or physical abuse, neglect, natural disasters, or a car accident), immediately get them psychological