Although some may believe that the nature of drug addiction comes from an irresistible desire to consume rather than the environmental circumstances they are in, it in fact seems likely that drug addiction can occur for several different reasons. Drug consumption and abuse has been and still is a huge controversial topic around the world. Many people may enjoy the feeling of certain substances while others turn to the use of drugs to adapt to tough environmental situations. In chapter seven of Opening Skinner 's Box, "Rat Park" Lauren Slater starts of by introducing us to Bruce Alexander. Bruce Alexander was a psychologist who was not completely convinced as to why people or animals reacted to the addiction of drugs the way they did. Alexander
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I have to agree with Alexander, I think many people engage in drug use for the wrong reasons. I think people become so emotionally distressed that they focus on drug consumption for the wrong reasons. For example to help them cope with difficult times or a stressful job, I feel like many people are quick to engage in the easy way out and ask for prescriptions like xanax when claiming stress rather than actually trying to solve their issues. Others may turn to drug use to help them provide some sort of pain relief while others simply use drugs for the feeling of pleasure. The caged and socially isolated rats in Alexander 's experiment were consuming far more drugs than the rats in the rat park environment most likely because of the tough environmental situation they were in. Just imagine being trapped in a cage without any social communication, it could easily lead anyone to desperation and make anyone forced to consume the drug infused water like the isolated rats did. It is difficult to understand why others turn to drug use that eventually leads to drug abuse but I believe it is indeed due to the environmental situation people are …show more content…
Like the case of Barb Stone 's 19-year-old son in the article, Talking smack by Amanda Seef. Stone 's son started his curiosity with prescription pain killers and when he wasn 't obtaining the high he needed he turned to other drug substances. Stone had to ultimatelly quit her job in order to care for her son, she even went to the extent of placing cameras in her home to try and keep her son 's bad habits outside her home. This is when Barb discovered her son had been stealing electronics from her home, most likely to sell or exchange them for drugs. According to Amanda, in her article she states that individuals who abuse the use of drugs come from all ethnicities, all ages and can be both male or female. Ages ranging from twenty to fifty and even sixty year olds are purchasing drugs. This shows that anyone can be vulnerable to drug exposure, it isn 't just street drugs but prescriptions also. As someone who suffers from an auto-immune disease I know how easy pain killers can be
I have to agree with Alexander, I think many people engage in drug use for the wrong reasons. I think people become so emotionally distressed that they focus on drug consumption for the wrong reasons. For example to help them cope with difficult times or a stressful job, I feel like many people are quick to engage in the easy way out and ask for prescriptions like xanax when claiming stress rather than actually trying to solve their issues. Others may turn to drug use to help them provide some sort of pain relief while others simply use drugs for the feeling of pleasure. The caged and socially isolated rats in Alexander 's experiment were consuming far more drugs than the rats in the rat park environment most likely because of the tough environmental situation they were in. Just imagine being trapped in a cage without any social communication, it could easily lead anyone to desperation and make anyone forced to consume the drug infused water like the isolated rats did. It is difficult to understand why others turn to drug use that eventually leads to drug abuse but I believe it is indeed due to the environmental situation people are …show more content…
Like the case of Barb Stone 's 19-year-old son in the article, Talking smack by Amanda Seef. Stone 's son started his curiosity with prescription pain killers and when he wasn 't obtaining the high he needed he turned to other drug substances. Stone had to ultimatelly quit her job in order to care for her son, she even went to the extent of placing cameras in her home to try and keep her son 's bad habits outside her home. This is when Barb discovered her son had been stealing electronics from her home, most likely to sell or exchange them for drugs. According to Amanda, in her article she states that individuals who abuse the use of drugs come from all ethnicities, all ages and can be both male or female. Ages ranging from twenty to fifty and even sixty year olds are purchasing drugs. This shows that anyone can be vulnerable to drug exposure, it isn 't just street drugs but prescriptions also. As someone who suffers from an auto-immune disease I know how easy pain killers can be