A global increase in substance
abuse heralds an increase in
the number of dysfunctional families. While there are those who are attempting
to combat the rapid spread of substance abuse, others perceive trafficking as a
potential source of income. The correlation between dysfunctional families and
substance abuse is growing increasingly obvious.
For anyone caught up in this
kind of a scenario, an article entitled, “Overcoming
Drug Addiction: Drug Abuse Treatment, Recovery, and Help” suggests
“Consider the things that are
important to you, such as your partner, your kids, your career, or your health.
How does your drug use affect those things?”
Ask yourself, how much can you
afford to lose?
Any individual, couple or
family can become a potential target for addiction. Smokers and their children
are particularly vulnerable. Substance abuse addiction starts easily with enticement, increasing pressure to conform and the availability of various kinds of addicting substances.
How does addiction work?
An addicting substance
introduced into the human body immediately creates the need for more. The
difficulty with addiction is that more becomes a relentless demand for more and
more. Its highs may appear to be a feel good scenario, but its lows are not.
Any attempt to quit or withdraw, creates symptoms demanding satiation, as the
human body is continually demanding more of that addictive substance.
Individuals, couples and
families, knowingly and unknowingly, sacrifice their lives, health and
status in a community, in order to meet the growing need that addiction
demands. The sociological implications of substance abuse are horrendous, as
financial demands to pay for substances of various kinds take priority over
basic needs of individual, couples and families.
Subversive and serious criminal
activity related to substance abuse use and trafficking can result in radical
changes that destroy families and communities, en masse.
Consider this example. A young,
innocent teenager in a community obtains various kinds of substance to which he
or she becomes addicted. He or she involves other teens. No one in the family
is aware of what is happening until the police become involved after the teens
break into a store and steal money to obtain the illegal substance to which
they have all become addicted.
While initially, this is
appears to be one individual living a life based on the pleasure principle, his
or her friends, siblings, as well as other family and community members wind up
being involved, much to their dismay.
Break and entry, theft or other
kinds of criminal activity become the source of income to feed the individual’s
habit, but wind up destroying lives, marriages and other familial
relationships, at the same time.
A change in work ethics of
formerly responsible individuals to being irresponsible individuals results in
high levels of poverty in many communities. Marriages break up. Childcare
suffers as parents seek only to please themselves. Their children have to fend for
themselves, find food, clothing and shelter on their own. Parents and others
may use children to further their trafficking.
There is no end to the kinds of
tragic scenarios that result from substance abuse that spreads like wildfire
from one individual to families and then, throughout a community.
Overcoming substance abuse
addiction with restoration of dysfunction families is possible with proper
guidance from addiction counselors, but many times, individuals, couples and
families find themselves at the bottom of the pit, or the end of the rope, before they seek assistance. Depression, suicide and mental illness run rampant
where there is substance abuse. Dysfunctional families prevail.
Being aware of the serious
nature of substance abuse addiction and its relationship to dysfunctional
families is the first step towards the actualization of effective treatment.
From then on, deciding to take action to end substance abuse is a pro-active
way to regain control of one’s life. Even one individual, couple or family in a
community, taking a stand against substance abuse can make a huge difference in
terms of dysfunctional families.
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