School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 8 – Week 26
I am eager to hear what the suggestions the 8th grade scholars and their families have for reducing drug addiction in the United States.
The students are arriving now.
Me: Good morning class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies?
Me: No, I am sorry. No cookies today. Our topic is new approaches to dealing with drug addiction.
The fact that there has been an enormous increase in drug addictions as well as other forms of addition has been widely acknowledged and discussed in the United States. The number of overdoses resulting in death has dramatically increased. No one disputes the validity of these statements. Yet, the situation is not improving. Not only are more people dying – very often our children – but as a society we continue to incarcerate a lot of people for addiction-related offenses including simple possession, the sale of drugs, child abuse, battery and a host of other crimes directly or indirectly related to addition. There are more 12-step programs and a number of often very expensive treatment programs. Every day there are those who successfully reclaim their lives although many of those will relapse. No one disputes the fact that addiction is a chronic illness.
Who wants to start by defining drug addiction?
Ann: We looked it up. Can I read it Mr. Jim?
Me: Please.
Ann: The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction as: “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.”
Me: Thanks Ann. Can anyone clarify the use of the term compulsive?
Tom: We talked about that. Mom said it is like a force in your brain which make you do something even though you know it is wrong or you hate what it does.
Me: Very good Tom. Many addicts talk about how they hate themselves for stealing and doing other harmful behaviors but the compulsion to use is so strong they cannot stop themselves.
Susie: If that is true how does anyone ever quit Mr. Jim?
Me: Great question Susie. There are some drugs which doctors prescribe which reduce the craving. Does anyone know why programs such as the 12-step program seems to help some people?
John: My uncle who goes to AA said that when you feel like using you call someone he calls a sponsor or you go to a meeting or something else positive. He says that you also do other things to change your habits of thinking and practice new habits.
Me: Very good John. We know that habits are stored in a different part of the brain than memory. Habits are very useful. Once we learn to hold a pencil, walk, play a game, type or lots other activities we do not have to relearn or even think about how to do it. It is like the habit is a computer chip that puts one on automatic. When one has a powerful drug use compulsion one develops the habit of doing what one has to do to get the drug which makes one feel better for a time. If one can learn to change the habits of behavior one has a better change of reclaiming a life which is not dictated by the compulsion to take the drug.
Abdul: We talked about the fact that people get addicted at different times of their life and for different reasons.
Me: That is very important. Say more about that Abdul.
Abdul: Some people start using drugs because they do not want to feel bad about something in their life or they feel that they are different. They may discover drugs that make them feel better when they are still very young.
Me: So these are the individuals who have no history of feeling good or doing well – no habits of doing well – without the use of drugs.
Abdul: Then there are people who get addicted because they have something which is very painful and the doctor prescribes pain medication. Some of those people become physically addicted to the pain medication and may find other drugs which also satisfy the compulsion. Is this right Mr. Jim?
Me: That is very good Abdul. These are the folks who may have a history of doing well and facing problems without the use of drugs. The pain can be emotional such as when a child died and the parent was overwhelmed with grief. The pain can also be physical because of an illness or an accident.
Will: We did a lot of research and it does not seem as if most treatment programs treat both groups of people the same. We were wondering should be separate programs for each group?
Me: That is a very good question Will. I wonder if the length of the addictive disorder makes a difference.
Amena: We were also wondering if there is a different treatment for those who started using because of some trauma such as war, rape or something else?
Me: Another very excellent question.
Ann: Are there people who fit into all three groups Mr. Jim?
Me: Another very good question. Certainly, someone could have felt bad about themselves, had a trauma when they were very young and discovered or had been prescribed addictive drugs at a very young age.
Paul: Does this mean that some people may need long term treatment programs and some may not?
Me: That would seem to make sense. Insurance companies may approve treatment based on the type of drug or other mental health conditions but I am not sure that they approve length of treatment based on which of these groups fit the history of the person. Long term treatment is very expensive.
Paul: Isn’t prison very expensive too Uncle Jim?
Me: Yes, it is and many people with drug addictions have been in prison many times.
As often happens we have raised more questions then we have provided answers, but the right questions might lead us to more effective answers. I wonder if the class would like to share these questions with the National Institute of Drug Abuse?
Class: Yes!!!
Me: Great. Would you like me to type up the questions and send the letter?
Class: Yes, Mr. Jim
Me: I will do that and then give you all copies. How about next week we discuss whether we can do more to teach young people how to cope with really tough life issues or feelings that they do not belong? At what age, should we be teaching these skills?
I also promise to bring cookies.
Class: Yea!
Me: Will please hand on the assignment. Have a good week everyone!
Class. Thanks Mr. Jim
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Written February 22, 2017
I am eager to hear what the suggestions the 8th grade scholars and their families have for reducing drug addiction in the United States.
The students are arriving now.
Me: Good morning class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies?
Me: No, I am sorry. No cookies today. Our topic is new approaches to dealing with drug addiction.
The fact that there has been an enormous increase in drug addictions as well as other forms of addition has been widely acknowledged and discussed in the United States. The number of overdoses resulting in death has dramatically increased. No one disputes the validity of these statements. Yet, the situation is not improving. Not only are more people dying – very often our children – but as a society we continue to incarcerate a lot of people for addiction-related offenses including simple possession, the sale of drugs, child abuse, battery and a host of other crimes directly or indirectly related to addition. There are more 12-step programs and a number of often very expensive treatment programs. Every day there are those who successfully reclaim their lives although many of those will relapse. No one disputes the fact that addiction is a chronic illness.
Who wants to start by defining drug addiction?
Ann: We looked it up. Can I read it Mr. Jim?
Me: Please.
Ann: The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction as: “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.”
Me: Thanks Ann. Can anyone clarify the use of the term compulsive?
Tom: We talked about that. Mom said it is like a force in your brain which make you do something even though you know it is wrong or you hate what it does.
Me: Very good Tom. Many addicts talk about how they hate themselves for stealing and doing other harmful behaviors but the compulsion to use is so strong they cannot stop themselves.
Susie: If that is true how does anyone ever quit Mr. Jim?
Me: Great question Susie. There are some drugs which doctors prescribe which reduce the craving. Does anyone know why programs such as the 12-step program seems to help some people?
John: My uncle who goes to AA said that when you feel like using you call someone he calls a sponsor or you go to a meeting or something else positive. He says that you also do other things to change your habits of thinking and practice new habits.
Me: Very good John. We know that habits are stored in a different part of the brain than memory. Habits are very useful. Once we learn to hold a pencil, walk, play a game, type or lots other activities we do not have to relearn or even think about how to do it. It is like the habit is a computer chip that puts one on automatic. When one has a powerful drug use compulsion one develops the habit of doing what one has to do to get the drug which makes one feel better for a time. If one can learn to change the habits of behavior one has a better change of reclaiming a life which is not dictated by the compulsion to take the drug.
Abdul: We talked about the fact that people get addicted at different times of their life and for different reasons.
Me: That is very important. Say more about that Abdul.
Abdul: Some people start using drugs because they do not want to feel bad about something in their life or they feel that they are different. They may discover drugs that make them feel better when they are still very young.
Me: So these are the individuals who have no history of feeling good or doing well – no habits of doing well – without the use of drugs.
Abdul: Then there are people who get addicted because they have something which is very painful and the doctor prescribes pain medication. Some of those people become physically addicted to the pain medication and may find other drugs which also satisfy the compulsion. Is this right Mr. Jim?
Me: That is very good Abdul. These are the folks who may have a history of doing well and facing problems without the use of drugs. The pain can be emotional such as when a child died and the parent was overwhelmed with grief. The pain can also be physical because of an illness or an accident.
Will: We did a lot of research and it does not seem as if most treatment programs treat both groups of people the same. We were wondering should be separate programs for each group?
Me: That is a very good question Will. I wonder if the length of the addictive disorder makes a difference.
Amena: We were also wondering if there is a different treatment for those who started using because of some trauma such as war, rape or something else?
Me: Another very excellent question.
Ann: Are there people who fit into all three groups Mr. Jim?
Me: Another very good question. Certainly, someone could have felt bad about themselves, had a trauma when they were very young and discovered or had been prescribed addictive drugs at a very young age.
Paul: Does this mean that some people may need long term treatment programs and some may not?
Me: That would seem to make sense. Insurance companies may approve treatment based on the type of drug or other mental health conditions but I am not sure that they approve length of treatment based on which of these groups fit the history of the person. Long term treatment is very expensive.
Paul: Isn’t prison very expensive too Uncle Jim?
Me: Yes, it is and many people with drug addictions have been in prison many times.
As often happens we have raised more questions then we have provided answers, but the right questions might lead us to more effective answers. I wonder if the class would like to share these questions with the National Institute of Drug Abuse?
Class: Yes!!!
Me: Great. Would you like me to type up the questions and send the letter?
Class: Yes, Mr. Jim
Me: I will do that and then give you all copies. How about next week we discuss whether we can do more to teach young people how to cope with really tough life issues or feelings that they do not belong? At what age, should we be teaching these skills?
I also promise to bring cookies.
Class: Yea!
Me: Will please hand on the assignment. Have a good week everyone!
Class. Thanks Mr. Jim
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Written February 22, 2017
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