Drugs in Society the Beginning (1,2)

     In Chapter 1 we learned about the most commonly used drugs such as stimulants, hallucinogens/psychedelics, depressants, alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, anabolic steroids, inhalants/organic solvents, narcotics/opiates, designer drugs/synthetic drugs/synthetic opioids.  Another topic we covered is the trends, history, and use of drugs among people of different genders, race and ethnicity, age, education, employment, pregnant women, geographic areas, and criminal justice populations.  The type of drug users we studied were experimenters, compulsive users and floaters.  Family and media influences play a huge part in the drug world since the majority of young users come from a background of drug abuse.  In figure 1.6 it shows the stages of drug dependence and explains all the stages in detail starting with relief, increased use, preoccupation, dependency, and ending in withdrawal.  The costs of drug use in society is through the roof, as well as the number of people in the workplace and their careers who use. 
     Chapter 2 begins with defining addiction which can be described as a complex disease.  We also learn the major models of addiction which consist of the moral model, the disease model, and the characterological or personality predisposition model.  Many addicts are diagnosed with some sort of personality disorder as well.  In table 2.1 there is a chart that describes the risk factors for addiction which include biologically based factors, psychosocial/developmental "personality" factors, and social and environmental factors.  There are other addictions that exist that do not involve drugs.  Gambling is an addiction which shows loss of control, relief of tension, and gets worse over time despite negative consequences.  There also have been a lot of studies trying to figure out if addiction is genetic.  These genetic and biophysiological theories explain addiction not only with just if it runs in a person genetic makeup, but brain dysfunction and biochemical patterns.  We also learned how drugs can effect your brain and your central nervous system.  According to the APA they see consistent drug use as a mental disorder.  It can lead to schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, and suicide.  Social influence theories consist of social learning, role of significant others in socialization, labeling, and subculture theories.  We learned about internal and external deals with internal psychic and internalized social attitudes.  The last section of chapter 2 warns us of the danger signs of abuse and low/high risk drug choices.  According to the textbook Drugs in Society 10th edition written by Glen R. Hanson, Peter J. Venturelli, and Annette E. Fleckenstein.