Workplace and Drug Abuse Essay

Workplace and Drug Abuse Essay This is a free example essay on Workplace and Drug Abuse: Drug abuse has been an ongoing problem that has plagued America. The ramped use of illegal drugs impacts our society in many ways. Drug abuse attributes to increases in violent crime, poverty, domestic violence, HIV, school drop out rate, homelessness, teen pregnancy, and increasing health costs due to health related problems. Since the beginning of the 19th century America has had a problem with drug abuse. During this time, morphine, cocaine, and heroin, were commonly used like aspirin is today. By the time the twentieth century cam along our nation was dealing with its first problem of increasing drug use. The use of opium became ramped in the United States as well. Eventually the government began to recognize the problem and put laws in place to regulate drug use (Carroll, 2002). By the time of World War II was in existence, drug abuse had basically come to a halt, and was not an issue as it was previously. That all changed with the onset of the 1960s. Marijuana and psychedelics were popular in the 1960s and was more widely accepted. Because of this newly, wide spread use, the government began to create federal agencies to aggressively enforce the federal laws that were in existence. These laws were put in place to regulate illegal drug use. Soon after the 1970s were here and so was cocaine. During the 1970s cocaine use was considered the drug of choice, it also brought along with it a new surge of violent crimes and increased addiction. There are many different factors in our society that have contributed to the support of drug abuse and drug use. One such reason is the need to satisfy our want of mental stimulation audio/ visually. People are surrounded, by items meant to grasp, or stimulate their attention. In todays society we are often stimulated by audio and visual stimulants. For example, the vast variety of video games, computers, television, DVDs, and CDs, are all geared to satisfy our desire for audio/visual pleasure. With all these items and so many varieties to choose from, the American public soon becomes desensitized by the over stimulation to the senses. Many of our children are bombarded with this type of mental stimulation and they soon become bored. The only other alternative to generate excitement is the use of drugs. Still others are finding it necessary to seek some type of religious experience and therefore are motivated to become closer to a higher power. There has always been a desire to find the meaning of life or to gain a deeper understanding of oneself and purpose in life. Some people feel so strongly about this that they resort to chemical substances in order to comprehend the world of the supernatural. Chemical substances that are psychoactive are usually used to achieve the desired state of being. Still others resort to using methods of fasting or subjecting the body to a rigorous test of endurance. Alcoholism is another problem that ranks highly in our nation of substance abuse. Traditional treatment for alcohol abuse usually involves a twelve -step program at a licensed treatment center. The use of psychedelic drugs has been used as a form of treatment for alcoholism. Our society is filled with elements, which are motivating factors for alcohol abuse. People who are heavy drinkers or abusers of alcohol do usually due to some form of anxiety. â€Å" Views on the amount of alcohol consumed correlated positively with anxiety created by various cultural circumstances. Anxiety contributes to alcoholic addiction in America (Jennings, 2003).† A great number of individuals are motivated by the need to find relief from psychological problems or personal problems. Other reasons which motivate the use of drugs are mental disorders which may have to be treated with a narcotic to eleviate the symptoms of the disorder. Our culture through the various forms of the media has glamourized drug use. This image of acceptance contradict the anti-drug messages that the youth of this country are being exposed to, through school, and advertisement paid for by anti-drug organizations. Teenagers have shown an increase in drug usage base on a study done by various government agencies and anti-drug organizations.Even though most teenagers have been well informed of the health risks and dangers of drug abuse, many still make a personal choice to use them. A study was done by NIDA, (National Institute on Drug Abuse),released on July 31,2002, which found a correlation between teen drug use and health issues occurring in early adult years. The study concluded that young adults in their twenties who had used drugs in their teens developed more health problems than those who had not ever used drugs. The type of problems these young adults experienced were sinus infections, colds, and similar respiratory problems. In addition they also had problems focusing, remembering, learning disabilities, plus, headaches, dizziness, and problems with their site. The study included over 600 young people and was done over a period of 22 years. This study reaffirms and supports the facts, stating there are long-term health risks with drug abuse and drug use (NIDA, 2002). Other studies have been done that report a large number of the mentally ill, use drugs or alcohol. Combing mental illness and substance abuse makes it difficult to treat an individual for their mental problems. For the mental health community, the rise in substance abuse has created new challenges in the treatment of mental illness. One major complication that arises, is the difficulty in diagnosing a person’s mental condition. American young people are using chemical substances in great numbers. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (April 2003), published the national results of the Monitoring the Future, annual survey. The survey is a report of students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades and their current trends in drug use. The results indicated a decline in many illicit drugs, especially ecstasy. There was a significant decrease in smoking and drinking for all grades. Among 12th graders, an increase in tranquilizers and barbituates was reported. There is an ongoing emergence of new drugs in 2002, that are popular among teens. Included in this trend is an appearance of drugs coming back, that were popular in the 1960s, like LSD, for example. Most young people today are not familiar with the side effects and health risks of LSD. New drugs such as nitrite inhalants, PCP, Rohypnol, GHB, and ectasy are increasing in use. America will continue to struggle with the task of eliminating substance abuse. Studies conducted by the federal government and anti-drug organizations, will gauge the changes in current drug trends. It is apparent that research indicates a significant substance abuse epidemic within the young American community. According to the NIDA (April 2003), 53% of our youth have experiemented with illegal drugs by their 12 grade graduation. 57% of 12 graders have tried cigarettes, 27% currently smoke regularly. 78% of teens have tried alcohol, and 47% have done so by the 8th grade. Have there been decreases in drug use? Yes, there have been; along with the increase of new drugs. America has seen some positive trends with substance abuse, but how significant are these changes? Teenagers must constantly be made aware of the long term health risks of drug use.

Social Autobiography Essay - 825 Words

Social Autobiography (Essay Sample) Content: Name:Professor:Course:Date:Social AutobiographyGrowing up in different cultural environments is not easy. There is a threat of loss identity given the chaotic nature of an urban lifestyle (Jenkins et al. 7). Problems are compounded for a girl child who is a lone wolf in the family. In china, parents vest many expectations on their children hence making it harder to shoulder the responsibilities. Social life is greatly hampered as an individual strive to meet the societal expectations and to avoid disappointing their family members. Childhood passes quickly when adult values are instilled at a tender age. As a result, a sense of happiness and fruitful social lifestyle is lost.My name is Chen and I am 20 years old. Though I consider myself an American of Asian origin, I have spent most of my life in China. My parents always intended for me to lead a successful lifestyle. As a result, they moved into America in the month of July 1995. The timing was never wrong for me to be born in the state of California and subsequently earn a US citizenship. However, my parents soon moved back to China, where I spent most of my childhood.I am from a middle-class Chinese family of an upper social order. Both my parents are hardworking revered government officials, thus I hardly get a time of socialization with them. Chinese culture is centered on familial ideals, where children are expected to follow parentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ footsteps. A diversion in ideas, feelings or passions may signal doom in personal life and can result in a label of an outcast. Thus, there is a need for every young Chinese to navigate smoothly to avoid arousing suspicion of disobedience and disrespect to parent's wishes.I love my parents. Sometimes, I think that they are victims of an oppressive Chinese culture that limits personal abilities and freedom. However given that I spent more than 15 years in the country, I still regard China as my home. As a female child born in an era of strict Chines e one-child policy, most of my extended family members narrow my scope in life. It became harder for me to establish fruitful communications with members of the opposite gender unless it was verified that the boy was not a threat to family ties. Notably, bonds between Chinese families are so strong that intermarriage promises can be made to further strengthen generations-old ties. While in China, I was vulnerable to being hand-picked for a relationship with a boy I never loved. Actually, nobody cared about my personal feelings and needs, not even my parents. Sometimes, I held a rebellious conversation with my parents--especially my fatherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬regarding my needs to associate with like-minded friends. The most common argument that my parents gave for my à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"social suffocationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ was that I should put the familyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s reputation first before my own needs. By the time I was 14 years, I had grown tired of arguments that were not fruitful in terms of earning me extra social freedom. However, my mother used to remind me that by the time I was 17 years, I will finally move to the United States and lead own personal lifestyle.Time passed by quickly. My mother was right: I moved to America to further my college studies. Already, I was through with my elementary schooling in China. I highly anticipated my stay in the U.S and an establishment of new social life. I was optimistic that my relocation will yield happiness and personal development. I was convinced that Chinese communism wielded a greater effect on the lifestyle of its citizens. On the other hand, I longed for a stay in the United States, where I have heard multiple stories of freedom and democracy. However, I immediately found out that grass is not greener.My first day away from China proved chaotic. I learned that in the US... Social Autobiography Essay - 825 Words Social Autobiography (Essay Sample) Content: Name:Professor:Course:Date:Social AutobiographyGrowing up in different cultural environments is not easy. There is a threat of loss identity given the chaotic nature of an urban lifestyle (Jenkins et al. 7). Problems are compounded for a girl child who is a lone wolf in the family. In china, parents vest many expectations on their children hence making it harder to shoulder the responsibilities. Social life is greatly hampered as an individual strive to meet the societal expectations and to avoid disappointing their family members. Childhood passes quickly when adult values are instilled at a tender age. As a result, a sense of happiness and fruitful social lifestyle is lost.My name is Chen and I am 20 years old. Though I consider myself an American of Asian origin, I have spent most of my life in China. My parents always intended for me to lead a successful lifestyle. As a result, they moved into America in the month of July 1995. The timing was never wrong for me to be born in the state of California and subsequently earn a US citizenship. However, my parents soon moved back to China, where I spent most of my childhood.I am from a middle-class Chinese family of an upper social order. Both my parents are hardworking revered government officials, thus I hardly get a time of socialization with them. Chinese culture is centered on familial ideals, where children are expected to follow parentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ footsteps. A diversion in ideas, feelings or passions may signal doom in personal life and can result in a label of an outcast. Thus, there is a need for every young Chinese to navigate smoothly to avoid arousing suspicion of disobedience and disrespect to parent's wishes.I love my parents. Sometimes, I think that they are victims of an oppressive Chinese culture that limits personal abilities and freedom. However given that I spent more than 15 years in the country, I still regard China as my home. As a female child born in an era of strict Chines e one-child policy, most of my extended family members narrow my scope in life. It became harder for me to establish fruitful communications with members of the opposite gender unless it was verified that the boy was not a threat to family ties. Notably, bonds between Chinese families are so strong that intermarriage promises can be made to further strengthen generations-old ties. While in China, I was vulnerable to being hand-picked for a relationship with a boy I never loved. Actually, nobody cared about my personal feelings and needs, not even my parents. Sometimes, I held a rebellious conversation with my parents--especially my fatherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬regarding my needs to associate with like-minded friends. The most common argument that my parents gave for my à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"social suffocationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ was that I should put the familyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s reputation first before my own needs. By the time I was 14 years, I had grown tired of arguments that were not fruitful in terms of earning me extra social freedom. However, my mother used to remind me that by the time I was 17 years, I will finally move to the United States and lead own personal lifestyle.Time passed by quickly. My mother was right: I moved to America to further my college studies. Already, I was through with my elementary schooling in China. I highly anticipated my stay in the U.S and an establishment of new social life. I was optimistic that my relocation will yield happiness and personal development. I was convinced that Chinese communism wielded a greater effect on the lifestyle of its citizens. On the other hand, I longed for a stay in the United States, where I have heard multiple stories of freedom and democracy. However, I immediately found out that grass is not greener.My first day away from China proved chaotic. I learned that in the US...