Drug Addiction & Stigma

Writer: Atessa Editor: Dhriti

Drug addiction is no joke, leaving over 93,000 Americans suffering last year. Deaths from overdose especially peaked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for a myriad of reasons. These drugs killing people must have been quite intense to have claimed so many lives, but that might not have always been the case. Some of the drugs responsible for this issue are opioids, heroin, cocaine, and antidepressants. Let’s take a closer look at why so many people are dying from overdose and how we can destigmatize this very important issue.

Opioids:

Opioids, for instance, are quite addictive due to the nature of their use. A lot of the time, opioids are prescribed for pain relief after surgery which can most certainly lead to an addiction. When you take an opioid, it makes you feel so happy and relaxed. The relaxation occurs because they slow down your heartbeat which is why in certain cases, the opioids slow down your heart so much that it stops beating.

Heroin:

Like opioids, heroin also relaxes you. Some of the negative side effects are nausea and vomiting particularly because there’s a risk of choking on your vomit and dying. If you take heroin often, you will develop a tolerance to it and will no longer feel high after using it. This leads to increased use of heroin which can eventually lead to a stronger addiction or death.

Cocaine:

Cocaine is a stimulant that can be used as an anesthetic for some surgeries, but recreational cocaine is illegal. When you take cocaine, levels of dopamine will increase in your brain. The interesting part about this is instead of recycling the dopamine back into the cell that released it, cocaine causes dopamine to build up which makes you want to take a stronger dose the next time. Cocaine can even speed up HIV infection! Cocaine impairs immune cell function which encourages the reproduction of HIV. Research also says that people who use cocaine and are infected with HIV are more susceptible to viruses such as hepatitis C.

Antidepressants:

Antidepressants are used to help chemical imbalances in the brain which cause changes in mood and behavior. Antidepressants are not as addictive as other drugs, however, some side effects that come with them are suicidal thoughts, nausea, and anxiety. These side effects vary because there are multiple types of antidepressants.

Destigmatizing Addiction:

Destigmatizing drug addiction is so important because there’s so much stigma around drug addiction that people forget that drug addiction is an actual medical condition! There are three main types of stigmas which are self-stigma, social stigma, and structural stigma. Self-stigma is typically when you internalize negative messages that you’ve heard about others like yourself. Social stigma can be seen as negative comments towards others, talking about addiction like it’s a choice and judgement and discrimination against others. Structural stigma is generally an issue where healthcare workers might not take you seriously or the quality of care you receive is inferior due to their prejudices about addiction.

Ending drug crises all over the world isn’t easy, but it can be easier if people are a little more educated and treat people who struggle with addiction in a kind manner. Don’t forget to be cautious of your selection of words, remember that everyone has their own story and that drug addiction is not a choice.

Sources:

Lenny Bernstein, Joel Achenbach. “Drug Overdose Deaths Soared to a Record 93,000 Last Year.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 14 July 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/07/14/drug-overdoses-pandemic-2020/.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Overdose Death Rates.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 25 Feb. 2021, www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates.

Butanis, Benjamin. “What Are Opioids?” Johns Hopkins Medicine, Based in Baltimore, Maryland, 30 Apr. 2018, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/opioids/what-are-opioids.html.

“Heroin.” Drugscience.org.uk, 3 Mar. 2021, www.drugscience.org.uk/drug-information/heroin/?gclid=CjwKCAjwgb6IBhAREiwAgMYKRs4tHxa76VQlD1tOZ68Uqah_HC5e9HiLeMDrrBz5qEiNWaiFuPvwEBoCXvIQAvD_BwE#1614730407612-c8a0e46a-f204.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Cocaine DrugFacts.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 28 June 2021, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine.

Nordqvist, Christian. “Antidepressants: Types, Side Effects, Uses, and Effectiveness.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 18 Feb. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248320#_noHeaderPrefixedContent.

Canada, Health. “Government of Canada.” Canada.ca, / Gouvernement Du Canada, 20 July 2021, www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/opioids/stigma.html.