How People View Addiction
"I feel the tears building up in my eyes. My face is red and hot. I want to say something, but I don’t know what to say. I look up at my brother, but his head is down. He doesn’t look up at me and he even tries to avoid eye contact. Flustered and not knowing what to do, I clench my fists. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. It feels like it’s going to explode."
This is what I felt when my brother told me that he was suffering from addiction.
What is Addiction?
According to The Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, drug addiction occurs when a person becomes physically or psychologically dependent on the drug. It is a disease that affects millions around the world and the numbers are only going up. People who suffer from drug addiction face significantly more discrimination than those with other mental illnesses due to federal laws as well as a lack of understanding.
In an article posted by Springer Link, they say "results of this study showed that people were more willing to accept discriminatory practices, were more doubtful about the effectiveness of treatments, and were more likely to oppose public policies directed at helping people with drug addiction than those with mental illness."
It is difficult for addicts to get proper treatment. Treatment for addiction is viewed negatively by society.
People that suffer from drug addiction are forced to face the world alone and most people will turn their backs simply due to them being an addict. It doesn't matter if the person has already gone through treatment and is maintaining their sobriety. They are still seen as being of higher risk. It becomes much more difficult for a recovering addict to get a job than for someone else.
Discrimination in the Workplace
The second area of discrimination is brought on by federal law. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, "An employer can refuse to hire a person with a past history of illegal drug use, even if the person no longer uses drugs." Also, the law says that people that are currently taking drugs are not protected from discrimination. They are only protected by the law when it is no longer current. The issue with this is that there is not a set definition of what is considered current.
These poor people that are battling for their sobriety can legally be discriminated against for multiple weeks after they are clean from drugs. This makes getting a job so much harder for them. Since it is more difficult to make a good living, they are more likely to turn back to drugs to try to find some relief from the pain in their life.
Not Everyone Agrees
According to Springer Link, "It is possible that these negative attitudes stem from the historical view of addiction as a moral shortcoming or lack of willpower."
Many people try to argue that addiction isn't a disease, but is instead just a lack of strength within the individual. This belief has been proven to be incorrect in research. The reason addiction is a disease is that it changes people's brains so that the drugs are all that they want.
According to Learn Genetics, "Drugs of abuse affect the brain much more dramatically than natural rewards, such as food and social interactions. To bring stimulation down to a more manageable level, the brain must try to adapt. One way the brain compensates is to reduce the number of dopamine receptors at the synapse."
This adaptation makes everything else in life less enjoyable. The dopamine receptors are what make you feel good when you do things you enjoy. The drugs reduce the number of receptors in your brain and make everything else less enjoyable. This makes people more likely to use drugs again. People don't understand why drug addiction happens, and this makes them more likely to blame the person.
The Solution
The best way to reduce the discrimination against drug addicts would be to just raise awareness. People not understanding that it is a mental disease is what causes them to discriminate against. Also the more awareness around the subject, then the more likely that fair laws will be established for equality. It is the duty of a person to try to improve the world around them and help others to be better informed on this topic.
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