Drug Use: An Overview

Chapter 1 – Drug Use: An Overview

From reading through chapter one of the textbook, I have taken away several things. First, I have learned that there is a correlation between drug use and personality. Specifically, there is a tie between drug use and those who have an impulsive personality. I also learned that there correlation with genetics and whether someone becomes an abuser of a drug. Lastly, I learned that there is a correlation between religion and drug use. Because I am a Christian, I find this last statement to be intriguing.

I would definitely say that I agree with what I have learned from the text. It makes sense that people who use drugs might do so without really thinking it through first. If a person is naturally impulsive, he probably is not going to think nearly as hard about trying a drug before he does. An impulsive decision to use drugs could then turn into a reoccurrence in drug use. I also agree with the idea that there is a correlation between religion and drug use. From my own experience, I would say that having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ has grounded me and given my life purpose. Without a real purpose in life, I too would probably be far more susceptible to drug usage. I could not find anything in the text that I particularly disagreed with.

One thing I will apply to my own life from the reading is the idea that the way one handles a drug can be genetic. I have seen my mother misuse alcohol, and I do not want to follow down the same path. Knowing I am capable of handing alcohol the same way she has gives me a drive to treat it with the utmost respect and drink in moderation.

One job I am definitely set on doing in several years is being a mother. From the chapter, I am going to apply the correlation between drug use and religion when raising my children. I do not want my future children to have issues with drugs, so I want to raise them up to have a foundation and purpose in life. I do not want them to aimlessly wander through life, get bored and decide to use drugs.

Chapter 2 – Drug Use as a Social Problem

One thing I learned from chapter two is that there is a drug abuse warning system known as "DAWN." This system is used to collect data on drug-related deaths or emergency room visits. I did not know that alcohol is treated differently in the DAWN system. It must be used in combination with another substance to be counted.

While I agree that the DAWN system is a good and helpful system, I do not agree with the decision to not include alcohol by itself in the reports. Many people all over the world consume alcohol, and it can be misused in many ways. I believe the DAWN system should incorporate alcohol alone into their statistics so that people know how devastating it has been and can be when it is misused and abused.

I can apply what I have learned about the DAWN system to my life and my future career plans by being aware and knowledgeable about the information that the DAWN system provides. For example, if there has been a recent death in the area due to the use of cocaine, I can be aware of it and let others in the area know, so that they are safe and aware of their surroundings. I can also use the DAWN system to monitor the area in which I work in the future. The DAWN system seems to be a great resource that should not go to waste.

Chapter 17 – Preventing Substance Abuse

One thing I learned from chapter seventeen from the social influence model is that there are several effective ways to prevent one from giving into peer pressure. Some of these ways include training refusal skills, public commitment, counter advertising and the use of teen leaders. I would agree that these are effective ways to help someone keep from giving into peer pressure. There is nothing in the text that I with which I definitely disagree.

In my own life, I want to apply what I have learned about