ipl-logo

Addiction In 'Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey'

1358 Words6 Pages

Beautiful Boy: A Story of Addiction Through the Family’s Eyes Addiction is defined as, “a chronic but, treatable brain disorder.” The relentless need for drugs is trait an addict cannot control, since the make up of their brain has been altered. This in turn causes psychological and behavioral changes they cannot normalize. Recovery is the hardest part of addiction and many times individuals relapse and go back to using substances. Individuals who are not addicted have a difficult time understanding the complex nature of addiction and recovery. Many times we forget that addiction does not just affect an individual but also affects people that are surrounding them as well (What is Addiction). In the novel, Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey …show more content…

Researchers believe that the orbitofrontal cortex is affected in an addict and the neural signals do not change based on the severity of the situation. Thus they are unable to get their brain to make sound choices. Then a malfunction in the anterior cingulate cortex allows addicts to continue making bad decisions. These two major malfunctions continually allow an addict to make unhealthy choices (Nauert, 2011). Nic did not choose to steal because he wanted to hurt his family. He simply did it because the drug did not allow him to think …show more content…

It is when Karen and David find out that they have been robbed the feel betrayed by Nic and call the police to report the theft. His younger brother who has struggled to understand his disease and emotions associated with Nic feels betrayed his own brother would take his savings. Nic continued to steal from his parents because of the damage that was associated with how his brain was circuited. He stole because that was the only way he could supply his addiction (Sheff, 2008). It is hard to believe that your own blood could steal from you. Initially I believed that it was Nic’s choice to steal from his parent and feed his addiction. I didn’t understand that addiction was a disease till discussed it in class. We viewed addiction through a medical model and discussed how someone willpower was altered. It was then that I understood scientifically that ones ability to have the willpower to stop is altered when you do drugs. That is what leads Nic to betray his parents because he was unable to make a sober decision (Lopez,

Show More
Related

  • The Addiction By Katherine Fleming Summary

    866 Words  | 4 Pages

    Within the text The Addict by Katherine Fleming it addresses several serious ideas and issues within Australian society. Fleming has conveyed these ideas through several structural and language conventions in order to convey her own values and beliefs around these issues. In The Addict We hear from the author and testimonials from Heath, A recovering addict and her interviewee. This article has been written for an Australian audience and was published in a state-wide newspaper called “The West Australian” and is distributed both digitally and physically. I find that Fleming uses The Addict as a way to attempt to tackle several major issues facing the average young Australian population.

    Read More

  • Crank Ellen Hopkins Essay

    833 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ellen Hopkins’ Crank is an epic poem geared toward warning young people of the various consequences of using dangerous drugs. However important its message, it provides a single story, a stereotypical tale influenced by pop culture about addiction and the people it affects. In the poem, the heroine, Kristina Snow, gets addicted to methamphetamines, otherwise known as “crank”. Her life takes a downward turn that includes pregnancy and dropping out of school. The poem depicts just one experience with drug abuse and links it to what is perceived to be the most likely thing to happen if you get addicted to drugs, providing a false single story for the young people it targets.

    Read More

  • Water By The Spoonful Analysis

    859 Words  | 4 Pages

    Drug addiction is a constant war. It is a battle being fought between oneself, possibly family, friends but always, the drug. Yet for anyone that is struggling, there is hope. Despite our differences, there will always be a path to recovery. In “Water by the Spoonful”, Quiara Alegría Hudes incorporates several strategies and tactics through various character’s agencies and symbolism to ultimately create a piece that centers recuperation.

    Read More

  • Recovery Road Analysis

    793 Words  | 4 Pages

    The consequences of bad choices are loud and clear. The world of drug use is not glamorized in any way. The ending of this book is ultimately hopeful as we see one character transform

    Read More

  • The Use Of Addiction In William Gibson's Neuromancer

    1629 Words  | 7 Pages

    Case declares, “I’m a drug addict, Cath. Stimulants. Central nervous systems stimulants. Extremely powerful central system stimulants.” (Gibson 129-130)

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Opioid Addiction

    480 Words  | 2 Pages

    This question is addressed in the third section of the article. For that reason, the author writes with a rhetoric of pathos to encourage the reader to persevere and also purchase Naloxone, a drug which can alter the effects of opioids in case of emergency. Since addiction is an emotional subject, this section of the article contains much pathos rhetoric

    Read More

  • The Role Of Hope In Laura Hillenbrand's Unknown

    618 Words  | 3 Pages

    It becomes a part of them and they feel they require it to survive. Louie often headed down this same path, however he continued to trudge on because he believed “A lifetime of glory is worth a moment of pain” (35). With the same mindset, lives can be turned around and faced down a better path. Addicts must find hope in themselves to overcome their challenge and work towards a brighter

    Read More

  • Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Addiction Analysis

    1956 Words  | 8 Pages

    He does a commendable job of avoiding prejudicial tropes of the era and does not demonize the drugs themselves, noting that the drug “was neither diabolical nor divine” (63). By outlining the physical, psychological, and social effects of addiction, Stevenson presents a realistic portrayal of this problem without demonizing the person suffering from addiction, and in couching as a metaphor he successfully avoids exploiting addicts as well. The narrative, especially at the time of its publication, was suspenseful, terrifying, and enthralling, and though these elements may not have aged well as the work seems rather tame by today’s standards, the story of addiction has only increased in

    Read More

  • 28 Days Movie Analysis

    841 Words  | 4 Pages

    Addiction is a disorder of the brain where a person feels he has to take the drug despite its destructive effects (Volkow, Koob and McLellan). Dependence is a state normally associated when an

    Read More

  • Jesse Trapp Research Paper

    808 Words  | 4 Pages

    Addiction had not only consumed Jesse’s life, but it had taken his father’s (163). When Jesse started dealing in his college years, “He was kicked out of school…and barely escaped without jail time” (162). At this point in his life, Jesse, “could not be

    Read More

  • Overcoming Addiction In Sonny's Blues

    785 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the story “A River Runs Through It” Norman was able to understand that overcoming the wrath of addiction is not an easy task. “To him, all good things- trout as well as eternal salvation- came by grace; and grace comes by art; and art does not come

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis: I Will Always Write Back

    743 Words  | 3 Pages

    Particular Purposes An author’s purpose is often revealed through the rhetorical strategies that he/she uses throughout their piece. David Sheff uses anecdotes and emotional appeal in order to achieve his purpose: to give a different view on the disease that is addiction. Similarly, Caitlin Alifirenka, Martin Ganda, and Liz Welch use emotional appeal and contrast of perspective in I Will Always Write Back to convey the message that standard of living should not limit a person’s capabilities. David Sheff’s memoir contains emotional appeal to achieve its purpose.

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: My Personal Journey With A Drug-Addicted Child

    707 Words  | 3 Pages

    Perspectives are often prejudiced by preconceived notions. Society has historically communicated that addicts are morally negligent people without any inclination to cease their destructive behavior and that the addiction itself is produced because of a character flaw or a weakness. Citing the addict’s seemingly careless attitude toward the financial burden and pain and suffering they arbitrarily cause others as proof of their imagined personality imperfections. As with numerous other things, unfortunately, experience is the best teacher. Before my personal journey with a drug-addicted child, I also held to the belief that an addict was an addict by choice and could stop the abuse by simply making the decision to.

    Read More

  • Causes and Effects of Drug Abuse

    1028 Words  | 5 Pages

    Drug abuse is caused by psychological, genetic as well as environmental factors and can have significant damaging effects on health. Psychological factors are associated with the development of drug abuse. Drug abuse often occurs

    Read More

  • Cause And Effect Essay On Drug Addiction

    1251 Words  | 6 Pages

    All these characteristics led to the conclusion that drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use. It is considered as a brain disease because drugs change the structure of the brain, and how it works. Every drug affects different systems of the brain. For example, in the case of cocaine, as the brain is adapted in the presence of the specific drug, brain regions responsible for judgment, decision-making, learning, and memory begin to physically change, making certain behaviors “hard-wired.” In some brain regions, connections between neurons are pruned back.

    Read More

More about Addiction In 'Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey'

Open Document