Addiction and Substance Abuse Summary and Analysis, Free Paper

Many individuals fail to understand how or why other individuals become addicted to a substance or drug use. Some think that those who are addicted to using drugs lack willpower or moral principles, and they just need to make up their mind and stop taking drugs. However, drug and substance use is a complex problem that demands a more effort to cease. Substance abuse is the regular or heavy use of substances over a significant period. Substance abuse has surpassed the perimeters of personal trouble and has evolved into a social issue. When an individual ventures into drug and substance abuse, their brain is affected, and if it becomes an addiction, their judgment and reasoning can be significantly affected. The effects of drugs and substance abuse in the society can be easily seen by looking at families lost due to such behaviors, increase in crime and numerous mental and a physical problem developed by the users among many other social issues. This has made the government and many other bodies to invest in curbing the problem of drug and substance abuse. Nevertheless, every addict has their own story of how they began taking drugs, their road to recovery and how it is like to be addicted and this is why there are many authors on the topic of drug and substance abuse all trying to give their opinion on this subject. In his article "I'm Proof: The War on Drugs Is Working," Van Deventer Charles effectively discusses the topic of substance abuse and addiction by giving a different perspective on this subject.

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The article "I'm Proof: The War on Drugs Is Working" written by Van Deventer Charles describes the author's experience with substance abuse and addiction. The author explains that even though his experience might be the most typical, it is possible that many have never heard about it. He takes his position that all illegal drugs should remain just illegal. The author began to use drugs in his early 20s, and by the time he reached the age 24, he had to balance his addiction with a job he had in Manhattan as an advertising copywriter. Together with his friends who were also working as waitresses, lawyers, grad students, and artist, he explains they spend hours giggling and dancing till morning. They felt invincible.

The author says that even though the lawmakers and the media make us believe that it is easy to obtain drugs, it is never easy to get them based on his experience. The only way to get access to drugs is if one is willing to do just anything, to get them but if it is for fun, then it becomes harder since no one is willing to be arrested. As time moved on, the author narrates that due to his drug abuse, his circle of friends began to narrow since him and his friend eliminated anybody who was not cool. The problem became serious to a point where the author was willing to do drugs all of his time. By the age of 27, the author explains that he was not "feeling invincible anymore" and with time, he stopped taking drugs before reaching a breaking point. He concludes by noting that even though his story is not full of drama, due to war on drugs, the road to addiction becomes too bumpy making some of his just to quit drugs.

The author is someone credible when it comes to the topic of substance abuse and addiction. At the beginning of his article, he explains that he is "not exactly anybody's poster boy for the war on drugs" ("I'm Proof: The War On Drugs Is Working," 2018). Additionally, the author's life experience qualifies him to speak about substance abuse and addiction since it is something that he went through. Even though he has heard many debates about the war on drugs, he feels that his story is yet to be told and by sharing, it can help others. Furthermore, the fact that he recovered from drug addiction makes him eligible on the matter since the method he used can be replicated by other. The author is very object and certainly, someone we should listen to. He openly admits that even though his "experience may be the most typical one," readers should pay attention since he is the only one who can tell. This is true since it is his personal experiences. The author is not biased or leaning to any particular side, but he just wants to express his experience on war on drugs and how it worked for him.

Some of the reactions that the author is trying to instigate into the readers of his article include distressing dreams, which may be brought by the use of drugs like the author's horizons, were becoming narrower while he was using the drugs thus limiting him to his dreams rather than expanding them. Another emotional reaction that the reader can get from the author is: fear by saying that drug depends on someone personally and the time for one to be an addict varies in different people while some people like doing it for fun. The number of barriers that one has also contributed to the addiction. The author has made it in instilling the emotional reactions to the readers since some people opt to use drugs for fun and occasionally but knowing that occasional use of drugs can lead to addiction makes the reader quit or fear just the mention of drug abuse.

The author has excellent knowledge of substance abuse, effects and how to avoid it. He says that use of drugs and getting their addiction is a lifestyle choice that one can avoid or be forced by circumstances not to engage in them like he did make a wise decision and stopped abusing drugs that helped him too not to get addicted.

In conclusion, Van Deventer Charles in his article "I'm Proof: The War on Drugs Is Working" does manage to discuss the topic of substance abuse and addiction efficiently. This article gives an account of an experience he had with drugs and how he overcame addiction. Since he is providing a personal experience, the author does qualify to speak about substance and addiction. The author through this writing managed to inspire his readers by logically explaining how he overcame a problem that is faced by many.

Reference

I'm Proof: The War On Drugs Is Working. (2018). Newsweek. Retrieved 2 March 2018, from http://www.newsweek.com/im-proof-war-drugs-working-154621