Topic Idea: Exploring Addiction
What I know:
- There are multiple causes for addiction
- Genetics, environmental, abuse
- Addiction doesn’t discriminate
- It can completely alter one’s life and the lives of those who care about them
- Overdosing is a big issue of addiction
- It can lead to permanent bodily or mental damage; or even worse, death
- Addiction has a negative stigma
- People look down on addicts
- View them as “lesser than”
- Many homeless people suffer from addiction
- Individuals can be addicted to multiple substances at once
- Does devastating damage to the body
- Decreases life expectancy
- Harms internal organs
- Addiction is easy to develop
What I hope to learn:
- What do the majority of people think about addicts
- How long has this stigma been around
- How prevalent is addiction
- Who is most susceptible for addiction
- What is this relation to the causes
Questions I have:
- Why do addicts feel helpless? Is it primarily due to society’s stigma or do they really believe they can never stop using?
- How offensive is the language used towards addicts? How discouraging is it?
- How are families and loved ones affected when someone they care about experiences addiction? Do they feel like their help actually works or harms the addict?
- Who is responsible for addiction? Is it companies like Big Pharma, genetics, other environmental causes?
- Is there a socioeconomic bias in terms of addiction?
