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    God Drugs & Society
    God Drugs & Society
    God Drugs & Society
    Ebook146 pages2 hours

    God Drugs & Society

    By Samuel Diaz

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    About this ebook

    For generations the psyche of many Americans has been absorbing the drug propaganda and its economic rewards. It is so deeply embedded that for many it is difficult to imagine a world without drugs. This book will try to examine the social forces that are influencing the use of drugs and medical consequences. It will also tries to explain recovery from a spiritual position.

    Through many years working in the social service field, Sam has witnessed the most profound and shocking incidents of clients with substance abuse and mental health problems. From countless one-on-one sessions and group facilitating with individuals battling drug addiction, domestic violence, and mental health challenges, Sam has gained good knowledge relating to the topic of substance abuse and its spiritual/social roots. Sam has also been involved in church planting as a Pastor where he also provided spiritual counseling to individuals struggling with substance abuse. In addition he taught Sociological lessons as an adjunct, has a Masters in Sociology with a Bachelors in Biblical Studies.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWestBow Press
    Release dateJan 3, 2013
    ISBN9781449776794
    God Drugs & Society
    Author

    Samuel Diaz

    Sam grew up in Connecticut with his mother, three sisters and four brothers. Although it was a struggle to make ends meet and coping in a broken home, Sam was able to find refuge in a small church where, he received assurance and hope. It is this experience that has also given Sam insights into personal struggles and a way out.

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      Book preview

      God Drugs & Society - Samuel Diaz

      Copyright © 2013 Samuel Diaz.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

      WestBow Press

      A Division of Thomas Nelson

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.westbowpress.com

      1-(866) 928-1240

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4497-7678-7 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4497-7679-4 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2012922043

      WestBow Press rev. date: 12/28/2012

      Contents

      Introduction

      The Tyrannosaurus Rex In The Room

      It’s Solely Inside

      My Nest

      The Social Factor

      Social Motive

      The Ills of Easy Money

      Change

      The Fight Against Inner self

      Not a Genetics but an Inherent View

      Summary

      Bibliography

      I want to thank my wife Lilly, my two daughters Samantha and Sarah, for allowing me the quiet time at home to write. Also my sister, Noemi, for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to edit this book. As always, it was a pleasure working with you. My friend, Jose, for being the first to review the transcript, and inspire confidence and to close friends who encouraged me.

      Introduction

      The drug problem has haunted societies all over the world for over a century; it has progressively become harder to fight every day. Its consequences are very high, very clear, can be avoidable and yet it is a problem that is overwhelming and continues to control many people, communities, towns, cities, and suburbs around the world. The drug addiction epidemic has no admiration for humanity, the law, the will of the person, decency, age, beauty, the young, the old, fathers, mothers, class, profession, gender, race, and more. Despite all the human advances made, the drug war has remained one of the most difficult to overcome; the devastation it leaves behind is hell. The outcome of an addiction can be compared to a giant twister or hurricane spiraling out of control, destroying everything in its path. Not caring where it hits, who it kills and what it leaves behind. Any use of narcotic drugs will alter a person’s perception of what’s happening around him. His central nervous system becomes distorted and his actions become irrational, odd, inappropriate, and destructive. These impacts are not only personal but also have a detrimental, permanent social and economical collision on life.

      The illicit drug problem is universal; many have tried to find the right answer, yet no one has come across it. There are many opinions about the cause of this chronic epidemic; while some think it stems from social problems, others believe it is an individual choice. Either way these choices are made in the hunt for experiences that provide excess pleasures, the anesthetizing of pain, escapes from reality, spiritual quests and more. While many blame the government for not doing enough, others believe the laws against illegal drugs are too strict. Some even want the government to legalize drugs in order to stop the violence and minimize the demand.

      While some want to legalize drugs, others are losing hope, their health, minds, careers, self-respect, their personal and social independence, self-control, human dignity, respect and personal qualities. Some argue that people use illegal drugs as an instrument of rebellion, pride, relief, mental escape, anti-conformity, identity, ways to fit in, or to cope with boredom. People raise questions such as, Is there a way out of this chaos? Should we raise our hands and throw in the towel? Some believe that the answer lies with the Drug Enforcement Agency and their federally regulated drugs such as Methadone, and Buprenorphine. They believe that the answer is with stricter laws, education, legalization, or more legal enforcement on the streets to combat trafficking. While many are looking into these solutions, others are looking outside of the box into religion.

      Addiction is typically viewed from two different perspectives: disease point of view such as predisposition and from a choice or a lifestyle point of view. My opinion is that it is not a disease but a choice and a lifestyle. Why do I think it is a choice and a lifestyle? Because there are social forces that shape and influence the causes of addiction and denial. These social pressures can produce and feed the use of illicit drugs while others assist and nurture recovery. They can act both directly and indirectly on the impulses, desires, feelings, and beliefs of an individual. For generations the psyche of many Americans has been absorbing the drug propaganda and its economic rewards; it is so deeply imbedded, many are incapable of imagining a world without drugs. My intention for this book is to examine these social forces that influence the use of drugs; and although there are several methods of recovery, I will share what I believe is one of the best contributions to overcome addiction.

      The Tyrannosaurus Rex In The Room

      The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10 NKJV)

      While society and its leaders ignore the Tyrannosaurus Rex in the room, a large number of communities, town and cities are captivated by this chronic problem. National surveys on drug use and health showed that 19.9 million Americans are using illegal drugs and it is estimated that over 200 million people internationally are using illegal substance as well. Common statements like We all want to feel good, Drugs give us an instant gratification that other things don’t, or for the moment we tend to feel good are common among many and especially teens. The Center for Disease Control in 2007, concluded that 45% of high school students nationwide are using drugs, primarily alcohol and marijuana (THC). Studies have also shown that the new generation of drug users has dropped in age. What is more, on a recent study done by the National Institute Of Drug Abuse (NIDA) on teen drug use, it was found that:

      24519.jpg 53% of the teen population had tried illegal drugs.

      24522.jpg 41% of teens used illegal drugs in the past year.

      24524.jpg 25% used illegal drugs in the past 30 days.

      24526.jpg 48% of the teen population has tried marijuana.

      24528.jpg 36% used marijuana in the past year.

      24530.jpg 21% used marijuana in the past 30 days.

      24532.jpg 78% have used alcohol.

      24534.jpg 57% have smoked cigarettes.

      24537.jpg 12% have used inhalants.

      24540.jpg 18% of parents believe that their teen has tried drugs, 53% of high school seniors actually admit to some drug use.

      These young kids have no idea where they are going in their lives. One of the theories as to why teens are using drugs is that most teens think that they are invincible and feel that no one or anything can harm them. Many of these young kids in this state of mind are less concerned about their personal safety, or the safety of others and friends. The majority of teen car crashes and other injuries happen as a result of using drugs and alcohol. Teens also run the chance of overdosing and are risking their lives not only from overdosing with illegal drugs but from the dilution of these drugs with other chemicals. Many drug dealers try to cut corners by mixing these drugs with other chemicals. In the so-called 'smash' or 'bash' industry, chemicals such as horse tranquilizers, pest control products, paint remover, rat poison and more are mixed with common illicit drugs to increase profit and volume. As a result, these kids become not just addicted to these deadly drug mixes but either get very sick or are dying as a result.

      Some kids don’t have to go far from home to get a high or sell drugs. They can find them in their home medicine cabinets. Some of these drugs that are found in their medicine cabinets are, Ephedrine HCL, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Ketamine HCL, Diazepam, Valium, Alprazolam, Restoril Caps Novartis, Rohypnol, Rivotril, Ativan, Zopiclone, Ambien, Oxycodone, Viagra, Cialis, Phentermine, Malegra, pain medication with Heroin, Mdma, etc., and other PRN’s. Not only are they using prescribed medications but other regular household products such as hairspray, aerosol air fresheners, oven cleaner and others alike. They are also using paint thinner, varnish remover and other products that can provide a way to get high.

      When I was young, my father used to give me marijuana to calm me down whenever I became disruptive or angry. My mother did not mind.

      Some times parents are the teen’s problems. Their views and perception of drugs are just as twisted and destructive as the teens. A number of clients and patients have informed me that the reason why they have and are using drugs is because their parents have influenced them. Not only do their parents influence them, but also some teens have even sold drugs to support their parents. These adults will also use the drugs themselves in the house, primarily marijuana or offer them to their teens as a lazy way to discipline and reward them. A client informed me that the reason why he’s using heroin is because when he was young, his father both used and gave him marijuana to smoke in order to calm him down. After using marijuana for a long period, he then graduated to cocaine then to heroin and now into an attic.

      Another male patient informed me that when he was young, his house was the community’s drug house and even his grandmother was selling. He was placed in a situation where he felt that he had to support his mother by selling drugs as well. The possibility of parental involvement in teen drug use and selling is real. Although this may be true the majority of the time, kids that abuse drugs are abandoned to their impulsiveness, unmanaged rebellion, to their lack of judgment, feelings of immortality, and inflated sense of confidence. They also have a false security during their involvement with drugs. They struggle with healthy restraints, immature independence and pursuit of popularity. As a result they can become very creative, sneaky and promiscuous in order to sell and use drugs.

      The 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse also found:

      11.2% of Americans age 12 and over reported using cocaine at least once during their lifetime and 1.5% reported using cocaine in the past year. Approximately 0.5% (1,213,000) of Americans age 12 and over were current cocaine users during 2000. The number of current cocaine users reached its peak in 1985 with 5.7 million Americans. This number represented 3% of the population during 1985. Almost 1/3 of Americans between ages 20 and 40 have used an illicit drug once in the past year. There were an estimated 104,000 new heroin users in 1999. Among these new users, 87,000 were between the ages of 12 and 25. 34,000 of these new users were under age 18. The average age at first use among these new heroin users was 19.8 years. Approximately 1.2% (2,779,000) of the persons represented in the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported heroin use in their lifetime; 0.1% of the total population surveyed in 2000 reported past year heroin use and 0.1% reported using heroin in the 30 days prior to the survey.

      In 2006 it was estimated that 175,000 adults eighteen and older have checked into a

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