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Unit 3 Assignment: Impact of Addiction
Shanazia Thompson
Dr. Hale
07/28/202
, 2
Introduction
Addiction can be a scary thing to discuss and an even scarier thing to go through or watch
someone you love battle addiction. We may ask ourselves what causes someone to become
addicted to something that is hurting them? We may ask what is an addiction? Is that person
actually addicted to drugs or can they stop when they want to? In the United States, 8 to 10% of
people 12 years of age or older, or 20 to 22 million people, are addicted to alcohol or other drugs.
The abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs in the United States exacts more than $700 billion
annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity, and health care (Volkow et al., 2022).
In this paper I will discuss the causes of addiction, the impact of addiction (a particular
substance), the social and cultural factors of addiction, the impact that addiction takes on the
addict's family and intimate relationship, and the models of addiction.
Unit 3 Assignment: Impact of Addiction
Shanazia Thompson
Dr. Hale
07/28/202
, 2
Introduction
Addiction can be a scary thing to discuss and an even scarier thing to go through or watch
someone you love battle addiction. We may ask ourselves what causes someone to become
addicted to something that is hurting them? We may ask what is an addiction? Is that person
actually addicted to drugs or can they stop when they want to? In the United States, 8 to 10% of
people 12 years of age or older, or 20 to 22 million people, are addicted to alcohol or other drugs.
The abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs in the United States exacts more than $700 billion
annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity, and health care (Volkow et al., 2022).
In this paper I will discuss the causes of addiction, the impact of addiction (a particular
substance), the social and cultural factors of addiction, the impact that addiction takes on the
addict's family and intimate relationship, and the models of addiction.
