Summary
This is a film about drugs, using them and getting off the necessity to use them. On his own experience and with help of those, who volunteered to participate in a program, Russell Brand talks about drug addiction as a disease, which needs to be heeled with appropriate help of the surrounding society.
The record explains earlier discovered in class material from the perspective of a drug user’s mind, it arguments addict’s aggressive, impatient, and selfish behavior with a simple, but strong demotivation for everything, but the drug. The major point that a drug addict can never get enough is highlighted, while, if continue drug usage, he/she will die physically and mentally suffering and causing a lot of pain to bellowed people.
At some point I met a really nice guy, who fast enough became a good friend of mine. It turned out he was a heavy alcoholic, who would get drunk every single night, try fighting random people on the streets and sometimes wake up in his own vomit. I gave up on him. I was too irritated with the developed incomprehension of opinions and values. I thought that he was whom he was due to his own preferences, so we ended our communication. Unfortunately, I have never heard from him anymore, and I regret being unable to help him heel from his addiction.
New information learned
A scientific research pointed out the idea that addiction does not come from a first dose initially. An investigation of human brain (drug users and non drug users were compared) showed that around 10% of people are potentially addictive to drugs. The experiments stated that addiction usually occurred through one of the followings: stress, pleasure and impulsivity. The brain of drug addicts acts differently: certain parts of their brain react excessively to the mentioned above emotional experiences, thus, creating a dependence from anything that can overweight such a reaction. Unfortunately, people found out that alcohol, heroin and cocaine redress those conditions.
Film also discloses the other side of social help to addicts. Pharmaceutical meth is legal and available at special stores for heroin users, who are willing to quit. In this way British government hopes to help addicted individuals to get off illegal drugs.
Personal opinion about the film
First of all film motivates society to change. I agree with a statement,that addicted individuals should not be excluded from social life cycle, they should not be left behind, since they have come from this environment, they are its part. Moreover, the entire concept of their treatment should be upgraded.
Secondly, surprised to know that even though prescribed meth is considered as a legal substitute, the drug addicts themselves disagree with that statement: due to their inability to get enough, meth is not able to satisfy the need, however it is expensive and still harmful for its user, thus, meth is consumed as additional dose. Thus, I believe that rehabilitation should include no substitutes. Unfortunately, there are not enough rehabilitation centers, which, in my opinion, should be improved.
Personally, I would advice this video as additional material for those students, who are willing to understand all the circumstances, which a victim of addiction is facing, and express desire to move in a direction of becoming a social worker. The video can also become an introductory for the class, since it gives a slight overview of the topic, and proves that addiction is curable.
