Module 3 - The Law & Why Drugs Work

I had a harder time the past two weeks than I did in the beginning. I started this module out very sick with a sinus infection and was unable to read and/or focus on much. I received an antibiotic and steroid from the doctor but it was about a week longer before I felt any kind of sinus relief. I definitely felt my participation could have been better, and I didn't get a chance to read through the chapters again when I felt better.

Really hoping more classmates begin to comment on posts earlier in the module which will allow the opportunity for more discussions.

Aside from that little bump in the road, a few things I've learned have been:

The FDA and the process' they go through before new drugs are released to the public which include:
1 - Preclinical research
2- Clinical research and development
3- Permission to market
4- Post marketing surveillance

There is a system called the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) that allows the public to voluntarily report any issues they have while taking medications.

Aside from the FAERS information, at the bottom of this web page there are also links for the National Library of Medicine, Medication Guides, and Postmarket Drug and Biological Safety Evaluations. I was very pleased to read through the FDA's website to see their initiatives and ways they keep in contact with the public about Drug Safety Information.

The book refers to the drug "diethylstilbestrol" (DES) on page 107 which was given to women to prevent miscarriage and was later discovered to cause cancer, birth defects, and other developmental abnormalities. It's unfortunate that something like this happened, but good that the FDA now has ways of patients being able to directly communicate if they're having health problems they believe could be caused by the drugs they're taking. More information can be found here at Cancer.Gov.

Two terms in this section I didn't know before are 1- Fast Tracking, which is a process designed to expedite the review of drugs to treat serious diseases and fill an unmet medical need, and 2- Priority Review, which is a designation given to drugs that offer major advances in treatment, or provide a treatment where no adequate therapy exists. These words helped me learn more about the process the FDA goes through when trying to approve a new drug to the market, which I found to be very interesting.

I also liked the discussion about whether or not a user is considered an addict or a criminal. It was interesting to read Brittany and Elizabeth's comments from the book and their linked websites to include this article which I particularly enjoyed.

I'd like to copy and post my original Seminar Post so I can refer back to it:

Drug Dependence and the Varieties of Addiction             

 

Our text lists two different kinds of drug dependencies: physical or psychological. "Physical dependence reflects changes in the way organs and systems in the body respond to the drug, whereas psychological dependence is caused by attitudes and expectations (page 166)."
The text then goes on to list several causes for the wide variability of physical and psychological dependencies to include heredity, drug cravings, and other factors like peer pressure, home, school, and work environments, mental state, and excessive stress. (pages 168-169).
"Because it is difficult to assess the contribution of physical and psychological factors to drug dependence, determining whether all psychoactive drugs truly cause drug addiction poses a challenge (page 168.)."
I'm sure we all know friends who tried and experimented with drugs and alcohol. Some of those friends were able to try it once or twice and then tell their peers, "Not for me, I'm good though thanks!" While others began to form a habit and then drug dependence or addiction.
I've always found this difference in personalities to be quite fascinating, and especially amongst families and siblings. Why do some people love the affects of drugs and/or alcohol while others get absolutely nothing from it? How can some people's bodies consume SO MUCH of a substance while others fiercely reject it?
Our text helps to explain that there are a wide variety of reasons this happens: some people can physically tolerate a drug and their bodies can handle the affects, while others just can't. For me personally, I tried marijuana a couple of times in high school but it made me physically sick. A lot of my friends went on to try harder drugs like cocaine and LSD - I couldn't even imagine trying these things, I knew I would get sick, so I didn't bother. The following link also confirms the variety of reasons a person may or may not become dependent.
There is also a very strong relationship between mental illnesses and drug dependence. They usually go hand-in-hand while people suffering from a mental illness will use drugs and alcohol to self medicate and relieve their symptoms. In the following article by the NAMI: National Alliance for Mental Illness, it says, "Dual diagnosis is a term used to describe people with mental illness who have coexisting problems with drugs and/or alcohol. The relationship between the two is complex, and the treatment of people with co-occurring substance abuse (or substance dependence) and mental illness is more complicated than the treatment of either condition alone. This is unfortunately a common situation—many people with mental illness have ongoing substance abuse problems, and many people who abuse drugs and alcohol also experience mental illness."
My questions to the class are, do you believe it is either physical or psychological (one or the other) or agree it is a complex combination of both that cause the various degree's of drug dependence? Do you know someone who has struggled with addiction, and can verify if it was their biology/genetics/physical dependency or more of a psychological one (meaning they didn't grow up in a home where it was accepted and viewed as "normal" behavior?
I know a lot of people who struggle with addictions to various substances, and agree with the text it is both. I have a best friend who grew up in an alcoholic home, and her and her brother and both of their spouses followed right in their parents' foot steps. In their case it is both a physical and psychological dependence, as I think the mental and emotional abuse they endured growing up gets "medicated" by the drugs and alcohol as adults. Drinking and drugging is viewed as a normal way to "cope with the stresses of life." They don't feel there is anything at all wrong with their substance use.