Introduction
The Basketball Diaries by Kalvert (1995) is a film that tells the story of a young basketball player, Jim Carroll, who, due to certain life circumstances, begins to take drugs and becomes addicted. These circumstances significantly complicate his life, which leads to a series of problems due to criminal activity. A character who starts on drugs goes on to experience depression and anxiety as a side effect of his addiction. In this regard, it is necessary to consider the symptoms of mental disorders depending on their demographics and treatments.
Symptoms & Theories
Substance dependence is a form of mental disorder associated with substance abuse. They are characterized by a person’s use of drugs, including alcohol, despite the negative consequences for physical, mental, and social health. Symptoms of such a disorder can be called the development of tolerance and the appearance of withdrawal (Koob, 2021). This leads to an increase in the dosage of the substance throughout dependence to obtain the desired effect. At the same time, a person can also show aggressiveness and atypical behavior due to a change in their mental state (Mollick & Kober, 2020). These symptoms are observed in the film’s characters, which may indicate the events’ realism.
Many scientists actively investigate this topic and derive various theoretical developments based on their empirical data. One of the most common theories associated with this disorder is the assumption of a genetic predisposition to drug use (Smolarz et al., 2021). Thus, people with a long family history of drug use may be more likely to develop the disorder. In addition, environmental factors such as trauma, stress, or the availability of drugs may contribute to the development of a drug use disorder.
Mechanism of Disease Development
The disease usually begins due to accidental drug use. Someone tries light surfactants in the company of friends, someone is deliberately drawn in, offering banned drugs for free. When a person uses drugs, dopamine, the pleasure hormone, is released in the brain. This leads to a euphoric reaction, an increased mood, and a feeling of joy. After getting drug substances into the blood, the world becomes brighter; it seems that everything is easily possible, and creative abilities are revealed (Ersche et al., 2020). When the brain repeatedly experiences this condition, it needs more and more nourishment.
Drug use becomes a priority for a person. They stop controlling their desires; their brain needs a new increased dose every time. Even if drugs stop giving pleasure, the overwhelming need for them does not decrease. The areas of the brain responsible for judgments, decision-making, and self-control cease to function (Giovannetti et al., 2020). The whole body is being rebuilt into a survival mode, and a person loses the ability to make rational decisions and control brain impulses that push to drug use. As a result, a chronic disease develops, which is difficult to treat.
Stages of Drug Addiction
Experts distinguish four stages of the disease: with the first and second stages, one can cope on their own if one identifies the problem in time and makes a strong-willed decision – to exclude drugs from one’s life forever. However, medical assistance and a long recovery in a rehabilitation center will be required in the third and fourth stages.
First Stage: Experimenting
A single dose of surfactants will not cause a sharp addiction and will not affect your health much. However, rarely does anyone stop after the first dose during the experiments. At the initial stage, the symptoms of drug addiction are practically not manifested in any way. However, relatives should be alerted by changes in the behavior of a loved one, such as sudden mood swings, increased or decreased appetite, apathy, drowsiness, and abandonment of previously favorite hobbies (Giovannetti et al., 2020).
It is especially difficult to notice the first symptoms of the disease in children in adolescence. At this time, they begin to rebuild the body. Signs of the initial stage of drug addiction are similar to changes in the hormonal background. Teenagers should be closely monitored. If a problem is detected, take timely measures while the addict’s addiction is just beginning.
Second Stage: Regular Use
The transition to the second stage occurs at the moment when the addict increases the dose. Instead of a random sample of surfactants with friends, they acquire drugs and take them regularly. If a person misses an appointment, then they begin to break down. The symptoms become more pronounced during this period, but they remain carefully hidden. In the second stage, relatives do not always understand that a loved one has an addiction (Ersche et al., 2020). Characteristic signs of drug addiction at this stage are increased aggression, changes in habits and lifestyle, sharp weight loss, absent gaze, sudden sweating, trembling, and vomiting.
In addition, at this stage, there is a deterioration of the skin and hair, yellowing of teeth, and a neglected appearance, expressed in a lack of interest in clothing, self-care, and personal hygiene. Changes in habitual behavior may also be associated with health problems. However, if a person downplays the severity of their condition and refuses to go to the doctor, there is a high probability that they have become addicted to drugs.
Third Stage: Abuse
The transition from the second to the third stage is quite fast. By this time, relatives already know that their loved one is a drug addict. The addict himself no longer hides his addiction. They make drug use the most important aspect of life and stop being afraid of the consequences.
By the third stage, the symptoms of drug addiction, which were barely noticeable in the previous stages, become pronounced (Ruisoto & Contador, 2019). The addict starts skipping work or school, takes things out of the house, and steals money. A drug addict’s circle of friends changes, and his interests are reduced only to drug use. At the biological level, hypersensitivity appears as the body begins to demand an increasing dose of narcotic drugs. Biological needs combined with psychological attraction pave the way to the fourth stage.
Fourth Stage: Chronic Addiction
By this stage, the drug addict’s social ties are destroyed. They lose their jobs, drop out of school, and distance themselves from friends and family if they are not drug-related. Their mental and physical health deteriorates dramatically. By this point, the addict is usually on the narcological register, undergoes treatment, and returns to abuse again. Often, people with the fourth stage of the disease have a criminal record for crimes committed under the influence of drug intoxication.
Suppose an addict in the fourth stage even realizes the seriousness of the problem and wants to quit using drugs. In that case, they will not be able to get rid of the addiction on their own, not only on a psychological but also on a biological level (Ersche et al., 2020). Their body vitally needs timely drug use; otherwise, death will occur. If at the first and second stages, a person can get rid of addiction independently with the support of loved ones, with more serious forms of the disease, a long treatment with a recovery period under the supervision of specialists will be required.
Demographics of the Clinical Population
Drug dependence disorder can develop in everyone regardless of gender, race, or age. However, some social groups have a higher chance of developing an addiction when they start using drugs. For example, in the age group, people in the 18–25-year range are at higher risk of developing a substance abuse disorder (Filia et al., 2022). In addition, another feature of the development of this disorder is associated with gender since men are more likely to be addicted (Filia et al., 2022). Thus, a clear demographic of the clinical population can be distinguished since the most frequent people suffering from it are young men.
Statistics
According to official statistics, more than 13 million people in the United States periodically use drugs (Ruisoto & Contador, 2019). Over 5 million have become chronic drug addicts and cannot overcome pathological addiction (Strathearn et al., 2019). On average, about 5 thousand people die a year due to drug overdoses; the numbers are only growing every year (Ersche et al., 2020). The percentage of drug addiction among adolescents and young people under the age of 30 is especially high (Angelis et al., 2020). The number of drug addicts is much larger as not all drug addicts get up on the narcological register or try to get rid of a deadly habit.
Treatment Strategies for the Disorder
The treatment of drug addiction disorder can have different options, but an integral part is drug treatment. This is because the body must be cleansed as best as possible from the long-term effects of harmful substances (Reynoard et al., 2020). However, this treatment cannot be effective independently, requiring a combination of psychological interventions. In addition, it is also possible to use group therapy to achieve better mental health outcomes.
Outcome Research
A significant amount of research is being done on drug addiction to find out the primary effective treatment methods and the causes of the disorder. Research confirms that drug treatment is the leading way to manage drug addiction (Di Lorenzo et al., 2020). Meta-analysis studies have shown that these treatments are effective in reducing drug use, improving mental health, and reducing criminal behavior. However, treatment outcomes may vary depending on individual factors such as age, gender, and culture.
Consequences of Drug Addiction
Drug addiction refers to incurable diseases, and the consequences can remain for life. However, the earlier it is detected and treatment starts, the more likely it is to enter a stable remission. Drug abuse leads to both short-term and long-term problems related to health, mental health, brain activity, and behavioral changes (Strathearn et al., 2019). Brain functions deteriorate, a person loses self-control, becomes aggressive, and cannot experience pleasure without surfactants.
Drugs negatively affect the physical condition of the body, as the immune system is damaged and the heart rate changes, which leads to diseases of the cardiovascular system. Some drugs can cause kidney failure and lead to serious liver damage. In case of overdose, multiple organ failure may develop, which will cause death. Legal consequences are possible since, according to statistics, more than 80% of street crimes are committed under the influence of drugs or alcohol (Angelis et al., 2020). Drug addicts are more often involved in sexual violence, robberies, and car accidents (Giovannetti et al., 2020). There are also social consequences of drug use:
- Relationships with family and friends deteriorate.
- Financial difficulties appear.
- A person loses his job and ceases to be interested in that part of life that is not related to drugs.
Prevention
There is no reliable way to prevent drug addiction. However, there is still an opportunity to try to protect yourself and your loved ones from drugs. It is necessary to learn about all the consequences that addiction to surfactants entails. It is especially important to convey to your loved ones and understand for yourself that even a single intake of prohibited drugs can destroy life.
One of the frequent reasons why people resort to drugs is the inability to overcome stress and life troubles; to avoid this, it is important to develop stress tolerance (Ersche et al., 2020). If one cannot cope with a depressed mood or anxiety, one should contact a psychotherapist or psychologist instead of trying to improve the psychoemotional background with stimulants.
There is no better prevention of drug addiction than a healthy lifestyle. If a person does sports, monitors nutrition, keeps oneself in good physical shape, and is active, it is easier for them to cope with stress. This reduces the desire to use harmful substances; preventive measures help to avoid taking drugs (Strathearn et al., 2019). However, people who depend on drug addiction are advised to seek professional help to immediately begin treatment.
Summary
The characters of the film The Basketball Diaries reflect different forms of drug addiction, which significantly affects their lives and activities. This disorder is a pressing problem in modern society, affecting people of all ages, genders, races, and cultures. In doing so, medicine provides treatment options such as medication, psychotherapy, and group therapy strategies. These evidence-based methods can significantly alleviate symptoms and smooth out the effects of taking drugs.
References
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Di Lorenzo, R., Perrone, D., Montorsi, A., Balducci, J., Rovesti, S., & Ferri, P. (2020). Attitude towards drug therapy in a community mental health center evaluated by the drug attitude inventory. Patient Preference and Adherence 14, 995-1010. Web.
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