Introduction
In the book Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction, David Sheff poignantly explains the insidious development of his son’s addiction, Nic, from marijuana and alcohol to methamphetamines. The story begins with loving vignettes about Nic as an artistic, sensitive, and intelligent boy, and events that Sheff shared with his son, including attending the Nirvana concert. As the younger boy starts experimenting with drugs, his father examines another range of emotions most parents of children suffering from addiction disorder face: shame, guilt, and anger.
On several occasions, Sheff, throughout the book, expresses how he wonders whether he could have prevented Nic’s addiction by avoiding divorce, not smoking with his son, or not telling his son of his past substance abuse. The memoir by Sheff narrates the gradual progression of drug addiction, featuring themes such as resentment, bitterness, and denial, and also indicating that overcoming the implications of these conditions requires awareness, support, and understanding. Sheff’s book describes how addiction affects personal life, job, and family, and the results of addiction on society. This paper also examines why addiction is a disease and a brain disorder.
Addiction as a Disease
Addiction, commonly known as substance use disorder, is a complex disease of the body and brain that entails the uncontrollable use of many substances despite severe social and health impacts. It is a disease since it disrupts brain regions responsible for motivation, reward, judgment, learning, and memory. Addiction is caused by environmental, behavioral, biological, and psychological factors, like other diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes (Heilig et al., 2021). Mainly, heredity predisposing factors are attributable to almost half the probability that a person will develop an addiction.
Substance use disorder involves alterations in normal bodily and brain functions due to excessive drinking and nicotine use. Addiction’s effects include psychological and physical health problems that require medical treatment. If not given medical attention over time, substance use disorders may become disabling, acute, and likely to cause death.
An individual typically gets pleasure when essential needs, including clothing, food, and sex, are met. In many instances, such feelings of pleasure are induced by the production of specific chemicals in the brain, reinforcing these essential functions by stimulating the person to repeat the habits that generate such pleasing feelings. Many addictive substances make the brain produce high levels of these substances related to natural reward or pleasure (Shukla & Vincent, 2020).
The addition is a disease because it alters the brain’s normal functioning by rewiring its structure. For instance, alcohol and drug use hack the brain’s communication system and disrupt the nerve cells’ functioning in the sending and receiving processes of data. The human brain attempts to return to an equilibrium state by reducing its response to those producing stress hormones or rewarding chemicals.
Consequently, an individual must use increasing amounts of substances to feel closer to normal. The individual can choose the substance for other feelings of pleasure and lose motivation in everyday activities. Substance addiction disrupts the brain’s neurological pleasure pathways, preventing dopamine from flowing through the brain regularly. Reduced levels of dopamine release result in mood changes, feelings of fatigue, and loss of balance; thus, addiction is a disease.
Addiction as a Behavioral or Brain Disorder
Addiction is a brain disorder that involves changes in circuits responsible for self-control, stress, reward, and motivation. The disorder weakens the parts of the human brain responsible for executive functioning, including self-regulation, impulse control, and decision-making (Heather et al., 2018). Moreover, addiction escalates the intensity and strength of conditioned responses such as responsiveness to stress, generating intense cravings for alcohol, among other substances, and negative feelings, especially when cravings go unsatisfied. Similarly, substance use disorder inactivates the reward circuit in the brain, reducing its power to feel motivation and pleasure in daily life.
Furthermore, addiction is a brain disorder since it adversely impacts the brain’s memory and related circuitry to the level that a person’s motivation changes, so addictive behaviors replace self-care and healthy behaviors. It affects the reward system in the brain in such a manner that the memory of preceding rewards, including drugs, food, or sex, may generate a behavioral or biological reaction to engage in compulsive behavior. Substance abuse disorder affects the brain’s frontal cortex to an extent; it disrupts judgment and control of impulses (Taqi et al., 2019). Therefore, comprehending how alcohol and substance abuse are mental disorders is a milestone toward ending the stigma caused by this complex disease and encouraging individuals to seek treatment. The fact that addiction is perceived as a brain disorder implies that individuals suffering from this may take responsibility for their health by choosing a therapeutic intervention.
Impacts of Nic’s Addiction on His Family
Addiction to drugs is a condition that becomes worse slowly as the brain, spirituality, body, and emotions of the person with an addiction are impaired because of continued use, abuse, or dependence. In the book Beautiful Boy, Sheff struggles with his son’s addiction. His son, Nic, portrayed multiple addiction-related features, including dishonesty, lying, denial, and persistent use of methamphetamine despite the occurrence of adverse consequences (Sheff, 2008, p. 74).
Nic’s addiction adversely impacted his family; for instance, he had changed drastically from a cool boy in his teenage years to an untidy, ragged, moody, and black-circled-eye teen. When Nic was caught in a falsehood, his normally calm demeanor changed to excessive rage and hyperactivity. Additionally, his ideas and activities appeared to revolve around achieving his next high, which led to regular personality changes and mood swings.
Another impact of Nic’s addiction on his family is that he occasionally deceived and stole money from Sheff, showing no respect for his father, whom he thought was trying to control his life. When Nic was questioned about his compulsive use of drugs and change in behavior patterns, he became distraught and demonstrated sorrowful regret and guilt (Sheff, 2008, p. 76). Nic disturbed his family through his inconsistent sleeping habits, characterized by mood swings due to not using or using the drug.
Nic’s drug addiction had several adverse effects on the family system. Generally, any household with a substance use disorder must make difficult decisions and choices while attempting to manage distressing and painful feelings and experiences. Nic’s family members’ confidence was shattered due to Nic’s addiction journey of deception and lies, and their contact was reduced and peppered with silence.
Moreover, Nic’s substance use disorder demoralized his family and generated a feeling of hopelessness between him and his father, Sheff. That feeling of helplessness gave rise to significant changes in Nic’s family structure, including heated conversations that irritated everybody. Additionally, it led to misunderstandings among Nic’s younger siblings as they attempted to understand what was happening to their brother.
Similarly, Nic’s compulsive use of drugs drains his family members on emotional, physical, and psychological levels. Nic also subjected his loved ones to mental upset, especially when he disappeared for weeks or several days, causing considerable stress for Karen, Vicki, and Sheff (Sheff, 2008, p. 74). After coming back home, Nic would lie about where he was and where he was heading to and fool his father and Vicki into giving him money to buy the drug. A boy whose substance use disorder had taken center stage captured his parents’ attention with his addiction-based facets of the family involved. Parents such as Sheff might seem oblivious about their actions, which may impact the others in the family, as paying less attention to some children might make them feel isolated.
Ways in Which David Sheff is Addicted to Nic’s Addiction
David Sheff is so addicted to his son’s compulsive use of drugs. This is evident in the constant concern that he shows toward his son. For instance, while Nic was hospitalized, Sheff regularly called the hospital nurses to check how Nic was progressing. That is evident in Sheff’s words, “I call the hospital and ask if I can speak to Nic…I call the hospital in an hour” (Sheff, 2008, p. 82).
Even though Nic’s father was on his way to New York, he was too obsessed with Nic’s addiction. Moreover, when Nic vanishes for several days, Sheff is worried and agitated about the whereabouts of his son and whether Nic has relapsed again. Sheff’s worry over Nic leads to a brain hemorrhage that Sheff experienced when his son had multiple relapses and near-death experiences.
Impacts of David’s Addiction on His Family, Job, and Life
In the novel Beautiful Boy, David Sheff, Nic’s father, exhibited codependent behavior. As a parent unfamiliar with drug addiction, Sheff struggled to express his thoughts about his son’s substance use disorder because he assumed Nic was exploring his teenage stage. Sheff demonstrated signs of an enmeshed parent when smoking marijuana with his son, “Now I look back in horror on the time I smoked with him… (Sheff, 2008, 72). That behavior portrayed a braided border between children and their parents, indicating an unhealthy child-parent relationship. Sheff facilitated Nic’s behavior since he formerly tolerated it and disregarded his son’s alcohol and cannabis usage.
Throughout the novel, Sheff worries about Nic and all the moves the son made, constant calls, and wondering about his son’s whereabouts and safety. For instance, Sheff recalls his phone ringing and knows it is Nic calling. He says, “I search for a quiet place away from the crowd and find one near the brooding chicks in a cage inside Tobby’s barn. I answer the phone, but no one is there” (Sheff, 2008, p. 81).
A book reader may conclude that Sheff was instrumental in facilitating Nic’s addiction. The acts of kindness by Sheff escalated into harmful enabling and unhealthy codependence despite having a strong and motivating support system. When Sheff let go and let his son make his own decisions and face the reality and consequences of substance abuse, it had significant emotional effects on Sheff’s psyche.
Nic’s Descent into Addiction
Nic’s descent into addiction is demonstrated when he is expelled from high school for purchasing marijuana. When he travels to Paris for a program between his senior and junior years in high school, he uses alcohol heavily (Sheff, 2008, p. 81). When he returns for his senior year, Nic also boycotts classes and withdraws from water polo and swimming teams (Sheff, 2008, p. 81).
Before attaining the majority age, Nic is arrested for being accused of possessing marijuana. When accepted into the University, Nic tries drugs, including methamphetamine, disappears for several days and weeks, becomes hospitalized, and commits offenses to score more drugs. Nic’s sources of nurture and attachment were parental subsystems; thus, each side was profoundly affected. Therefore, from his behavior, I would have noticed that he was in substance addiction and needed help.
Severe Substance Use Problem and Need for Help
Initially, it was hard to notice that Nic had a severe substance use problem and required help. This is because Nic was presented as a creative and bright young teen growing up. The teachers would write about Nic’s growing sense of goodness and kind-heartedness and, to a greater extent, think about Nic’s value to the world (Sheff, 2008, p. 77). In addition, Nic’s peers would describe him as an intelligent leader and praise his artistic skills. However, his bright life started to evaporate when he became involved in drugs in grade nine.
I cannot entirely agree with the course of action taken by Sheff when he learns that he cannot save his son Nic and, thus, should detach and let Nic live his own life. Another point with which I cannot entirely agree with Sheff is when he shares his heavy drug use while in college with his son, as this glorifies drugs in the mind of Nic. After divorcing his wife, Sheff could have taken an active role in raising his son, Nic, and talked to him early and frequently about the risks of substance abuse.
In addition, Sheff should have established clear rules and monitored Nic’s activities. Support and active involvement of caring teens are critical in preventing early-life substance abuse. Caring and effective drug rehabilitation proves to be positive for a person struggling with life with drug addiction, like Nic.
Rehabilitation should be encouraged for drug addicts since its primary purpose is to allow the patient to challenge substance abuse and prevent drug addiction to avoid the monetary, physical, and mental repercussions that may be caused. People with an addiction should be engaged in drug rehabilitation programs that teach them new interaction methods in a drug-free environment. Finally, parents and addicts should know that the recovery process from substance use disorder is an ongoing process without culmination.
Conclusion
Sheff’s book revealed how having a family with drug dependence may cause discord, uncertainty, and resentment, crippling the entire family unit. After reading the book, it is easily understandable that addiction is a disease, as demonstrated in how Sheff’s family battled with his son’s addictive behavior and was captivated by his rehabilitation. Moreover, the novel provides a deeper understanding of how addiction makes an individual lose empathy. Thus, therapists should look beyond the substance use disorder to the person struggling behind the shadows of their drug-induced mindset.
The book also offers insights into how families handle the addiction tendencies of their loved ones. Sheff believed that he would help his son move away from alcohol and drugs with enough patience, time, and understanding. Learning to manage substance use disorder with an eagerness to study, having a curious mentality, and acknowledging that recovery is a complex and lengthy journey. Therefore, families need to seek therapeutic interventions for addiction, recognizing it as both a disease and a disorder of the brain.
References
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Taqi, M. M., Faisal, M., & Zaman, H. (2019). OPRM1 A118G polymorphisms and its role in opioid addiction: Implication on severity and treatment approaches. Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine, 361-368. Web.
Sheff, D. (2008). Beautiful boy: A father’s journey through his son’s addiction. New York Times Book Review, 113(8), 22.
Shukla, M., & Vincent, B. (2020). The multi-faceted impact of methamphetamine on Alzheimer’s disease: From a triggering role to a possible therapeutic use. Ageing Research Reviews, 60, 101062. Web.