Me: The ways I have come to deal with my choices on society have been taught to me by my father. So I have chosen my “My Status” paper to reflect on the Ethic and Social Responsibility goal. I feel this paper was my best piece of work from fall term for it truly reflects on my well-being. By well being I mean how fortunate I am to be where I am in life. How fortunate I am to have the people I have around me. I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher on life.
My Status:
I, as well as everyone, am compiled of many different statuses, whether you like them or not. There is always one status that has had an incredible impact of your life. For me, that one status would have to be being a daughter. For the first 16 years of my life, my father raised me as a single parent. Using the words of Peter Burger, my relationship with my father externalized with every recreation of our relationship. Now that I look back no it, our life began its orderly reality, or Objectivation. In result of this orderly reality I began a process of internalization. I began to conform to my fathers’ knowledge and expectations. This status, from today until I die, can only help me grow more. If I continue to desire and achieve, I will only get support and encouragement from those I love.
I, as well as everyone, am compiled of many different statuses, whether you like them or not. There is always one status that has had an incredible impact of your life. For me, that one status would have to be being a daughter. For the first 16 years of my life, my father raised me as a single parent. Using the words of Peter Burger, my relationship with my father externalized with every recreation of our relationship. Now that I look back no it, our life began its orderly reality, or Objectivation. In result of this orderly reality I began a process of internalization. I began to conform to my fathers’ knowledge and expectations. This status, from today until I die, can only help me grow more. If I continue to desire and achieve, I will only get support and encouragement from those I love.
My fathers’ love was all I needed when I was a young girl. My parent’s split when I was three and from then I was raised be my father until I was 16. When we were first on our own my father and I lived off of welfare. We didn’t have much but my dad was good with managing the money. We were soon off of welfare, my father had found a job, and life was great. I didn’t know it any other way, but great. We moved a few times for better job offers and ended up here in Oregon 7 years ago. On March 9th, 2006 my father passed away due to liver cancer. It was an on going battle for three years. But for the whole 16 years of my life all he did was teach me. Teach me how to be a better person, teach me how to hold my head up and stick up for my opinions. He taught how to desire and how to achieve. It was a continuous growth of fortune and well being.
It took years of interaction, and lessons learned, to create the relationship I had with my father. Using some of that self-discipline I was taught, I did my reading assignment for freshman inquiry. Here I read of Peter Burgers concept of externalization, objectivation, and internalization, his theory of the social construction of reality. “…externalization, wherein individuals, by their own human activity, create their social worlds” (Burger 264). Burger proceeds to explain this concept with an example of the creation of new friendship. He explains, “the newly forged “wee-ness” of two people is a new social reality. Every time the friends interact, they recreate friendship” (Burger 264). My father, my main source of interaction when I was a young child, and I we constantly recreating our relationship. Every piece of advice, every “no no” lecture, and with every baseball we played catch with, my father and I were also creating an orderly reality.
This orderly reality Burger called objectivation, “a process whereby individuals apprehend everyday life as an ordered, prearranged reality…”(Burger 265). Using burgers example on friendship “when the friends refer to this reality as “we” they are using language to designate the friendship as on object of social reality”(Burger265). When you are a young child, entering that stage of verbal understanding, you begin to pick up the language around you. This not only happens when you are a young child but also when you move. You pick up this sort of slang from every culture. For me my main source of language came from my father, since he was a stay a home parent when I was young. Our designated language became that of a father-daughter relationship and “when it is realized in this way, people seem to understand the natural objective status…”(Burger266).
Ultimately I am a product of my fathers well being. Still using the example of friendship “when two individuals create a friendship in the moment of externalization, it becomes an object, which then acts back on them as something the have internalized.”(Burger 267) Everything my father has taught me, I have given back to those around me.
Today my father is unable to be with us. This has not discouraged me of my status but has made my will to continue in my growth as a person. My relationship with my mother has grown stronger over the years. The relationship between her and I has shed a different light on my status as a daughter, for she is one herself. My mom and I have this little saying, “you’re my crack”. What we mean by that is every time we get together, we talk and talk and talk. Whenever I am ready to leave her house, shoes on, walking towards the door, I will think of something and turn around to talk about it. We like to go off on tangents, would be the best way to sum it up. No matter how I spent my time with my mom, or with my dad. No matter how in-depth our conversations were, there was always a life lesson to be learned. What was so great about the lessons I learned was how I learned them. Under the perspective of being a daughter.
Every obstacle I am faced with today I am thankful for the teachers that taught me how to deal. From that, I try to be better teacher. I try to take advantage of what life has to offer.
I really couldn’t ask for more out of life. I have everything I could ever need as long as I use my resources correctly. So far, my resources of being a daughter has helped shape me in so many ways. And I plan to continue using them.
I really couldn’t ask for more out of life. I have everything I could ever need as long as I use my resources correctly. So far, my resources of being a daughter has helped shape me in so many ways. And I plan to continue using them.
Me:
Methadone
For more than three decades methadone has been used for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependency (Broekhuysen, 2000). This fact is evident more specifically with the treatment of heroin and other morphine like drugs. This synthetic opioid was first developed in 1937, by Max Bockmuhi and Gustav Ehrhart. Methadone belongs to a group of drugs known as opioids, which consists in the family of Opiates such as codeine, morphine, and heroin. These drugs are classified as depressant drugs, which work on the functions of the central nervous system. Methadone is synthetically manufactured and used as an opioid substitute for the treatment of people dependent on opioids. Reducing the cravings associated with such drugs as heroin, methadone does not provide the euphoric rush, resulting in patients not experiencing extreme highs and lows. Although the patient remains physically dependent on the opioid, s/he is free from the compulsive, disruptive, and uncontrolled behavior seen in many addicts of heroin or morphine. The effects of methadone are much longer lasting than heroin. Lasting 24-36 hours compared to heroin that last only a couple of hours. Methadone withdrawal is considered to be much slower than the withdrawal from heroin. Therefore the question is why do humans treat an addiction with another addictive substance? Are humans not capable of living or existing without congesting alternating substances?
Methadone, a synthetic substance with pharmacological properties, was first administered to patients with severe pain. Coming in tablets, as well as liquid, patients were able to intake the substance quite easily. Little was known at the time that methadone was one of the most difficult drugs to detox, as its effects are not only long lasting, but the drug is easily stored in the body tissues. As in most treatment programs methadone is distributed in a drink such as fruit juice generally to the patient how should be 18 years of age or older.
Methadone, a synthetic substance with pharmacological properties, was first administered to patients with severe pain. Coming in tablets, as well as liquid, patients were able to intake the substance quite easily. Little was known at the time that methadone was one of the most difficult drugs to detox, as its effects are not only long lasting, but the drug is easily stored in the body tissues. As in most treatment programs methadone is distributed in a drink such as fruit juice generally to the patient how should be 18 years of age or older.
The effects of intoxication have been documented since the ancient times of Mosses. However, the difference between episodic intoxication and chronic debilitating nature of addiction was not recognized until sometime in the 17th century (Goetz). The desire to eat or drink substances in order to feel stress-free, motivated, or euphoria is a common desire among humans. The use of wine dates back to the Egyptians, medical use of marijuana dates back to 2737B.C. in China and narcotics date back to 4000B.C. Home remedies were introduced as a means to alleviate the usual symptoms that were accompanied by illnesses. These home remedies include such things as herbs, roots, mushrooms, and fungi, giving the same desired effects. Early civilizations such as the American Indians, as well as the pre-Columbian Mexicans, used plants that possessed drug like qualities. The most interesting plant was the sacred mushroom which was used in religious ceremonies. Throughout history, humans have always used various drugs as recreational activities. Most certainly, alcohol is one of the best known recreational drugs for many cultures have produced it in some way or another. In the early 1800’s, English clergymen, Benjamin Parsons declares, “…alcohol stands preeminent as a destroyer…I never knew a person become insane who was not in the habit of taking a portion of alcohol every day.” Due to the escaladed use of drugs, antidrug education begun in public schools in the 1930’s. However it was feared that giving the students knowledge of drugs would lead to experimentation and therefore all antidrug instruction was halted. With the changes in society and political uphehuvls in the 1960s, traditional values and beliefs regarding drug use began to be seen as acceptable, regardless of the dangers to humans. Even though drug laws tried to keep up with the changing perceptions and dangers of drug abuse, society is still utilizing drugs in their lives, which have now become medically acceptable.
The most beneficial aspect of methadone is its use to threat opioid addictions. This treatment is commonly known as the Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) was first used in the mid 1960’s by Dr.’s Vincent dole and Marie Nyswander of Rockefeller University (Drug Policy, 2003). According to the American Methadone Treatment Association of a 1999 pole, 20% of the estimated 810,000 heroin addicts in the U.S. were receiving MMT. Those receiving MMT drastically reduced their heroin use, with less than 10% using heroin weekly of daily after just three months of treatment (Drug Policy, 2003). Within two or more years of treatment, 15% of patients stopped using heroin completely. Along with the decline of heroin use, came a decline in the patient’s use of alcohol, sedatives, and even cocaine. This entire decline allows the patients health, social responsibilities and productivity to improve (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 1998).
Alike any other opioid, Methadone is addicting. This is caused by a long term intake, which is the basis of most MMT. A common debate about the MMT is the fact that the addict is treating its addiction with another addictive substance. So what kind of message does this send out about drug use? Just because it comes from a pharmacy doesn’t make it ok. In my opinion it’s still an addiction. Your body is still depending on a substance that potentially has no common good. When a patient is in MMT, their body is still addicted to the intake of opioids. All methadone does is cover up the symptoms of heroin withdrawl .
As with any drug, Methadone has many side effects. Some common side effects are as follow:
· Drowsiness
· Constipation
· Sweating
· Loss of Sex Drive (decline in libido)
· Disturbed Sleep
· Weight Gain,
· Dental Problem.
Sever but not so common side effects:
· Vomiting,
· Serious Bowel Problems (Whiters, 2000).
Symptoms of a methadone dose being tow low resemble having bout or the flu. These include:
· Runny nose, sneezing
· Abdominal cramps
· Feeling physically weak
· Loss of appetite
· Tremors
· Muscle spasm and jerking
· Goose bumps
· Tears
· Nausea/vomiting
· Back and joint aches
Symptoms of too high of a does are as follows:
· Drowsiness/nodding off
· Shallow breath
· Pinpoint pupils
· Below normal drop in temperature
· Heart palpitations (Drug Info).
Addiction among the human society has been around for thousands of years. The constant need to fit in or feel relaxed still exists to this day. Methadone is a positive reassurance for heroin addicts but it still doesn’t solve society’s addiction problems.
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. - If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." --P.J. O'Rourke
· Drowsiness
· Constipation
· Sweating
· Loss of Sex Drive (decline in libido)
· Disturbed Sleep
· Weight Gain,
· Dental Problem.
Sever but not so common side effects:
· Vomiting,
· Serious Bowel Problems (Whiters, 2000).
Symptoms of a methadone dose being tow low resemble having bout or the flu. These include:
· Runny nose, sneezing
· Abdominal cramps
· Feeling physically weak
· Loss of appetite
· Tremors
· Muscle spasm and jerking
· Goose bumps
· Tears
· Nausea/vomiting
· Back and joint aches
Symptoms of too high of a does are as follows:
· Drowsiness/nodding off
· Shallow breath
· Pinpoint pupils
· Below normal drop in temperature
· Heart palpitations (Drug Info).
Addiction among the human society has been around for thousands of years. The constant need to fit in or feel relaxed still exists to this day. Methadone is a positive reassurance for heroin addicts but it still doesn’t solve society’s addiction problems.
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. - If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." --P.J. O'Rourke
Work Cited
Goetz, Roger A. "The Disease of Addiction and Other Mental Illnesses." 11 Mar. 2008 .
"Methadone Addiction." Waismann Method. 26 Feb. 2008.
"Methadone Addiction." Waismann Method. 26 Feb. 2008
"Methadone Addiction." Waismann Method. 26 Feb. 2008
"Methadone." DrugInfo Clearinghoues. 2003. 11 Mar. 2008 .
"Methadone Drug Rehab Treatment." Stone Hawk. 12 Mar. 2008. 11 Mar. 2008 .
"Methadone Maintenance Treatment." Drug Plicy Alterance. 2008. 26 Feb. 2008 .
"The History of Drugs." Drug Rehab Resources. 2003. 11 Mar. 2008 .
Walters, John P. "Methadone." ONDCP Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse. 25 July 2006. 26 Feb. 2008 .
