|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 8, 2019 16:14:22 GMT -4
|
|
|
|
Post by Bushra Hashmi on Jul 8, 2019 20:31:41 GMT -4
Family issues are never easy, and I would imagine it is especially stressful when they are displayed in the public eye. Both Joe Biden and Megan Rapinoe have members in their immediate family who battle with substance abuse issues. An already difficult situation to be in when a person you love struggles with a debilitating condition such as substance abuse, is made even more difficult due to the fact that a person is a celebrity and their every move is being studied. While I have absolutely no experience in dealing with or helping people cope with such issues, I imagine that it is important for every party involved to seek help and family counseling. It is unfortunate that many celebrities have their personal life displayed and are critiqued to such a degree that it might even affect their careers. The legal battles and issues with substances that both Joe Biden’s son and Megan Rapinoe’s brother are involved with, should not reflect poorly on either Joe or Megan. It is simply not fair to blame or scrutinize someone for another person’s struggles or actions.
|
|
|
|
Post by Elyzabeth Amador on Jul 9, 2019 9:02:37 GMT -4
Both of these articles highlight family members of Joe and Megan that suffer from substance abuse. In relation to psychiatry I believe they both demonstrate the stigma that comes with substance abuse disorders and how it's not yet widely recognized as a medical illness. These articles and the media still show substance abuse in such a negative light and don't recognize that these people are ill and being thrown into the spotlight with such a negative connotation is only going to make them hurt more and turn to their substances of choice even more. I believe that in order for us a medical society to truly be able to help people suffering from addiction the media and society at large need to stop ostracizing these patients and recognize that they are ill and encourage them to seek help from professionals and not make them feel embarrassed for doing so or feel the fear of it showing up in the media. I also believe that more should be done to help with follow up on these patients when they have finally decided to seek help because many seem able to achieve abstinence initially but can't help falling back into it once they leave rehab so that's where we need to target our assistance of these patients in order to see more long lasting results.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zaynah Quader on Jul 9, 2019 9:06:41 GMT -4
The most interesting thing about these two articles is comparing the similarities between having substance abuse disorders in a normal middle or lower income family vs. a high profile, wealthy family. It is frustratingly common that people with substance abuse disorders continuously relapse after numerous attempts to stay clean – whether they are in jail or in rehab/ fancy sober living facilities. While psychiatrists can treat addiction with medications like methadone, suboxone, disulfiram, etc, it is not enough to treat this multifactorial disease, as demonstrated by Hunter Biden. The New Yorker article was particularly detailed in describing all potential factors contributing to disease, including head trauma, grief and family history of addiction. I would also propose that both individuals in these two articles might have antisocial personality disorder due to their history of crime/legal problems and violence/shady international business dealings.
|
|
|
|
Post by Laecio Rocha on Jul 9, 2019 10:36:21 GMT -4
Mental illness and addiction can affect family and friends. It is not abnormal to feel ashamed, or hurt, or embarrassed by a family member whose behaviors and/or addiction can be difficult to understand and deal with. Parents often have to adjust their hopes or expectations for the future when their child develops an addiction or mental illness (APA, n.d.). Most family members of an addicted person try to change the person but the fact is that, trying to control the individual’s actions/connections will likely not produce any satisfactory result. In the case of addiction, the family focus should be on being the best they can be to the addicted person, instead of feeding on feelings of blame, control, and hate. An alternative to adapting is detachment with love, which means responding to our own needs while being caring and considerate of other’s needs (HBFF, 2016). References: American Psychological Association (APA). (n.d.). Retrieved from www.apa.org/helpcenter/serious-mental-illnessHazelden Betty Ford Foundation (HBFF). (2016). When a Loved One is Addicted. Retrieved from www.hazeldenbettyford.org/articles/when-loved-one-is-addicted |
|
|
|
Post by Christian Albarus on Jul 9, 2019 12:13:02 GMT -4
Having a family member that is suffering with substance abuse can be difficult for not just the individual but also their family members and friends. A lot of times families feel ashamed and do not know how to cope with the problem. The issue is that substance abuse is looked at as shameful and families often try to distance themselves. Instead, just like any other disease such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or diabetes, the focus should be on helping the individual and not assigning blame or feelings of guilt. As pointed out in the articles rehab facilities are only part of the solution as rehab alone will not solve the underlying issue of what lead to the history of substance abuse. Relapse are very common if the underlying cause is not treated. For that reason there needs to be a multi-pronged approach that involves rehab as well as support from the family and regular follow-up with a trained specialist.
|
|
|
|
Post by Justin Cruz on Jul 9, 2019 12:16:03 GMT -4
These articles gave us a glimpse of the lives of 2 specific people that, if it were not for their famous family members, we may have never heard their stories. Both Brian and Hunter clearly show deviant traits whether is be doing/selling drugs, violence, or criminality in the business/political. world. Would they have both traveled the roads they did if it weren't for their family members? Brian, probably yes, but Hunter, I don't think so. One man decided to take his own path separate from his famous sister (obviously starting before she became famous), and the other used (voluntarily or non-voluntarily) his famous father to his advantage. Neither of them are blatantly antisocial, but it really makes you wonder what separated them from their siblings who led successful, productive, and morally “good” lives. Is it the nature-vs-nurture debate?… differing brain chemistry or genetics?… or just one pivotal moment in their lives, that they may not appreciate/remember, that made them knock that first domino down in the wrong direction? For Brain, his journey is an incredible one, ending with the self realization of who he had become and making the necessary changes to turn his life around despite the significant loss of life he has experienced. For Hunter, although he expresses his sorrow, it is a different “high” that he became addicted to. The money, the influence, and the power. In that world it is the same kind of whirlpool in that once you jump in, you are going to have trouble getting out. I don’t think either of them are entirely to blame for their actions. This world puts pressure on us from thousands of different angles. Our culture in this country leads us to believe certain gluttonous things are the key to happiness, so why wouldn’t the average person be inclined to pursue those avenues?
|
|
|
|
Post by Maria Baumgartner on Jul 9, 2019 12:25:55 GMT -4
Two families share the unfortunate circumstance of having members who struggle with drug use. It’s the differences in the families financial and political power that determine how the story unfolds. Financial power is a blessing and curse for those struggling with addiction. Money can mask problems and in return prolong and worsen them. Although money acts as an expensive smokescreen it can never solve the underlying problem. Change comes from within. When your life is secure, and problems are swept away for you it diminishes the need to change dangerous habits. Dangerous habits have consequences to deter individuals form attempting them but when those consequences disappear habits become daily routine.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Mercer on Jul 9, 2019 12:36:07 GMT -4
Drug addiction is a problem that can affect anyone regardless of their social economic status, background, or race. With Mr. Rapinoe we saw the hardships of a white male, whom is considered to be privileged, experienced. He story is definitely on the worse case scenario, but he still has his family’s love and support. Which, in my opinion, is a very important aspect of overcoming drug addiction. The other aspect, I believe, is money. Which brings me to Mr. Biden. Brought up in an affluent family and being a professional himself, he had the means to check himself in to a rehab center. Drug addiction is one difficult problem to tackle for anybody, but having access to a rehab center can definitely facilitate things a bit. Now let’s think about all those people who are underprivileged, who don’t have family support, or money, or pretty much anything to help them fight their addictions. They fall between the cracks of the broken American Healthcare System and the Penal system and they will be stuck in a loop for a very long time. These two articles focus on what the effects of addiction on these peoples families’ are, but no mention of the broken system that may or may not help you through an addiction. As physicians, I believe we should focus more on what will help the patient, and how to work towards improving healthcare for addicted patients, so that everyone has a real fighting chance of controlling their addictions and having a better quality of life.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jianna Bona on Jul 9, 2019 17:42:19 GMT -4
Megan and Brian’s story really touched me and it reminds me of stories I’ve seen a thousand times before. The one sibling who does something great with their life and the other who is left feeling some degree of what’s left for me to do? I often wonder if that individual feels like they could never be as good or do as much as their sibling has, so why even try. Or if they want to do something so different in the hopes that they could never be compared in a similar light. I am so happy that this story has a happy ending, as many do not and I really hope Brian will stay clean. Drug addiction is a vicious cycle that many don’t make it out of alive. We have a real problem in society and I think it is a much larger issue than we even realize. Some people can’t get out, others don’t want to and then there are those that don’t think the law will catch up with them. It seems like Brian was in the latter category every time he did end up back on the streets and it seems that he finally realized that. As long as he stays humbled and is never afraid to reach out for help, he definitely could change lives just as his sister has but in his own unique way.
|
|
|
|
Post by Komal Romance on Jul 9, 2019 20:45:52 GMT -4
Wow, what a great article by ESPN. I watched the Women's World Cup and by looking at Megan Rapinoe - someone that embodies strength and character, I would have never guessed that she had story such as this. Drug addiction comes in many forms, but for Megan’s brother, Brian – it started with marijuana which eventually lead to the much harder drug heroin. To spend most of your life behind bars and some of those years in solitary confinement was probably the most difficult for me to grasp – how can someone do that to themselves over and over again? Even though it took Brian years upon years to come to a conclusion that he wanted more out of his life – that he had more to offer to this world – I really wonder if the world would be kind to him given his past. In today’s society where everyone is judged on their outer aesthetic, more and more people are mentally unstable or dealing with issues – I really wonder if Brian will be able to continue down the hard path to sobriety without having any secondary mental health issues.
After reading the article on Mr. Biden’s sons’ battle with addiction (off and on) – it’s safe to say that drug addiction comes in many forms and truly has no attachment to race, social status, or gender. While Hunter Biden checked himself to various help programs, I cannot help but think about the psyche behind a person with such an affluent lifestyle battling addiction – to completely stop the offending action for months only to begin again - a vicious cycle indeed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Malika Adams on Jul 9, 2019 21:47:01 GMT -4
These articles displayed the dynamics family members have on each other. For many people families can either be a trigger or motivation, and in these articles we saw both. Brian's substance use disorder started at a very early age, but it was hard to determine what prompted him to start smoking marijuana. However, it is evident that his marijuana use was indeed a gateway to other drugs such as heroin. By the age of 15, Brian entered juvenile detention where he would start a life of continuous addiction and incarceration. The one thing that gave him great joy was his family, and his younger sister, Megan, in particular. He taught Megan how to play soccer, and Megan began a soccer superstar. Her success motivated him live a sober life, and he realized that his addiction was directly correlated to going to prison. Hunter on the other hand had a very traumatic event early in his life that may have influenced his decisions to engage in a life of alcohol and substance use disorders. Also, his head injury may have also contributed to his addictive behavior. Thankfully, he too had a loving family that supported him throughout his struggle. The most interesting aspect of these articles is how Brian and Hunter developed substance use disorder and their siblings did not. This supports the theory that some people are more susceptible than others. According to Volkow, et al., in the article Neurobiological Advances from the Brain Disease Model of Addiction, “Susceptibility differs because people differ in their vulnerability to various genetic, environmental, and developmental factors” (Volkow, et al., 2016). As in these cases, early exposure to drugs increases vulnerability. References: Volkow, et al. (2016). The New England Journal of Medicine. Neurobiological advances from the brain disease model of addiction. Retrieved from www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmra1511480. |
|
|
|
Post by Sandrika Brown on Jul 10, 2019 9:37:14 GMT -4
Both articles highlighted really well how substance abuse and addiction can lead to destruction of relationships. Whether it’s just not being able to be physically present as was the case for Megan’s brother or having tumultuous relationships as was with the case for Hunter. Also, what interested me was the use of gateway drugs. Marijuana was the first drug used by Megan’s brother which then led him to try other drugs such as meth and cocaine. Even though Hunter’s main substance of abuse was alcohol, this is also considered a gateway drug.
|
|
