Shots Across the Bow

I've gotten some good input from opus, marisa, and a commenter who wants to remain anonymous, and I'm using it to start building the list of the steps along the road to drug abuse, and all the primary and collateral decision points and risks associated with those steps. At this point, we're still brain storming, so if you see something we've missed, please let me know in the comments. The only thing I don't want right now is criticism of any off the ideas listed. The first stage is to get everything we can written down and placed into a framework. We aren't editing yet; just gathering information.

So, here is what we have so far.

Drug Abuse Risk Analysis
Process Step	Contributing factors	Subfactors	Hazards
1. Making the decision to use
External Pressures
	Peers
	Family History
	Social Acceptance
Internal Pressures
	Loneliness
	Boredom
	Pain Relief
	Pleasure
	Predisposition
	Family Isolation or Indifference
	Family Crisis (Divorce, Death, Job Loss)
	Instability
2. Acquisition
Home
	Prescription
		Their Own
		Family Member
	Illegal
		From family member
Outside
	Prescription or Illegal
		Doctor
		Family
		Friends
		School
		Dealers in Neighborhood
		Dealers Outside of Neighborhood
3. Funding
Legitimate
	Job
	Allowance
	Gifts
Illegitimate
	Stealing
	Dealing
	Prostituting
4. Using
Personal Effects
	High
	Dependence
	Illness
		Drug Effects
			Brain Damage
			Organ Toxicity
			Cardiac Damage
			Respiratory System Damage
			Cancer
			Psychological Damage
		Other Effects
			Toxic Stretchers
			Bloodborne Disease
	Injury
		Accidents
		Fights
		Crime Related
	Death
		Accidents
		Overdose
		Criminal Activity
	Loss of Freedom (Arrest)
	Loss of Judgment
	Loss of Friends
	Loss of Integrity
	Injury
	Death
	Loss
Family Effects
	Fear
	Loss of Trust
	Grief
	Injury
	Death
	Loss
5. Addiction
Personal
	Illness
		Drug Effects
			Brain Damage
			Organ Toxicity
			Cardiac Damage
			Respiratory System Damage
			Cancer
			Psychological Damage
		Other Effects
			Toxic Stretchers
			Bloodborne Disease
	Injury
		Accidents
		Fights
		Crime Related
	Death
		Accidents
		Overdose
		Criminal Activity
	Loss of Freedom (Arrest)
	Loss of Judgment
	Loss of Friends
	Loss of Integrity
	Loss of Job
	Loss of Home
	Financial Insolvency
	Loss of Morality
Family Effects
	Fear
	Loss of Trust
	Grief
	Injury
	Death
	Loss

Well, this is a good start, and I'm sure there's lots of missing pieces, so feel free to jump in the comments and add to the list anywhere. We can start adding more hazards to the list, as well as adding more steps, drivers, and factors.

We can already see that drug use is extremely complex, with many factors and drivers. Saying that parents are fully responsible is just as wrong as saying they are completely helpless. The truth, as it usually is, is somewhere in the middle.

What this means is that there won't be any simple solutions. Interdicting the drug supply without dealing with the drivers will only cause kids to choose different drugs, based on what is available. At the same time, making drugs readily accessible will only allow more kids who are predisposed to addiction to become trapped.

The right answer will eb a mix of approaches that is designed to answer the drivers while mitigating the risks.

We've made a good start. Let's keep it moving.

Under:

Internal Pressures
lack of self confidence and/or poor self-image

Family Effects
financial burdens
overwhelmness
hopelessness

you can't neglect societal policies (for example, the US is one of only 4 countries that don't have some kind of paid maternity leave) that often negatively impact the parent/child dyad...I remember having to go back to work when my son was 14 months old (and I realize how fortunate I was then that my circumstances allowed me to stay home with him for 14 months) how *hard* it was...

For instance, a pregnant woman under stress releases cortisol, which impedes the development of synapses in the brain that are receptors for dopamine...I'll post the citations later--but there's been alot of research done in *how* a brain is primed for addiction...the infant's brain grows at an enormous rate, in utero, and outside... and it's development is influenced by it's primary adult (mother/father/grandmother...) in profound ways.

And I think you still need to focus on your goal...is your goal "end drug use forever"? or is it "stop all drug use in it's tracks"? is it just illicit drug use? Or is it (and this would be my goal) creating a society where as few brains are primed for addiction in the first place...The social marketing campaigns surrounding smoking and drunk driving have gone a long way to reduce the incidence of both, which is something to take into account...I also remember being 18 (a million years ago) and driving drunk...

Also, we (parents) MUST hold a mirror up to ourselves...it's not enough to say "I love my son more than anyone else on the planet" (and I do)...*I* have to recognize where I have failed. Or where, given the circumstances of my life, and our life together, he might have felt scared (In my case, I've written before how his father died. I won't repeat it here. But also, 2 years after his father died, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, - my son was 8 then- and went through surgery, chemo and radiation--he used to ask me if I had a will...sheesh)...it's not just "the addict" (I said that before too)...it doesn't happen in a vacuum. And I'm not laying *blame*. *Blame* is boring. No human being grows up in a vacuum. And I think we need to look at ourselves first.

alot of this research has already been done

http://drugabuse.gov/prevention/risk.html

I think this is an effort with the "justice for henry" campaign to make sure parents are not to hold mirrors up to themselves. The most recent drug dealer is the reason their children are addicts.

Along those lines, I imagine this campaign might just want to focus on vaccines, which are nearly available. Then parents need never, ever think they should do anything differently than the Granjus did, and merely vaccinate their children against the desire for oblivion (this desire should be on the list! The list leaves out the whole reason addicts do drugs.)

The one thing I've noticed most is that no aspect of parenting could ever be questioned, even when so many of us can see the signs of an alienated child from the visuals (the gray, drug-addled face being ignored at family functions) and descriptions of the deepest, deepest denial.

So- better push for the vaccines.

This last comment from "anonymous" should be signed "clueless".......because it is quite obvious that they are either A. Not a parent themself. or. B. CLUELESS!!!!!
ONLY A LOVING CARING PARENT KNOWS HOW MANY MANY TIMES THEY HAVE LOOKED IN THE MIRROR!! Can I get an AMEN?

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