Writing Project 1
Image of pills that contain addictive drugs.
ROUGH DRAFT
There is a silent killer among us. Disguised as pleasure, yet inciting pain. Masquerading as a solution but in reality a destructive problem. Substance abuse has destroyed not only lives but families and entire communities. Most disturbing is the rise in teen substance abuse, and how kids as young as 12 are getting their hands-on dangerous and addictive substances. The inquiry for this project and the central research question is simply: what are the variables enabling such substance abuse, and what steps can society take to prevent it? One might think this problem is unfixable, that it can’t be solved or understood. One might dismiss the problem entirely claiming its insignificance in comparison to other problems in local communities. This project will aim to not only prove its importance to be understood but also prevented. It is also a tribute to any parent who mourns the loss of their child’s overdose, any sibling that will go through life siblingless, a child who no longer has a parent, and any friend who was robbed of a friendship because of drugs and substance abuse.
Substance abuse in Arizona has spiked at alarming rates, opioid overdoses, in particular, have become a major problem. Research must be conducted so that prevention methods can be pursued with a better understanding of this deadly epidemic. Speaking of which COVID-19 has played a rather significant role in the upscale of substance addictions, including in teens and adolescents. This fact is simply due to the stress and quite frankly the trauma that the global pandemic has caused. People have resorted to a band-aid solution to their very real problems, the unhealthy consumption of various substances including nicotine, alcohol, methamphetamine, and opioids has led to mass addiction and overdose. Not only is the research to understand and prevent these costly addictions critical, but it also comes at such a critical time as the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled far more addictions than ever before.
One might wonder who precisely this research will address and why it matters to them. This research will be aimed toward those who have the power to change, not just those in high power positions but anyone who has the power. The will to stand against addiction. This research can benefit not only the average citizen but is aimed toward those who have impactful influence such as legislators, deans, and other important community leaders. The influence they have can not only serve to help the awareness of the mass addictions, but they can also become practitioners of the solution to this deadly problem. Those just described are the audience, the people who are to be inspired by the research presented. The stakeholders are rather different. These are the people directly affected by the research, these include the people addicted to the substances described, those who know and are affected by those addicted, and those who distribute the drugs themselves. Stakeholders don’t necessarily have to be good or bad, and while the author’s duty to recognize the stakeholders they are not limited to protect them in any way. Writing is a free design of human communication, and it is imperative that it stay that way. That authors need not be punished for publishing the truth and rewarded for their honesty and integrity.
All this talk about research must lead to the discussion of how it will be conducted. There are a few techniques that will be used to uncover the mystery of substance abuse. The first will be secondary research from academic journals and such, which is typical for your average research paper. That being said another unique type of research will be psychological. As understanding how addiction and substance abuse starts one must understand the phycological functions behind it and the psychiatry behind the drugs themselves. This research will be done through ASU’s own psychology department, most notably the texts for phycology 101 that describe in detail addiction and the various drugs surrounding it. The final piece of the puzzle will be first-hand accounts and interviews with people affected by addiction and how it has impacted their lives. This will be conducted in person, however, the participants will remain anonymous for their privacy. All of these sources will be appropriate as they are all critical to understanding why addiction leaches onto people’s lives sucking them dry, and what steps can be made to prevent such addictions.
FINAL DRAFT
There is a silent killer among us. Disguised as pleasure, yet inciting pain. Masquerading as a solution but in reality a destructive problem. Substance abuse has destroyed not only lives but families and entire communities. Most disturbing is the rise in teen substance abuse, and how kids as young as 12 are getting their hands-on dangerous and addictive substances. The inquiry for this project and the central research question is simply: what are the variables enabling such substance abuse, and what steps can society take to prevent it? One might think this problem is unfixable, that it can’t be solved or understood. One might dismiss the problem entirely claiming its insignificance in comparison to other problems in local communities. This project will aim to not only prove its importance to be understood but also prevented. It is also a tribute to any parent who mourns the loss of their child’s overdose, any sibling that will go through life siblingless, a child who no longer has a parent, and any friend who was robbed of a friendship because of drugs and substance abuse.
Substance abuse in Arizona has spiked at alarming rates, opioid overdoses, in particular, have become a major problem. Research must be conducted so that prevention methods can be pursued with a better understanding of this deadly epidemic. Speaking of which COVID-19 has played a rather significant role in the upscale of substance addictions, including in teens and adolescents. This fact is simply due to the stress and quite frankly the trauma that the global pandemic has caused. People have resorted to a band-aid solution to their very real problems, the unhealthy consumption of various substances including nicotine, alcohol, methamphetamine, and opioids has led to mass addiction and overdose. Not only is the research to understand and prevent these costly addictions critical, but it also comes at such a critical time as the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled far more addictions than ever before.
One might wonder who precisely this research will address and why it matters to them. This research will be aimed toward those who have the power to change, not just those in high power positions but anyone who has the power. The will to stand against addiction. This research can benefit not only the average citizen but is aimed toward those who have impactful influence such as legislators, deans, and other important community leaders. The influence they have can not only serve to help the awareness of the mass addictions, but they can also become practitioners of the solution to this deadly problem. Those just described are the audience, the people who are to be inspired by the research presented. The stakeholders are rather different. These are the people directly affected by the research, these include the people addicted to the substances described, those who know and are affected by those addicted, and those who distribute the drugs themselves. Stakeholders don’t necessarily have to be good or bad, and while the author’s duty to recognize the stakeholders they are not limited to protect them in any way. Writing is a free design of human communication, and it is imperative that it stay that way. That authors need not be punished for publishing the truth and rewarded for their honesty and integrity.
All this talk about research must lead to the discussion of how it will be conducted. There are a few techniques that will be used to uncover the mystery of substance abuse. The first will be secondary research from academic journals and such, which is typical for your average research paper. That being said another unique type of research will be psychological. As understanding how addiction and substance abuse starts one must understand the phycological functions behind it and the psychiatry behind the drugs themselves. This research will be done through ASU’s own psychology department, most notably the texts for phycology 101 that describe in detail addiction and the various drugs surrounding it. The final piece of the puzzle will be first-hand accounts and interviews with people affected by addiction and how it has impacted their lives. This will be conducted in person, however, the participants will remain anonymous for their privacy. All of these sources will be appropriate as they are all critical to understanding why addiction leaches onto people’s lives sucking them dry, and what steps can be made to prevent such addictions.