blog # 13 is it better to put drug addicts in jail or to send them to mandatory drug treatment programs

Drug addiction, in any shape or form is a mental disease. There are a variety of reasons why people start using drugs and finally addicted to it. once a person become drug addict, His/Hrs  personality become weaken and their health start deteriorated. These individuals may involve in criminal activity to support their addiction. stealing and possession of drug may be a primary offence to drug addicts. The coast for the court system, law enforcement, jail time and emergency health care and shelter for those that go back to drug use once out of jail. ( Jared, 2009). correcting the underling problem of drug addicts is cost effective rather than send them in jail for extended period of time. Drug addicts are not career criminals like drug dealers, rather, they are the victim of social crisis. Kids from dysfunctional families tend to use drugs to cope with their loss of intact family values. minorities and women are the victim of discrimination, thus they tend to use drug to cope with discrimination. These are few example of social crisis that need to be addressed and find solution.

reference
http://www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/31/301/
 

Blog # 12 Mental Health

Mrs Maria's life is one of a classic example of mental illness which impacts  someone life. Maria is my distance cousin who was diagnosed with schizophrenia.The illness completely change maria's life and makes her dependable on her sister and on other family member. Maria was 28 years old when the disease struck her. There was a lot of theories about her illness. some family members blame her husband and others blamed her for hers soft personality which  she could not cope with the stressful life in this country. despite, all these theories, there is one fact remain that have not been discussed: that is, the history of mental illness in the family. One of maria's brother suffered with mental illness back home in Ethiopia. After separated from her husband, maria stayed with me in Boston until she moved to Indiana to her sister care. While  maria stayed with me and my wife, i saw maria changed her behaviour and personality. She constantly complaining of hearing voice that terrifies her and threaten her to kill her self. Me and my wife arrange our work schedule to stay with her 24/7 to monitor her situation. this is one example, that mentally ill family member are  a burden to their families. Maria was on medication. the side effect of the medication makes her mouth dry and she does not have appetite and refused to eat. When the medication start working her personality become better and she engaged in normal conversion. Maria left to Indiana to her sister care. i spoke with maria and her sister frequently.Maria frustrated from her illness and she refused to take her medication. her situation be come worst and she was admitted to mental institution. Maria,s situation become better and she discharged from mental institution. Despite treatment and family support, Maria's illness become worse and she was not able to control her self. Finally she was sent to Ethiopia to her mother care. I visited maria in 1995 when i went to Ethiopia for vacation. she recognized me and she said she want to go back to america.         

Blog # 11 Chronic Disease

Mr John has been living with Diabetic type 2 for fifteen years. when i spoke with john, about his chronic disease some times he gets emotional. My first question was, if any of his immediate family member has been diagnosed with diabetic. After a brief silence, he said, his father had died with diabetic complication at the age of 65.He said, his father was smoking and drinking while he sick and did not control his chronic disease. John said, he was terrified when he first diagnosed with diabetic.An like his father john determined to live longer for himself and his families. Taking medication every day is the daunting task to be diabetic john said. not to mention watch my diet, being active and doing regular exercise is a burden to my every day life. John seems very anxious about his weight. according to body mass index, john weight is considered obese. despite his effort to control his diabetes, john lives in constant fear about his disease. John believe that he inherit his diabetic from his family: and he is wondering which of his three sons get the disease. John is 56 years old cab driver. The nature of his work, which is sitting in his cab for long hours makes his diabetic worse. John said, Evey opportunity he gets out of the cab and stretched him self. John graduated from high school and did not went to college. John said he want different job, however, with no higher education and family responsibility he stuck to be a cab driver. Finally, john said he is lucky to live in this technology driven age. medical technology and support group in the community prolong my life which my father did not have.      

Heart Disease In my Family Blog # 10

Heart disease is a number one killer in the world. it affects me and my family in great deal. Both of my parents died from heart disease. my father died at the age of 63 with hyper tension and my mother died from stroke at the age of 57. I have five brothers and two sisters. Two of my brother and my self diagnosed with hyper tension and coronary artery disease ( my self) one of my sister diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Who knows what is next?. If six individuals affected in one family, the prevalence of the disease is higher for heart disease. The physical aspect of this of the disease is, of course losing your family members. the consequence of  loosing a father or a mother have a great impact in socio economic of the family and others who are associated with the family. Heart disease is caused, either by building  of cholesterol in arteries or by high blood pressure. The Culture aspect of heart disease in my family is food. we eat food rich in saturated fat and red meat. eating food in saturated fat is a precursors for building cholesterol in the arteries.Education is key to reduce the incidence of heart disease. Educating the public, about regular exercise, healthy diet and other preventive strategies have a great deal of impact in our life.