Research and critically evaluate the context of addiction, Essay

Research and critically evaluate the context of addiction, (multi)generational trauma, and social determinants of health in rela - Essay Example Many theories have been put forth to explain the context of addiction, but only a few have linked the individual experiences and relationships in the society to the context of addiction. This paper will address how family life, social structures, and other socio-economic factors contribute to substance abuse resulting in addiction. More specifically, the paper will analyze how an individual’s experiencein early childhood as well as multi-generational trauma contribute to the development of addiction. First Nation’s People in Canada The First Nations people are the aboriginal groups in Canada such as Inuit and Metis that suffered acculturation, after the Europeans imposed a new culture, replacing the people’s traditional culture. This occurred via compulsion, with the people losing their cultural identity. These communities exhibit a form of social disability that has defined the society since the acculturation. These communities have lagged behind the rest of Can ada, aw exhibited by the socio-economic factors of the society (Satzewich & Wotherspoon, 2002). Substance Use and Addiction among First Nation’s People As described above, the socio-economic factors of these communities exhibit the need for intervention. ... The Inuit community experiences a high prevalence of substance abuse with the most commonly used substances being cocaine, marijuana, and solvents. Among the Nunavik, cannabis is the leading drug abused by the people (Satzewich & Wotherspoon, 2002). Males form the high population of the people using substances, although this does not exclude women, who also report a high level of substance use. In addition, smoking is very prevalent among the First Nation’s people, with pregnant women indulging in the habit posing serious health risks to the child. Other statistics indicate that two thirds of the population indulges in smoking compared to lesser statistics in the rest of the Canadian society. Previous understanding of addiction Many researchers have attributed addiction, which is the term used to denote the compulsive urge to use drugs to the molecular structure of the substances used. For example, nicotine in tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol contain certain compounds that trigger addiction. Many studies have been carried out with the aim of demonstrating how the molecular structure of these substances has contributed to addiction (Dube et al, 2002). Many of the other theories surround the availability of drugs in the society as well as peer pressure. Only a few studies have sought to establish the roots of substance abuse. As the sections below will indicate, the cause of addiction may lie deeper into the societal make-up and the experience of individuals in the society. Causes of adverse Childhood Experiences and Multigenerational Trauma This is kind of trauma that transcends different generations, emanating from the family or