The government and higher authorities, being so concerned with the elimination of drug addictions, substance abuse, and substance dependence, should simply require the youth of America to watch Requiem For a Dream. It is almost certain that the film would aid with the recovery from any addiction. The movie's graphic display of different types of drug abuse, dependence, and other forms of addictions sets it apart from any other. Though many may not be able to relate to the film in that they have experienced the same conditions, the movie seems to depict these types of situations more realistically than any other attempt that has been made.
From infomercials, to "diet pills", to psychoactive drugs, addictions run rampant throughout the film. There are two major classifications found under addictions; substance dependence and substance abuse. Substance dependence is both physiological and psychological and has a long list symptoms from which a patient must have three or more to be diagnosed as dependent.
When overall harm to society and the drug user are...
Person washing his hands
Source: A Public Health Approach to Drug Control i...The list includes; tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, ingestion of larger amounts or over longer period than was intended, persistent desire to stop with unsuccessful attempts, heavy engagement in activities to get substance, use it, or recover from its effects, elimination of social, recreational, or occupational activities, and continued use even with known physical harms caused by drugs. Substance abuse is marked by maladaptive psychological behavior. The criteria for substance abuse is not quite as long, but a person must still have at least three symptoms to be classified as abusing a substance. The list of criteria includes; recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill important obligations, recurrent use in times when physically hazardous to do so, recurrent legal problems (due to the substances), and continued substance use in social life caused or exacerbated by the effects of...