There are millions of individuals that suffer from drug addiction every day. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain they change its structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long-lasting, and can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who abuse drugs (2014).” Individuals abuse drugs for many reasons some of which include peer pressure, a way to deal with stress and escape everyday life, and to boost self confidence. There are five common stages of substance abuse: experimentation, regular use, problem …show more content…
In Hischi’s Social Control Theory, he explains that individuals have social bonds and attachments therefore they avoid committing crimes. When an individual lacks social control he or she is more likely to commit crimes such as using drugs. There are four elements of social bond: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. Hirschi explains that when an individual has a strong attachment to his or her parents they are less likely to choose behavior that brings out the negative in the. When a person is committed he person invests time and energy in a certain line of activity, such as education, and when he/she considers deviant behavior, he realizes that it is not worth putting his or her investment at risk. Involvement occurs when a person is too busy doing conventional things to do find time to engage in deviant behavior. Belief is when a person is socialized into and accepts the common belief system, he or she will be less likely to violent those beliefs through deviant activity (Hirschi, 1969 as cited in Parent, 2003). When an individual lacks these elements he or she is more likely to commit crimes and/or abuse