Nic's Addiction To Methamphetamine In Tweak And Beautiful Boy

The books Beautiful Boy and Tweak both describe Nic’s addiction to methamphetamine in two very descriptive yet distinct ways. In Tweak, Nic writes about the physical and psychological effects of meth that he experienced, as well as his internal struggle with addiction and his justification for it. In Beautiful Boy, David writes about the external experience he went through and the impact Nic’s addiction had on him and the rest of his family. Both accounts highlight various aspects of sociological concepts that help make sense of Nic’s addiction to a certain extent. Nic views drugs as an escape from reality. He first tried meth at 18, and described it as his whole world was changed. He felt like meth, or the feeling meth gave him, was what he

One sociological theory that is apparent here is the differential association theory that states that people learn deviant behavior through interactions with others. It emphasizes the extreme importance of peer relationships, which ultimately encourage or discourage deviance. In Nic’s case, he began doing drugs with peers at school, and went on to develop relationships with users who directly and indirectly contributed to Nic’s continued use and addiction. This theory was also emphasised in both books, when Nic’s drug use severely escalated in his twenty’s, when his father had cut him off and he was living in the streets. His peers at this time were other addicts, who offered nothing positive to him, and only aided in his addiction. Another example of sociological theory in play, is the differential reinforcement theory. This theory states that deviant behavior is more likely to reoccur if it is reinforced often and rarely punished. I would say this theory is shown in many places, but especially when Nic is living on the streets. His only peers are addicts and dealers, and there is no real or frequent punishment or consequences for