The film stressed the importance that addiction is more likely to occur when people start using drugs or alcohol in adolescence or early adulthood. Addiction is recognized as a disease, something that is not pleasant to experience for the person addicted and their family. In this paper the themes found in the film, connection between class material and the film, as well as an overall reaction to the film will be discussed.
Primary Themes Addressed in Film Three themes that surrounded people whom have an addiction to drugs or alcohol in this film include the importance of treatment, the effects addiction has on themselves and their family and the effects of addiction on the brain.
The importance of treatment is stressed because the definition of addiction is that it is hard to stop abusing the drug of choice and tendency to relapse is high. Therapy helps addicts learn coping skills and learn how to change their behaviors to help stay clean. William is introduced in the film and his drug of abuse is cocaine. He regularly attends therapy and has relapsed several times. He says that when he does relapse he feels really bad about it because it feels like he didn’t win the battle of trying to keep himself clean. His therapist told him that when a person attends therapy and seeks to get help and stay clean, every time they relapse it is shown that each time they can stay clean for even longer. Towards the end of the film Justin is introduced and has an opiate addiction. He and