Questions & Answers

about Creativity, Mental Illness & Addiction

Where did
the Questions come from?

We asked high school students and young adults in Berks County, PA to submit questions about our three topics, and any connections between them. In addition, we are collecting new questions at every installation of our exhibit.

Contribute yours here.

Where did
the Answers come from?

The answers here were developed in collaboration with ALBF Board members, Dr. Jonathan Harris
(a neuroscientist working in the area of substance use disorder), Dr. Robert Nelson (a psychiatrist specializing in substance use disorder), and Frances Cortez Funk (a substance use prevention specialist working with college students).

Please fact-check us -
information is constantly changing.
Any opinions expressed are probably mine
(Ann Lemon).

Watch a lecture by
Dr.’s Harris and Nelson here.

Are there
ways to treat depression without using medication?

mental health

¿Hay formas de tratar depresión
y ansiedad sin
tomar medicamento?

  • Medication works for many people, but there are other options.

    Although the medical standard of care for treating depression and anxiety is through the use of medication, there are several ways to address these symptoms.

    (see below)

  • Psychotherapy:
    Talking with a therapist can be tremendously valuable In helping people to learn about, become less afraid of,  and respond more effectively to life challenges and problems.  There are different types of therapy, and different styles of therapists. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on learning new behaviors and reinforcing them. Person-Centered therapists primarily listen and question, helping clients to discover their own solutions. Other widely available types of therapy include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EDMR), Exposure Therapy , Hypnotherapy, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), and Medication Management. You can meet with a therapist one on one, as a couple or family, or in a small group with other people who share similar issues. With Telehealth services, you can talk to a therapist on the phone, or meet via computer screen. Several new services offer therapy by text; the effectiveness of this metod has yet to be proven, but it is less expensive than one-on-one therapy. Finding a therapist you trust and can talk to is important; keep trying until you find the right person.
    Learn more at this link.

  • A 30-minute walk every day has been found to be as effective as antidepressant medication in treating depression. Similarly, learning breathing and mindfulness techniques can reduce or control anxiety. Exercise is also an important aspect of healthy living and can be a great way to release  emotions related to depression and anxiety.
    A recent study has shown that a 1-week of forced sedentary behavior may cause bad mood or depression in active individuals. Furthermore, it has been found that people with depression are at increased risk of sedentary behavior. Of course, a person suffering from extreme clinical depression may feel like the last thing in the world they can do is exercise, but even a short walk to the mailbox or the corner can cause biochemical changes in your mood. “Depression can’t hit a moving target.”oes here

  • There are several new treatments for depression that work by stimulating the brain through electrical impulses or magnetic stimulation, typically used when other depression treatments haven't been effective. Electronic devices work by comfortably stimulating serotonin production while lowering cortisol (the stress hormone). A handheld device delivers an electrical pulse that stimulates the brain to produce neurochemicals required for healthy mood and sleep, while also entraining a calm brainwave state and modulating the "fight or flee" sympathetic nervous system. To treat depression and anxiety, patients wear the device for 20 minutes, twice per day. Magnetic stimulation happens through a headset and similarly triggers a neurochemical reaction.

  • Some people find relief from depression through acupuncture, reflexology, meditation, or massage. Every person is different, and experiences may vary depending on the training and knowledgeability of the practitioner.

  • This new area of study is showing promise, but it is important to work with a licensed and experienced therapist in controlled conditions, and these therapies are not legal in every state. Ketamine is the first clinician-prescribed psychedelic treatment prescribed by doctors to help relieve depression, anxiety, chronic pain, PTSD, OCD, and other mental health-related conditions. Esketamine is the clinical version, used in clinical trials at Johns Hopkins for treatment-resistant depression.

mental health

Why do so
many famous
and successful people commit suicide?

¿Por qué se suicidan muchas personas famosos y exitosos?

  • How people appear on the outside is not always, and is often not, the truth of how people feel on the inside.

    feels about themselves. Despite being surrounded by a crowd of followers, famous individuals can feel alone and empty. Wealth can insulate people from some of the legal, financial and other consequences that sometimes force people into mental health treatment. Finally, famous people can be reluctant to seek help, fearing that the stigma of mental illness or substance use might damage their “brand,” reputation or career.

    People who are extremely driven may also be under extreme pressure. Perhaps their success is a result of intensely focused work, to the exclusion of other activities and other supports. Perhaps their talent is a result of unusual sensitivity, or exceptional emotional awareness. Perhaps they expected that reaching financial or personal goals would automatically lead to emotional fulfillment, and when it doesn’t, the future looks empty. And lastly, many “regular” people die by suicide every day - but don’t make the headlines, so our perception is distorted. In short - “famous people are just like us” - but provide many examples that personal and financial success does not insulate anyone from mental health challenges.

mental health

What is “trauma”?

¿Que es “trauma”?

  • Trauma has a specific meaning; confronting something life-threatening.

    Trauma is an impact on the body or psyche that is greater than someone knows how to handle. This can be a very significant, single event that has a lasting negative impact (1x “Trauma”), or a series of harmful events that occur over that course of time (10x “trauma”). Often, trauma that occurs during childhood continues to affect people throughout their lives (even in ways they do not realize) until it is healed.

  • PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a diagnosis caused by exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, whether as a victim, a bystander, or even from exposure to news of the event.  Symptoms of PTSD include an ongoing feeling that the traumatic event is still occurring (flashbacks), negative differences in thinking and moods (being irritable or angry, being easily startled, engaging in reckless behavior, hypervigilance, problems with sleep and thinking), and having memory loss around the traumatic event. Some people with PTSD experience Depersonalization - a feeling of detachment from their own body and senses or Derealization: feeling like the world is unreal, dreamlike, distant, or distorted.

  • Racial trauma, or race-based traumatic stress (RBTS), refers to the mental and emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias and ethnic discrimination, racism, and hate crimes. Any individual that has experienced an emotionally painful, sudden, and uncontrollable racist encounter is at risk of suffering from a race-based traumatic stress injury [3]. In the U.S., Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), non-English speaking people, and Asian Americans/ Pacific Islanders are all vulnerable to racial trauma, due to living under a system of white supremacy.

Isn’t marijuana harmless…
or even helpful?

Addiction

¿No es inofensiva la marijuana… o incluso beneficioso?

  • - The only FDA-approved uses for marijuana
      are for two rare and severe forms of epilepsy:
      Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

    - “There is evidence that suggests Cannabis
      can reduce chronic pain, nausea and vomiting
      due to chemotherapy, and spasticity (tight or
      stiff muscles) from MS.” - Marcel Bonn-Miller, PhD

  • - Long-term use can produce tolerance,
      requiring more and more to feel the same
      effects; hence, use can become habitual.

    - New, more potent forms of THC
      (tetrahydrocannabinol) can have
      unpredictable effects, including
      psychosis and overdose.

    - Marijuana can also affect judgment and
      coordination, which leads to accidents and injuries.

    - When used while the brain is still developing,
      marijuana appears to affect IQ and mental function.

    - Marijuana contains some of the same chemicals
      found in tobacco; smoking it could harm the lungs,
      increasing the risk for bronchitis and other lung problems.

    - The FDA doesn’t oversee medical marijuana, 
      so the strength and ingredients in marijuana
      products are essentially unknown.

mental health

What is Medication Assisted Treatment?

¿Que es tratamiento asistido por medicación?

  • Harm reduction VS. “Replacing one drug with another.”

    Medication AssistedTreatment is an additional method of addiction treatment that uses certain specific medications that influence the brain’s reward system and help reduce craving and relapse risk. These medications include naltrexone (also, Vivitrol) and buprenorphine (also, Suboxone and Sublocade).

    Medication Assisted Treatment has been shown to be overwhelmingly successful in preventing overdose deaths, reducing drug-related crimes and reducing secondary harms like tissue infections at injection sites and HIV / AIDS . MAT is one more tool in the toolbox, along with inpatient and outpatient treatment, therapy, and support groups that can help mitigate the effects of addiction and improve quality of life.

    Those who believe in “complete abstinence only” may hold a negative view of medications like methadone to treat opiate addiction, contending that the addicted person is just replacing one substance with another. However, some people have found that a gradual process of tapering using MAT helps to achieve complete abstinence, while others argue that even with extended treatment using MAT the overall health outcomes are greatly improved.

What effect do drugs have on teenage brains?

mental health / ADDICTION

¿Que efecto tienen las drogas en el cerebro de los adolescentes?

  • Teen brains are developing brains, and drug use interferes with brain development. Drugs can intrude in healthy emotional processing by disrupting brain reward circuitry. More importantly, the regulatory regions of the brain, located in the frontal lobe, don’t fully develop until the mid-twenties. Because of this, teens are more at risk of out-of-control behavior when using drugs.

mental health / ADDICTION

Is addiction a brain disease?

¿Es la adicción una enfermedad cerebral?

  • Addiction re-wires the brain.

    From the moment we’re born, our nervous systems give us feedback about our world and our actions.  When we feel something good – or necessary for survival – we get a signal that says, “MORE, PLEASE.” 

    This reward pathway is mostly an unconscious system of the brain. Like heart rate, body temperature, and breathing, we have some influence over it, but it mostly works without conscious thought. This deep wiring has a huge influence over our decision-making but is really not under voluntary control – even in people without addiction. Try it now: can you stop yourself from thinking about ice cream? Addiction is when this reward pathway in the brain gets re-wired.

What is
causing the opioid epidemic?

ADDICTION

¿Que est causando la epidemia de opioides?

  • The Opioid Epidemic
    A public health crisis “perfect storm”

    It is well documented that opioid prescriptions rose dramatically in the 1990’s. Some of this was a well-intentioned culture shift, because of a growing recognition that doctors weren’t taking pain seriously and were stigmatizing patients with chronic pain. In 1995, the American Pain Society introduced a campaign:  “Pain is the fifth vital sign.”

    Pharmaceutical manufacturers supported this change with marketing and education about the importance of proper pain control. Hospitals feared losing federal funding if they didn’t treat pain adequately. Many doctors started to use opiates (traditionally reserved for terminal cancer pain) for chronic pain, and they were encouraged by their health systems to err on the side of overprescribing. This exposed many more people to opioids who would never have come into contact with them previously.

  • Since 2014, there has been a decrease in American life expectancy that has been called the “disease of despair”. The phrase points out the connection between a sense of increased hopelessness, depression, suicide/suicidal thoughts, alcohol misuse, and substance misuse. The source of the despair can be debated - is it loneliness, anxiety, a loss of faith in self, mankind or a higher power, loss of economic or educational opportunity, or a general feeling of lack - but the facts are not up for debate.

  • New formulas and brands of opiates were marketed as “less addictive” by companies, some with household names, like Johnson & Johnson. Another company, Purdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin, profited from the opioid crisis as well as from treatments for the very problem the company had helped create. There are currently approximately 2,000 lawsuits pending around the country filed by states and cities against opioid makers. A federal judge in Cleveland overseeing the cases is working toward a “global settlement,” worth tens of billions of dollars.

  • Lack of oversight of drug distributors (the “middlemen” between doctors and pharma companies), cheaply made synthetic opiates like Fentanyl that are easy to import and extremely toxic, a general stigma about opiate use that prevents access to treatment or harm reduction programs, increased pressure on young athletes to compete harder, resulting in more injuries, and mandated incarceration for drug-related offenses, rather than treatment, all have contributed to a “silent epidemic” of opiate addiction and overdose.

  • Large settlements with drug companies are funding more research on treatment approaches and prevention. Awareness of the problem is more widespread, doctors are less likely to overprescribe, and there is less stigma for seeking treatment. States and cities are focusing collaborative community resources on the problem, including drug courts, mandated treatment and M.A.T. Harm-reduction strategies like needle exchange programs and medically supervised “safe injecting sites” allow for a smoother transition from street to treatment. The problem has become obvious, and people across the country are passionately pursuing answers.

ADDICTION

Do 12 -step programs work?

¿Funcionan
las programas
de 12 pasos?

  • New research confirms the benefits of 12-step support groups in recovery from alcohol use disorder; data on drug use is less conclusive.

    The 2020 Cochrane Collaboration review of 27 rigorous studies (involving a total of 10,565 individuals with alcohol use disorder) showed that A.A. produces outcomes as good as or better than high-quality psychosocial intervention such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. The review also found that AA reduces health care costs. Many of the participants in the studies also reduced their use of illicit drugs, suggesting that the type of substance used does not rule out positive outcomes.

    Another study from 2021 found that participation in 12 step groups predicts lower illicit drug and alcohol use, and fewer use-related problems in a large, diverse, sample of drug use disorder patients. The study found that benefits are limited by lack of long-term participation, but that greater attendance resulted in greater benefits. (Read paper here)

    There are no comparable large-scale reviews studying outcomes for family members or people secondarily affected by substance use who participate in Al-Anon or other 12-step support groups, but research with smaller subject groups suggests better mental health outcomes with participation.

What is the difference between
normal worry and an anxiety disorder?

MENTAL HEALTH

¿Funcionan
las programas
de 12 pasos?

  • Worry and anxiety fall on a spectrum.
    They’re different states,
    but they’re also interrelated.

    Worry tends to reside in our minds. 
    Anxiety affects both body and mind.

    Worry is specific. 
    Anxiety is more generalized.

    Worry is grounded in reality. 
    Anxiety is marked by catastrophic thinking.

    Worry is temporary.
    Anxiety is longstanding.

    Worry doesn’t impair function. 
    Anxiety does.

    “If people aren’t a little bit worried right now, that’s a problem,” says Jeffrey Devore, MSW, a behavioral health social worker at Henry Ford Health System. “Worry and anxiety are not all bad. In fact, they can motivate change,” Devore says. “The key is using problem-solving skills to address what you’re worried about and reduce the risk of your fears being realized.”

I need counseling,
but I don’t have insurance. Where can
I get help?

MENTAL HEALTH

Necesito consejería pero no tengo seguro médico. ¿Dónde puedo conseguir ayuda?

Is it possible
to use alcohol and/or drugs
in moderation and be ok?

ADDICTION

¿Es posible consumir alcohol y/o drogas con moderación y estar bien?

  • Many treatment models for alcohol or substance use disorder have complete abstinence as a goal.
    For some people, moderation may be a better option.

  • What is moderate drinking?

    The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcohollism defines heavy drinking as
    For men, consuming more than 4 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week
    For women, consuming more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week

    For some people, learning how to reduce drinking to a safer level is a realistic and attainable goal. For others, trying moderation is a first step in quitting completely.

    For people who identify as “problem drinkers,” or who have other reasons to cut back on alcohol (for example, diabetes or other health issues), moderation may be a more appealing and realistic goal than lifelong abstinence.

    In fact, in some instances, attempting to quit completely (as is encouraged in A.A. and other 12-step programs) and failing leads to discouragement and shame. Harm reduction advocates believe that any steps taken to reduce the risks and consequences of drinking or using other substances are positive.

    It is helpful to think of alcohol abuse on a spectrum, not as an all-or-nothing condition.

  • Who is most likely to succeed at alcohol moderation?

    According to recent studies, “problem drinkers” are more likely to succeed at moderation programs than those with severe drinking problems. The problem in distinguishing between these groups, because people with addiction problems typically minimize, justify, and defend their behavior (without intending to) and often under-report their use. Studies have shown that those who are most committed and motivated to treatment programs do better at both moderating or abstaining.

    Those who tend to succeed in moderating drinking are people who:

    • Have shorter drinking histories and less severe alcohol-related problems

    • Have never been physically addicted to alcohol (experiencing withdrawal)

    • Have never been addicted to or had severe problems with other drugs

    • Are not currently grappling with severe life problems such as divorce, job loss, bankruptcy, debilitating or life-threatening medical illness, death of a loved one, depression or other psychiatric illness, etc.

    • Have no medical or psychiatric problems that would only be made worse by drinking alcohol, even in moderation

  • Moderation Management (MM) is an alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

    MM meetings are not as universally available as AA and NA meetings, but today there are Zoom meeting alternatives. The Book Responsible Drinking: A Moderation Management Approach for Problem Drinkers by Rotgers, F., Kern, M. & Hoeltzel, R. (CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2002) is the basic text of Moderation Management (MM), a support group which helps individuals moderate drinking, or abstain. See more information at https://moderation.org/.

I have a friend (or family member) who drinks or uses drugs too much. What should do?

ADDICTION

Tengo un amigo
(o alguien del familia) que toma mucho
o usa muchas drogas.
¿Què debo hacer?

  • Watching someone you love who is suffering from alcohol or drug abuse is painful and even traumatic.

    Basic Self-Care
    The old “put the oxygen mask on yourself first before you can help anyone else” is so very true when it comes to dealing with the complex, emotionally painful, exhausting, frustrating, overwhelming disease of addiction. This means:

    Place your physical safety first
    If you are in danger of physical harm or abuse, remove yourself from the situation at least temporarily.. This includes not getting in the car if the driver is drunk or high.

    Ask for help
    Whatever you are experiencing, there are others who have gone through the same thing. You can find them online or in-person at every hour of the day in AlAnon or NarAnon meetings. These meetings are non-confrontational, anonymous, and free. Just listening to others who have been where you are share their experience, strength, and hope is powerful and affirming.

    Keep Learning
    If there was a quick, easy way to “make” someone change their behavior - well, that would be scary. Engaging in single handed combat with the disease of addiction can leave you bloodied, battered, and hopeless. However, there are more and more resources available every day for those who suffer from addiction.

What will happen if I tell someone I’m having suicidal thoughts?

MENTAL HEALTH

¿Què va pasar si le digo a alguien que estoy teniendo pensamientos suicidas?

  • Thinking about suicide can feel scary and shameful.
    But it is surprisingly common.

    If you talk about suicidal thoughts or feelings to friends or family, they might react with understanding and compassion, or fear, shock and worry. They may give you bad advice, tell you to “get over it”, or not take you seriously.

    If you are lucky enough to have a compassionate friend, they may help you unpack the feelings, encourage you to get help, or even take you to a safe place.

    If you tell a person who is a “mandated reporter” (a teacher, courselor, therapist, coach, etc.) that you have an intent to harm yourself or others, they are required by law to call 911 for a “wellness check”. This means that police officers will show up and do an assessment to try to figure out how serious you are about hurting yourself or someone else. If you have made a legitimate threat - for example, if you are holding a weapon - they may be required to take you to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. This whole situation can be very scary, especially if you have a reason to be afraid of police involvement.

  • Someone who has experienced this once, or understands the rule, may be reluctant to tell the truth about their state of mind, out of shame, embarrassment, not “wanting to make a big deal out of it” or because of the possibility of being hospitalized.
    But keeping it a secret can be fatal.
    And talking about it can help.

    The idea of suicide can be very frightening to be holding inside. Letting it out and talking  it through can be a relief.
    A therapist or suicide hotline worker will be good at asking follow-up questions, to figure out how much danger you are in. Especially if your thinking is distorted by mental illness, drugs or alcohol, a hospital might be the safest and best place to get care. Sometimes people who are suicidal are looking for a way to “escape” from feelings or circumstances - and a short stay in a hospital could provide that exact escape from a stressful situation, to gain perspective and make a plan for self-care. The stigma of being “locked up” sounds much worse than it actually is. You may be surprised how many people you know who have been in the same situation.

    Just as you would not hesitate to go to the emergency room if you were having a heart attack, you should not be afraid to go to the hospital for mental health.

    Get help here

Do men
and women experience
the same amount of depression?

MENTAL HEALTH

¿Hombres
y mujeres experiencian
la misma cantidad
de depresiòn?

Is it normal to have things you can’t remember after a night of partying?

ADDICTION

¿Es normal tener cosas que no puedes recordar despuès de una noche de fiesta?

  • Memory gaps while drinking, also known as “blackouts,” can happen to anyone, no matter their age or level of experience with drinking. Blackouts start to happen when the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream reaches about 0.16 percent. At this level, most brain activity, including impulse control, attention, judgment, and decision-making, starts to fail. Memories are no longer transferred to “long-term” storage; sometimes, people experience a “grayout,” having spotty memories or “islands” of memory separated by missing periods of time. Complete amnesia is known as an “en bloc” blackout –memories do not form at all, even for hours of time, and usually never come back.

    People observing someone in a blackout may not know it is happening, since the intoxicated person is still walking, talking, and seems awake. “Passing out” (losing consciousness) happens at a higher level of intoxication. Blackouts are, chemically, exactly the same as when a person is put under general anesthesia; there is a period where one is still awake, but will have no memory of what happened, followed by a deeper level of unconsciousness.

    Research indicates that blackouts are more likely when drinking on an empty stomach or drinking a large amount in a short amount of time (more than 4-5 drinks in two hours). They happen much more quickly for women than men, and happen even faster if the person is on sleep medication or other depressants.

    Research among teens and college students shows that experiencing even one blackout predicts other alcohol-related consequences, such as missing work or school, getting injured, or being the victim of sexual assault; women and trans people are especially at risk for violence and assault at this level of intoxication.

    Experiencing even one blackout is cause for concern. It should prompt a person to consider their relationship with alcohol, and talk to their healthcare provider about their drinking.

Don’t all college students drink?

ADDICTION

¿No toman todos
los alumnos
de la universidad?

What else
is there to do around here if you don’t drink? Isn’t it boring?

ADDICTION

¿Què màs hay para hacer por aquì si usted no toma?
¿No es aburrido?

Is vaping better for you than smoking?

ADDICTION

¿Es vapeando
mejor para
usted que fumar?

  • Vaping is better in some ways...

    • Vaping produces less secondhand smoke than conventional cigarettes.
    • E-cigarette chemicals don’t include all the contaminants in tobacco smoke
    • Because of the artificial smell and less smoke, e-cigarettes smokers are not as stigmatized as conventional tobacco smokers.
    • E-cigarettes are marketed as a way to “stop smoking”, which may help people decide to quit.

  • ... and worse than smoking in others.

    • E-cigarettes heat nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Data suggests the chemicals in e-cigarettes are linked to chronic lung disease, asthma, and cardiovascular problems.
    • Products containing unregulated “homemade” and black-market liquids may contain more toxic chemicals.
    • Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing the liquid through their skin or eyes.
    • Products contain potentially harmful substances such as diacetyl, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead. Users breathe in these toxic contaminants, and non-users nearby risk secondhand exposure..
    • Both cigarettes and e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive (more addictive than heroin or cocaine). It causes cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine is also a toxic substance. It raises blood pressure and spikes adrenaline, which increases the heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack.
    • E-cigarette users can end up using more nicotine than regular smokers - “extra-strength” cartridges have a higher concentration of the drug, and increasing the voltage delivers an even greater dose.
    • NIcotine can harm the developing brains of teens, kids, and fetuses in women who vape while pregnant.
    • The tobacco industry has a lot to gain by marketing e-cigarettes to kids and marginalized groups, spending almost a million dollars an hour advertising these products in 2017. E-cigarettes are more popular than any other tobacco product among high school students. 40% of young e-cigarette users had never smoked regular tobacco. E-cigarettes have less smell, are cheaper, and are marketed with flavors like watermelon and apple pie that appeal to young users. More than 80% of teen users say their first e-cigarette product was flavored.
    • The increasing popularity of vaping may “re-normalize” smoking, which has declined for years. Smoking is still the leading preventable cause of death and is responsible for 480,000 American lives lost each year.
    • As of January 2020, the CDC had confirmed 60 deaths from “EVALI” (E-cigarette / Vaping Associated Lung Injury). “These cases appear to predominantly affect people who modify their vaping devices or use black market modified e-liquids. This is especially true for vaping products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),” explains Blaha. THC vaping products contain a thickening agent (vitamin E acetate) found in the lung tissue of those with EVALI..
    • A recent study found that most people who intended to use e-cigarettes to kick the habit ended up smoking BOTH traditional and e-cigarettes. People trying to quit smoking or using tobacco products should try proven tobacco cessation therapies before considering using e-cigarettes, which have not been proven effective.
    • The Surgeon General called e-cigarette use among young people a “public health concern.” The American Heart Association shares that view.

ADDICTION

Is the “War on Drugs” racist?

¿Es “la guerra en drogad” racista?

  • Is the “War on Drugs” really just a war
    on non-white people?

    Making Opium illegal criminalized Chinese immigrants.
    Making Marijuana illegal criminalized Central and South American immigrants. Harsh sentences on crack cocaine incarcerated African-Americans. Yet legalized alcohol, tobacco and prescription drug companies funnel huge profits to White executives and shareholders.

    President Richard Nixon officially declared a “war on drugs” in 1971. But the “crack” hysteria of the 1980s set the stage for aggressive policing of black and minority communities, zero‐​tolerance policies, and punitive prison sentences. The “war on drugs” provided both rationale and excuse for militarization of police departments, and increased arrests for minor, non-violent offenses.

    Drug arrests and prosecutions disproportionately affect black Americans. Black Americans represent 13% of the population in the U.S. and about the same percentage of drug users, but they represent 44% of those incarcerated for drug crimes. 

    The penalty for possessing crack cocaine is about 18 times more than possessing powdered cocaine, the only difference being that crack cocaine contains baking soda and water and is sold in smaller, cheaper quantities.

    Today, 2.7 million children in America have a parent behind bars. These children are more likely to be incarcerated during their lifetime than other children, and are disproportionately children of color.

ADDICTION / Creativity

Do drugs help people be more creative?

¿Las drogas ayudan
a las personas a ser màs creativas?

Is there
a link between creativity and mental illness?

Mental Health / Creativity

¿Hay una coneccion entre creatividad y la enfermedad mental?

  • “You’ve got to get obsessed. And stay obsessed.” - John Irving, in The Hotel New Hampshire.

    Crazy good, or just crazy?

    A connection between art and mental illness has been observed all the way back to the Ancient Greeks, and in modern times, some studies support the hypothesis that artists have higher rates of mental health issues. Why would that be so? Perhaps some of the traits of psychiatric disorders help artists create new perspectives on the world. In changing how a person experiences their surroundings and processes their emotions, certain illnesses may help the artist connect to their work in ways that have never been tried before. Studies have found that writers may have a higher level of depression, while visual artists may be more likely to experience visual hallucinations of schizophrenia.

    Research has also linked some creative people with a category called “Highly Sensitive Persons” (HSPs). “A highly sensitive person is characterized by deep information processing, high emotional reactivity, increased awareness of environmental subtleties, and easy overstimulation,” explains Judith Homberg, a specialist in sensory processing sensitivity. A musician who is highly sensitive to differences in sounds, a visual artist who can distinguish subtleties of color, or a writer who is emotionally attuned to other people may well have biological differences in the brain and central nervous system, whether inborn or developed through the brain’s neural plasticity.

    Still other studies do not show much higher levels of mental illness among wide selections of professional artists than among the general population. Perhaps our human need for “story” has made the memorable and tragic lives of artists who experienced deep suffering, like Edgar Allen Poe and Vincent Van Gogh, become icons or symbols for all creative types – or perhaps their unusual gifts in rendering their inner lives for us to see just shine a bright light on problems that are experienced by many “non-artists” as well. After all, a depressed plumber or a hallucinating engineer probably has not left behind as vivid an artifact of their emotional experiences.

    What do you think? Is choosing a life of creativity an inherently irrational act?

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