This NYTimes piece exemplifies everything a journalist SHOULD NOT DO when writing about drugs and addiction. It truly is exemplary in the myths and half-truths it perpetuates. Irresponsible. Unacceptable. nyti.ms/2RaS2GM?smid=n…
Just submitted a Letter to the Editor in regards to this piece. I'll keep you all posted!
First of all, this article perpetuates the common myth that addiction leads to death. That somehow, this overdose crisis is an inevitable consequence of increased opioid use. No. People are dying bc of risky polysubstance use and the fact that our drug supply has been poisoned.
Also- the vast majority of people who have used opioids (medically or not) are not addicted. Yes, some people are more vulnerable. Why doesn't the article talk about who those people are, rather than saying "nobody is immune"?
The problem with pieces like this that talk about drugs "hijacking" the brain is that they don't acknowledge how individual, social, and environmental factors are often stronger than biology is determining whether someone will develop a problem?
It is deeply problematic and reductionistic to pin a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon like addiction upon brain wiring and seductive substances that "take control of your mind."
When we do this, we justify 'supply side' interventions because people need to be protected from the drugs themselves. If we just keep the drugs from people, we can prevent exposure to these brain hijacking substances, and *poof* no more opioid addiction!
I also deeply dislike the drug use trajectory illustrated in this story. "Stage 1" is called "gateway." WHY?!?! What does that mean? Why are there no statistics or references here for the millions of ppl who use opioids and never get addicted?
Stage 2 is "tolerance" and Stage 3 is "withdrawal." Rather than explaining that physiological dependence is a natural development for many and can be associated w no negative consequences, particularly pain patients and ppl in hospital, it conflates w addiction.
Stage 4 is "addiction." And, in a deeply problematic article, I'd argue that this section was most offensive to me. She writes, "Sell your body. Abandon your child. Steal from your mother." As if this is an inevitable part of addiction? Perpetuate stigma and stereotypes much?
