Group Work: Chasing the Dragon

Names: Yesenia Rangel, Khamila Gutiérrez, Marilyn Carchipulla, Andrea Lee, Isabelle Rodriguez, Abdullah Fahad Sept 24, 2024

Topic: In the Documentary “Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict” by the Federal Bureau of Investigation we learn how anyone can fall dependent on drugs and that cycle is tough to break. 

Takeaways: 

• People get into addictions in many types of ways, not everyone seeks it out 
• In a 2014 survey, it was estimated that nearly 1 million people were abusing prescription pain pills and becoming addicted 
• Some people are very heavily in denial that they are addicted and believe they can quit at any time.
• Very young people become addicted to opioids after consuming marijuana 
• Everyone was aware that they needed to do better but many still relapsed after the documentary.  
• Many even had close friends who overdosed and they still used drugs because they were so dependent on them. 
• Many people who go on to do hard drugs as adults started off doing drugs as teens. 
• Often being influenced by the wrong crowd or even their family 
• The cycle of the addiction, the amount of people who relapse(the statistic rate), also how hard it is to withdraw 
• The stigmatization and how society views addiction (basically the challenges faced by addicts who are seeking help) 
• The impact that addiction has on families (the amount of trust issues and effects on family dynamics as well as emotional distress)
• Many people don’t realize their loved ones are suffering. 
• They also realize it’s not their love ones' fault but, not everyone can handle it 
• Individuals find themselves trapped in a cycle of dependence. 
• They find themselves looking for the next hit just to feel normal/ well
• In the depths of addictions, even facing death, they can’t help but make bad decisions. 
• Drug addiction can impact anyone; race, gender, economic status does not matter
• In many cases, drug users will switch to the cheaper alternative i.e. oxycodone pills to heroin as one can obtain more heroin for a cheaper amount.
• Can be laced or mixed with other drugs or chemicals. heroine mixed with meat tenderizer. Drugs mixed with fentanyl 
• Drug dealers are not friends, they’ll just see an easy target most of the time they don’t use their own product.
• Narcan has to possibility to save someone from dying from an overdose