My Perception of an Addict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

My Perception of an Addict - Essay Example Addicts like any other group of people have their own stereotypes and these are what most people think of when they are presented with the concept. In most movies, drug addicts are often portrayed as disheveled, unruly, disoriented, aloof, and of course, snorting cocaine, or smoking marijuana and goes unmindful of the world or worse making trouble. Chain smokers are also similar to drug addicts in terms of portrayal as well as with alcoholics. The latter, aside from being disheveled and disoriented, are also portrayed to pass out. Of course, these presentations in movies and other texts have shaped my perception of addicts and that is they are out of control. As defined, addicts of substances like drugs are characterized by these three things: loss of control, compulsive preoccupation and continued use despite negative consequences. These characterizations in the movies are of course with specific basis. However, not all stereotypes are true to every single occurrence of the conditio n. The TV series Monk has shown a different side of addiction, that of compulsion. Adrian Monk’s character shows an investigator with obsessive-compulsive disorder. At first, he cracks me up like when he couldn’t just leave three flower vases with unevenly distributed flowers, he tries his best to distribute the flowers just to make it even. He also constantly avoids lines in the pavement and this is how his compulsion is being manifested. Another episode also showed him trying to perfectly position the frame hanging in the wall even if it was just a few degrees skewed. Harmless as it may seem but in some cases, addiction is not. Most of the cases featured in Criminal Minds all involve a certain degree of addiction or as termed in the episodes obsession or compulsion. One episode I can’t forget during their earlier seasons was where the unsub or the suspect was obsessed with the number 3. She murders in three’s using three bottles of chemicals and either done on the third floor or with three people, as with the case of her last victims. What have I learned from these portrayals? It shows that addiction can be in varying degrees. It shows that addiction even when it is a synonym of obsession and compulsion is different from the other two terms with respect to the degree of addiction. Addiction can also be toward other things like computer games or even bonsai or other things. People who are addicted to computer games are almost always seen in front of their computer consoles playing day and night. For those who are addicted to other things may find themselves collecting these and storing these things. Some episodes in Pawn Stars and American Pickers showcase people in America who collect these things and not really do anything about them. In one episode of American Pickers, it shows several hectares full of cars just sitting there and deteriorating. When these guys from American Pickers asked if he wanted to sell, he declined not bec ause of their asking price but because of his attachment to these things. This gives another aspect to addiction in my definition is an attachment to material things. Addiction is not just toward material things. David Duchovny was actually into rehab for sex addiction (Serjeant).  Ã‚