Me: For Inquiry and critical thinking, I am presenting my time management assignment. In this assignment we were to categorize our day to day lives and keep track of the time we spent doing these categories. Doing so for 7 days. Before doing this assignment I knew my social life was very important to my well-being and in doing this assignment I realized it that much more. It also made me realize that I may have been spending too much time socializing. That is was distracting me from some of my responsibilities. For instance, if I would spend that extra hour reading, or studying, instead of talking on the phone, I would not be so stressed during finals. This stress is carried out all through my day to day life, for I stress on time too much. It is I feel that it is going to run out. It is like I don’t trust it, but I don’t have much choice for time is independent. All this realization has led me to getting assistance with my trouble spots in school and life skills.
So I chose five categories, sleeping, working, classes and homework, commute, and hang out time. The bar graph is a comparative graph that represents my estimated time, my optimal time and my actual time I spend in a week (includes the above categories). There are three pie graphs that represent my time spent on activities per week in percentages. One shows my estimated time spent in a week, the second shows the optimal amount of time I would like to spend in a week in such activities, and the third one shows the actual time I spent doing such activities. I feel the pie graphs show a better presentation and are easier to tell how I spent my time.
In actuality, I spend a lot of my time “hanging out”. More then I estimated and more then in my “perfect world”. My top two “priorities” are hanging out and sleeping. I had predicted that the majority of my time would be sleeping and I was correct. If I could I would so sleep 10hours a night!
This whole college experience has been a challenge on my time management responsibilities. I feel what should be my top priorities are not. I am having a hard time managing things. I spend most of my time socializing and sleeping. Most of my hangout time took place with my boyfriend. I can see how this is being my bumpy ride with my friends right now. I have always felt myself to be an independent person, but as time has gone by I have realized that I like having someone there, at all times. I also feel that that is a slight distraction and that my emotions distract me. I have come to realize a lot in a short amount of time.
Me:
Methadone:
For more than three decades methadone has been used for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependency (Broekhuysen, 2000). This fact is evident more specifically with the treatment of heroin and other morphine like drugs. This synthetic opioid was first developed in 1937, by Max Bockmuhi and Gustav Ehrhart. Methadone belongs to a group of drugs known as opioids, which consists in the family of Opiates such as codeine, morphine, and heroin. These drugs are classified as depressant drugs, which work on the functions of the central nervous system. Methadone is synthetically manufactured and used as an opioid substitute for the treatment of people dependent on opioids. Reducing the cravings associated with such drugs as heroin, methadone does not provide the euphoric rush, resulting in patients not experiencing extreme highs and lows. Although the patient remains physically dependent on the opioid, s/he is free from the compulsive, disruptive, and uncontrolled behavior seen in many addicts of heroin or morphine. The effects of methadone are much longer lasting than heroin. Lasting 24-36 hours compared to heroin that last only a couple of hours. Methadone withdrawal is considered to be much slower than the withdrawal from heroin. Therefore the question is why do humans treat an addiction with another addictive substance? Are humans not capable of living or existing without congesting alternating substances?
Methadone, a synthetic substance with pharmacological properties, was first administered to patients with severe pain. Coming in tablets, as well as liquid, patients were able to intake the substance quite easily. Little was known at the time that methadone was one of the most difficult drugs to detox, as its effects are not only long lasting, but the drug is easily stored in the body tissues. As in most treatment programs methadone is distributed in a drink such as fruit juice generally to the patient how should be 18 years of age or older.
The effects of intoxication have been documented since the ancient times of Mosses. However, the difference between episodic intoxication and chronic debilitating nature of addiction was not recognized until sometime in the 17th century (Goetz). The desire to eat or drink substances in order to feel stress-free, motivated, or euphoria is a common desire among humans. The use of wine dates back to the Egyptians, medical use of marijuana dates back to 2737B.C. in China and narcotics date back to 4000B.C. Home remedies were introduced as a means to alleviate the usual symptoms that were accompanied by illnesses. These home remedies include such things as herbs, roots, mushrooms, and fungi, giving the same desired effects. Early civilizations such as the American Indians, as well as the pre-Columbian Mexicans, used plants that possessed drug like qualities. The most interesting plant was the sacred mushroom which was used in religious ceremonies. Throughout history, humans have always used various drugs as recreational activities. Most certainly, alcohol is one of the best known recreational drugs for many cultures have produced it in some way or another. In the early 1800’s, English clergymen, Benjamin Parsons declares, “…alcohol stands preeminent as a destroyer…I never knew a person become insane who was not in the habit of taking a portion of alcohol every day.” Due to the escaladed use of drugs, antidrug education begun in public schools in the 1930’s. However it was feared that giving the students knowledge of drugs would lead to experimentation and therefore all antidrug instruction was halted. With the changes in society and political uphehuvls in the 1960s, traditional values and beliefs regarding drug use began to be seen as acceptable, regardless of the dangers to humans. Even though drug laws tried to keep up with the changing perceptions and dangers of drug abuse, society is still utilizing drugs in their lives, which have now become medically acceptable.
The most beneficial aspect of methadone is its use to threat opioid addictions. This treatment is commonly known as the Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) was first used in the mid 1960’s by Dr.’s Vincent dole and Marie Nyswander of Rockefeller University (Drug Policy, 2003). According to the American Methadone Treatment Association of a 1999 pole, 20% of the estimated 810,000 heroin addicts in the U.S. were receiving MMT. Those receiving MMT drastically reduced their heroin use, with less than 10% using heroin weekly of daily after just three months of treatment (Drug Policy, 2003). Within two or more years of treatment, 15% of patients stopped using heroin completely. Along with the decline of heroin use, came a decline in the patient’s use of alcohol, sedatives, and even cocaine. This entire decline allows the patients health, social responsibilities and productivity to improve (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 1998).
Alike any other opioid, Methadone is addicting. This is caused by a long term intake, which is the basis of most MMT. A common debate about the MMT is the fact that the addict is treating its addiction with another addictive substance. So what kind of message does this send out about drug use? Just because it comes from a pharmacy doesn’t make it ok. In my opinion it’s still an addiction. Your body is still depending on a substance that potentially has no common good. When a patient is in MMT, their body is still addicted to the intake of opioids. All methadone does is cover up the symptoms of heroin withdrawl .
As with any drug, Methadone has many side effects. Some common side effects are as follow:
· Drowsiness
· Constipation
· Sweating
· Loss of Sex Drive (decline in libido)
· Disturbed Sleep
· Weight Gain,
· Dental Problem.
Sever but not so common side effects:
· Vomiting,
· Serious Bowel Problems (Whiters, 2000).
Symptoms of a methadone dose being tow low resemble having bout or the flu. These include:
· Runny nose, sneezing
· Abdominal cramps
· Feeling physically weak
· Loss of appetite
· Tremors
· Muscle spasm and jerking
· Goose bumps
· Tears
· Nausea/vomiting
· Back and joint aches
Symptoms of too high of a does are as follows:
· Drowsiness/nodding off
· Shallow breath
· Pinpoint pupils
· Below normal drop in temperature
· Heart palpitations (Drug Info).
Addiction among the human society has been around for thousands of years. The constant need to fit in or feel relaxed still exists to this day. Methadone is a positive reassurance for heroin addicts but it still doesn’t solve society’s addiction problems.
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. - If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." --P.J. O'Rourke
Work Cited
Goetz, Roger A. "The Disease of Addiction and Other Mental Illnesses." 11 Mar. 2008
"Methadone Addiction." Waismann Method. 26 Feb. 2008
"Methadone Addiction." Waismann Method. 26 Feb. 2008
"Methadone." DrugInfo Clearinghoues. 2003. 11 Mar. 2008
"Methadone Drug Rehab Treatment." Stone Hawk. 12 Mar. 2008. 11 Mar. 2008
"Methadone Maintenance Treatment." Drug Plicy Alterance. 2008. 26 Feb. 2008
"The History of Drugs." Drug Rehab Resources. 2003. 11 Mar. 2008
Walters, John P. "Methadone." ONDCP Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse. 25 July 2006. 26 Feb. 2008
