In the book Dream Land, drug addiction and mortality were discussed in regards to the heroin epidemic. However, little research has been conducted on mental states and physical and mental addictions. Many medications such as Adderall and Ritalin are used to treat mental disorders, just as pain medications are prescribed for physical ailments in the book. However, these drugs have unpleasant side effects such as addiction and dependence on relief. Many arguments conclude by stating that medications cause mental illness, while others state that mental illnesses cause the need for medications. Medication for mental illness can be as addictive as the prescriptions in the novel Dreamland. Mental illness can cause drug addiction and addiction can cause mental illness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Drug use has increased significantly in the United States and many other countries around the world. The novel showed just this in the heroin epidemic. However, heroin is not the only drug abused nationwide. Many people choose medications for numerous reasons, whether to escape pain or to be the life of the party. The National Institution on Drug Abuse showed that in 2013, nearly 26.4 million Americans used illicit drugs. However, the number is expected to be much higher, as these are only reported cases. This figure represents an increase of nearly 1.1% over 2002 (National Institute on Drug Use, 2015). While this may seem insignificant, the number today is certainly higher. It seems that not only has the drug problem increased, but also cases of mental illness in America. Since 1987 this figure has almost doubled. Many argue that this is due to the introduction of a drug called Prozac. During this time, nearly 6 million Americans were crippled by some sort of mental illness. After Prozac hit the markets, about 400 people a day were diagnosed with one problem or another. After a review of the scientific literature, this epidemic appears to occur due to the drug-based treatment paradigm. Such increases in medications will amplify the likelihood of an individual becoming chronically ill, which leads to severe psychiatric symptoms according to Whitaker (Whitaker, 2005). When these types of medications are prescribed to people with mental illnesses, they are claimed to help create serotonin and dopamine balances. However, according to Whitaker (2005): “However, this hypothesis – that the drugs balanced the abnormal brain chemistry – was never successful. Although the public may still be told that drugs normalize brain chemistry, the truth is that researchers did not find that people with schizophrenia had an overactive dopamine system (before receiving drugs), or that those diagnosed with depression suffered from abnormally low levels of serotonin. or norepinephrine. As US Surgeon General David Satcher recognized in his 1999 report on mental health, the causes of mental disorders “remain unknown” (Whitaker, 2005). This quote shows that not only can mental illnesses not be fully understood, but prescription pills are increasingly being used. administered, while showing little indication that they are helpful or even necessary. So why exactly do doctors prescribe drugs that have the potential to create psychiatric problems or even fail to help patients? The answer is simple, because they are making billions on these drugs. In 2014 they areNearly $374 billion was spent filling nearly 4.3 billion prescription bottles. This showed a 13% increase compared to 2001 (Sifferlin,2015). As explained, prescription drugs, such as Adderall, Ritalin, and more recently, marijuana are prescribed to treat conditions such as anxiety, bipolar, depression, and ADHD. These drugs are not only addictive, but can have adverse effects on patients. Research on marijuana use has indicated several psychiatric effects that have left patients with heightened paranoia and delusions. Although some patients' results have been phenomenal with the use of this substance, other users simply fail to see any positive results. As Moore, et. al., states that there are different mechanisms for using marijuana, smoking is among the riskiest. Herbal teas and lotions appear to be the safest. However, other considerations such as toxicity are rarely taken into account when talking about medical marijuana (Moore, et. al., 2007). Just as these medications can cause mental disorders, much evidence also reveals that noncompliance can also be a problem. As we have already discovered, some medications can be directly linked to causing depression, anxiety and paranoia. However, few observations were made regarding prior drug abuse and mental illness. Fortunately, Swartz, et. al. shows what problems can occur when people who once used them don't cooperate with taking their doses of prescription pills in facilities. There were a high number of patients who responded very violently and aggressively to staff members when they refused medications. These individuals were no longer addicted to drugs, however they had a past problem with drugs. Very often, medical personnel are unaware of past drug abuse problems, when in reality these circumstances are noteworthy (Swartz et. al.,1998). Patterson, in his article stated that there are several situational factors that determine the individual's situations. Since, according to a study conducted in 2012, approximately 26.6% of people with mental illnesses abuse illicit drugs, these cases are unique. This is true, because some abuse comes from medications, while others come from trying to self-medicate. Although, as previously learned, cases of mental illness are on the rise in the United States, there are still many people who do not seek medical care for their mental illnesses. This is not only dangerous internally for themselves, but can also harm others as well. Because these individuals do not seek medical care, they choose to ingest medications of all kinds in hopes of alleviating symptoms. Because people experience different effects from medications, some experience relief from symptoms, while others feel much worse after using medications (Patterson, 2016). For those who use such substances to self-medicate, there are specific medications they prefer. As we saw in Dream Land, heroin was used for pain tolerance after prescriptions went unfilled. Heroin, surprisingly, is also used heavily for mental pain. Like sadness and self-hatred, these drugs make people numb both physically and mentally, which is part of the reason they are so addictive. Both heroin and coke tend to be the main drugs that make people feel numb to pain According to Khantzian (1987): “Clearly, there are other determinants of addiction, but I believe that self-medication is one of the reasons more convincing for excessive use and dependence on drugs. Clinical results based on psychoanalytic formulations wereconsistent and complemented by diagnostic and therapeutic studies that support this perspective, which, I believe, will allow researchers and clinicians to further understand and treat addictive behavior. Rather than simply seeking escape, euphoria, or self-destruction, addicts attempt to cure themselves of a variety of psychiatric problems and painful emotional states” (Khantzian, p. 1263, 1987). These findings support my assertion that medications can cause mental illness and that mental illness can also cause the need for medications. This experiment also reveals that childhood trauma can be directly linked to self-medication in the future. Among the participants studied by Khantzian, many had anger and violence problems before the addiction even struck (Khantzian, 1987). This goes somewhat against claims previously made by Swartz, et. al., as he argued that previous addictions led to such violent outcomes more often than those without (Swartz et. al.,1998). However, it is easy to conclude that those dealing with addiction can become extremely violent sporadically at any time. This is especially true when addicts are going through a period of withdrawal, as seen in several cases in these articles. These drug addicts should not be taken lightly in the facilities where they reside. Anger and violence can be fatal and, as we can see, can manifest themselves in different situations. Dealing with such addictions and/or mental illnesses is extremely difficult for individuals, but so is the stigma such individuals receive. Many people who suffer from mental illness also have the dual diagnosis of addiction. This study conducted by revealed that negative stigmas can provide positive outcomes in patients. For example, subjects were given negative comments about their addiction, which internalized strength and proactivity in changing these headlines. In this experiment, approximately 84 men were studied, all dually diagnosed with some type of mental illness and drug addiction. Each candidate was interviewed at separate times, once when they had both addiction and disorder, and another time after the addiction had been treated. Many of these individuals interviewed have faced addictions as a result of their mental states, however, some have developed such problems to try to escape many of the harsh side effects that come with these mental disorders. While, to some extent, these contestants reacted positively to the stigma, others said it was quite harsh. The stigma associated with drug addiction was far worse than the stigma related to mental illness (Link, 1997). Now that we can see the current problems of both addiction and the rise of mental illness, we must ask ourselves why this matters. The simplest answer to this question would include that many are dying and suffering from both complex issues. However, this is not the only reason why we should care about such issues. These problems not only affect those directly affected and their families, but also society and its individuals. While many people may not be aware of these problems, taxpayers are funding much of this epidemic. For example, those who receive government medical insurance and have such prescriptions need taxpayer money to fund such prescriptions provided to alleviate mental illness. These studies reveal that both cases cause extreme burdens to both taxpayers and other members of society. Although mental illnesses cannot be caused, as suggested by many.