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The book ‘Beautiful Boy’ is a father’s journey through his son’s addiction. David Sheffs book is about his own son, who became addicted to meth and threw his life away. This story expressed his feelings along his journey throughout his son’s addiction, steps to recovery, and early life. He was inspired to write this book so others with the same issue of addiction can relate. Sheff does support the idea that opioid and meth use is an epidemic in the United States. I definitely agree that both of these drugs have become an epidemic in the United States.
The story began in the summer of 1982, in Berkley, California. Vicki and David were expecting to have their ‘beautiful boy’ in June. During this time in the 80s drugs were the normal thing to do. If one did not try or use drugs, it was considered abnormal. David ends up moving to San Fransisco and Vicki to Los Angeles, after their divorce. This divorce was a hard hit for Nic. Nic had minor issues as a child, he rarely got into trouble, until he turned 11 and tried alcohol. David thought this was no big deal at first, Everyone does it (Sheff, 53), he thought Nic would grow out of his bad habits like David did because he has a good life ahead of him. Unfortunately, this was not the case for Nic, as well as many other Americans. Children today are now trying drugs and alcohol at younger ages, making them more susceptible to addiction, which is why opioid use and meth use have become an epidemic. Nics addiction developed through experimentation with gateway drugs such as alcohol and marijuana. This eventually leads to Nic trying LSD, mushrooms, ecstasy, and eventually, crystal meth. This happens to be the sad fate of many Americans, as teens experiment with gateway drugs and slowly slip into addiction. Like any parent of an addict, David blames himself and the divorce for part of Nics addiction. 85 percent of children of divorce were heavy drug users in high school compared to 24 percent of those from intact families (Sheff, 177). This is an alarmingly high percentage of high schoolers who are using drugs. This is one example of why we are facing an opioid and meth epidemic. Uneasy lives at home tend to lead to some sort of escape, and most teens turn to drugs, leading to addiction.
Most people have tried some type of drug at some point in their lives. For some, it is a one-time thing and they never touch drugs again, however, there will always be individuals who become addicted and begin to spiral down the path of addiction. It’s an incontrovertible fact that many, more than half of all children, will try drugs. For some of those, drugs will have no major negative impact on their lives. For others, however, the outcome will be catastrophic . With fifty percent of children trying drugs, the chance of addiction among adolescents skyrockets. It takes only five days to become reliant on opioids, making addiction common when it comes to opioids. He is a Vicodin addict. The drug was prescribed after back surgery. Before checking himself into St. Helena, he was swallowing as many as forty pills a day (Sheff, 155). This is one of the main causes of opioid addiction in the United States. Most patients will be on painkillers for about a week, or sometimes more, after surgery or an operation. As it only takes five days to become reliant on opioids, patients have a hard time going about their lives without their painkillers. This then leads to addiction. You cant stop people if they want to get high (Sheff, 180). Opioids and meth are an epidemic because once someone becomes addicted, their drug of choice becomes their main priority. An addict’s drug of choice is more important to them than family, friends, and any obligations they have. The addict becomes completely consumed with their drug, and nothing around them matters besides getting high. As we see throughout the novel, even if one is able to quit drugs, relapse is almost inevitable. Nic relapses many times, meth is an extremely addictive substance, and once someone starts it may seem impossible to quit. The intensity of meth and opioids is just another reason why it has become an epidemic, as eighty percent of rehab patients relapse after their first treatment.
I completely agree that both of these drugs have become an epidemic in the United States. I have seen friends and family members fall into the cycle of addiction with both of these drugs, opioids, and meth. My father was addicted to opioid pills for about seven years. His addiction, like many others, began with an injury and the prescription of pain pills by his doctor. After my father had healed from his motorcycle injury, he was unable to kick the opioid pills, this began his spiral into opioid addiction. My father was taking about five or more pills a day, and at thirty dollars a pill, this was causing major financial issues for my mother. My father’s addiction mentally, physically, and financially broke our family. At my worst, I even resented Nic because an addict, at least when high, has a momentary respite from his suffering. There is no similar relief for parents or children or husbands or wives or others who love them . Addiction puts an enormous strain on those who love them, my dad always had his pills to escape, but my mother, sister, and I had no escape. Thankfully, my father was able to recover years later, after treatments, NA meetings, and countless relapses. I have also had one of my very close friends fall into addiction to heroin. Like Nic, my friend comes from a divorced family and was never a troublemaker as a child. He fell into his heroin addiction after experimenting with gateway drugs in high school. He has been to rehab three times now and only comes out worse each time, first, it was for Xanax, then cocaine, and now heroin. My aunt was also addicted to crystal meth for many years. Her addiction, unfortunately, is still present, and it has put a tremendous strain on her life. My aunt almost lost any custody of the children she had left due to her meth addiction. Seeing family members and friends fall into this cycle of addiction proves to me that this is an epidemic. Anyone can be susceptible to drug addiction, it’s time we make a difference before this epidemic becomes any worse.
David Sheffs book ‘Beautiful Boy’ was written so that people with the same issue of addiction can relate. Sheff clearly believes meth and opioids are an epidemic. His book should be read by anyone as any individual is vulnerable to addiction. Drugs are never going to go away, so it’s up to our society to restrain ourselves from drugs. This book showed me that experiencing life drug-free is more satisfying than the high that comes from any type of drug.
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