Addiction Definition

The following definitions apply to the current research. Addiction. Addiction is doing an action repeatedly. It has negative consequences, is long lasting, and is considered a brain disease that effects the brain (NIDA, 2014).
Asthma. A condition in which one has trouble breathing because of a narrowed airway. It is classified as a lung disease and has symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing (National Institute of Health, 2014).
Chronic Pain. Chronic pain is pain that is long term of an average greater than 12 weeks into years (National Institute of Health, 2014). It is being treated on an ongoing basis and can be the direct cause from an injury.
Codeine. A type of pain medication. It is a naturally occurring opioid and is
A widespread occurrence of the same disease in a given geographical area (Centers for Disease Control, 2012). It can be a result of recent introduction where it was not present before or an increased mode of transmission.
Meditation. Meditation is a careful thought or thinking process done quietly. It is a focus on a single point of reference and involves words or focusing on breathing patterns (Psychology Today, 1991).
Opioids. Opioids are medications used to treat pain in patients with short or chronic pain (National Institute of Health, 2017).
Overdose. An overdose occurs when an excessive amount of medications is taken causing medical problems or near death. It can be accidental or intentional (Ellis, 2016).
Primary Care Physician (PCP). A primary care physician is a doctor that a patient sees patients regularly for overall health. It includes wellness exams, physicals, and medication management (Medline, 2017).
Specialist Physician. A specialist physician is a doctor that a patient sees for a specific problem. They address and treat one body part. For example, a gastroenterologist would treat the stomach while an Obstetrician would treat a pregnant woman (Medline,
In this next section, there will be explanations of where opioids came from and how they evolved into the drugs that are widely available. Going back to the Sumerians around 3400 B.C. there are scientists who studied and synthesized the opium to create improved pain relief according to Alam, Juurlink, Jurrlink (2016). The opium derived into other drugs such as morphine, heroin, and codeine. Opioids are historically known to treat levels of pain. Chronic pain is something that many Americans deal with daily. Therefore, in the historical overview section, there is a discussion about pain and how it affects