# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Crystal Methamphetamine Which Nic Sampled

# data[].attributes.body
In the book Nic finds himself sampling crystal meth which leads to a conversation between David and Nic in which David says, "You promised. You nearly died" (103). Nic responds, "Listen, I will be fine. I'll never do that s**t again. I learned how dangerous meth is . It's f****d up. I'm not stupid. I'll never mess with it again" (103). This peaked my interest in how dangerous meth actually is and made me question what effects it can have on the brain and a person. The book also states that, "Meth triggers ten to twenty times the normal level of the brain's neurotransmitters, primarily dopamine, but also serotonin and norepinephrine, which spray like bullets from a gangster's gun" (107). This also spiked my interest in the subject and intrigued me to fact check and learn more on the subject.

# data[].attributes.body
Beautiful Boy is about the life of David Sheff's son, Nic, who becomes a drug addict and shows this experience through the lens of a father's perspective. It takes place from Nic's birth in 1982 and goes to about 2005 which is pretty recent. In this amount of time the reader gets to see how Nic went from a bright young child who showed much protentional in school and as a person to a college student who has to go through the many trials that drugs present in one's life. This book opens many people's eyes to the addiction and temptations of drugs and the pressure from peers in both Middle and High School as well as the effects that drugs have on a person's life.

# data[].attributes.body
Nic's experience with drugs starts in the 7th grade when he tries smoking and then his father catches him with marijuana in his bag. The importance of this event is significant in the book because this is where he starts his path in addiction by trying one of the biggest gateway drugs marijuana. Nic then continues experimenting throughout High School with both pot and branching out to other drugs. Sometime after his High School graduation, Nic is arrested for failing to appear in court for his charge of possession of marijuana. David bails him out thinking that jail had taught him a lesson but his use continues and the pleas from his parents don't reach him. His drug use causes him to take a break from college and move back home during which he tries crystal meth after four days of going missing in which his dad has to pick him up off the street almost dead from his use. After this Nic starts rehab even after his refusal to do so. Nic then moves into the Ohlhoff Halfway House where three days later he vanishes. After many failed attempts to convince Nic to stop his drug use and many trips in and out of rehab. Nic has a fatal overdose that he barely survives. Even this experience does not stop his drug use and the book ends with David hoping for a better future but Nic's ever-looming addiction clouds it.

# data[].attributes.body
Though the obvious message of this book is to avoid drugs and live a sober life there are a lot more other underlying lessons. One of these includes how to deal and how not to deal with an addict. A lot of the book is the feelings of David as he works his way through his son's addiction. Even in the dedication of the book he describes how he wants to create a road map for people to follow if their situation is similar teaching them what to do and what not to do. He himself found a lot of help from other's stories and he wanted to share his to help others in need as well. David shares his regrets of what he did and he wants to help others not make the same mistakes.

# data[].attributes.headline
Crystal Meth: Physical & Mental Effects, Signs of Abuse

# data[].attributes.subject
Crystal Meth: Physical & Mental Effects, Signs of Abuse

# data[].attributes.body
This website answers my question of how dangerous meth actually is. There are many side effects to this drug but one of the scarier ones of it for me was "psychotic behavior, such as paranoia and hallucinations"(5). These specific side effects can be very dangerous in your everyday life, especially for relationships and driving, and other daily tasks that could be fatally dangerous. I also found it interesting that "meth can make a user's body temperature rise so high they could pass out or even die" (3). This fact was very surprising because I did not know that meth worked in this way. Learning more about what meth can do has strengthened my resolve to not try it and live a life without drugs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Crystal Meth_ Physical & Mental Effects, Signs of Abuse

# data[].attributes.headline
Effects of Crystal Meth on the Brain: What Does Meth do to Your Brain?

# data[].attributes.subject
Effects of Crystal Meth on the Brain: What Does Meth do to Your Brain?

# data[].attributes.body
This source did in fact check the claims made by David about the increase in neurotransmitter use and also found that "the use of methamphetamine is associated with decreases in the number of neurons in the CNS. The ability of the CNS to regenerate these neurons is limited, and in many cases, the loss of neurons cannot be recovered" (4). I also learned that meth can really mess up a lot of things in your brain which includes but is not limited to "the hippocampus: a crucial structure for the ability to remember and learn new information. As well as The striatum: a structure in the subcortical areas of the brain that is crucial in movement and certain aspects of directed attention" (4). This drug can literally affect your memory, ability to learn, ability to move, directed attention, and many other things. If that is not a sign to stay away from it, I don't know what is.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Effects of Crystal Meth on the Brain_ What Does Meth Do to Your Brain_

# data[].attributes.body
With the main purpose of the book to educate people on addiction and provide a roadmap for other families in the same situation this book spiked my interest on the subject of drug addictions. David states, "An alcoholic will steal your wallet and lie to you. A drug addict will steal your wallet and then help you look for it" (265). This distinction between addicts  made me question what makes drug addictions different than others. He also states that, “Anyone who has lived through it, or those who are now living through it, knows that caring about an addict is as complex and fraught and debilitating as addiction itself” (13). This also peaked my interest about how to take care of addicts and if there were any other ways that were not talked about in the book.

# data[].attributes.headline
Behavioral Addiction Versus Substance Addiction: Correspondence of Psychiatric and Psychological Views

# data[].attributes.subject
Behavioral Addiction Versus Substance Addiction: Correspondence of Psychiatric and Psychological Views

# data[].attributes.body
From this site, I learned that behavioral addiction and drug addiction are not that different except in the side effects that they have and obviously that one involves a substance. "One of the precursors of behavioral addiction is the presence of psychopathologies such as depression, substance dependence or withdrawal, and social anxiety as well as a lack of social support" (5). A lot of times these are causes for drug addictions as well and getting off of drug addictions can lead to some behavioral addictions as well. The importance of these addictions has not really come to light as "Until recently, 'non-substance related behavioral addiction' was listed in neither of the two internationally used diagnostic manuals of mental disorders" (2). I found this really interesting that humans have been around for so long and we are just now finding that there are behavioral addictions that affect many people and could be treated.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Behavioral Addiction versus Substance Addiction_ Correspondence of Psychiatric and Psychological Views - PMC

# data[].attributes.body
This source was really helpful in answering my question about how to help people dealing with drug addictions. The first step that I really liked what that you have to step into the other person's shoes to try and understand what they are going through as many drug addicts "can pile stress upon stress, test your patience, strain your bank balance, and leave you racked by feelings of guilt, shame, anger, fear, frustration, and sadness" (1). I found this interesting because it starts off with being frank with you and saying that your pleas for change might not work and you might find yourself becoming more and more frustrated. One of the many things that you can do to help that kind of caught me off guard was that you should "refuse to give them money to pay off debts or cover legal expenses if they’re arrested" (11). This was a little surprising at first because it seems like it isn't helping at all but then I realized that David did not follow this and it led to a lot of problems down the road for him.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Helping Someone with a Drug Addiction - HelpGuide.org