When Addiction Hits Home by D'Anne Burwell: Themes

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date When Addiction Hits Home Themes Introduction The book saving Jake: When Addiction Hits Home by D'Anne Burwell has proven to be masterpiece according to its many readers. When Addiction Hits Home is a book that recounts a story where a family suffers from the effects of drug and substance abuse. D'Anne Burwell reminisced about her life five years ago. Her son, Jake, who was merely a teenager by that they had failed to heed to all forms of best behavior advice given to him by his parents. Lies and lots of excuses dictated his life; this simply made his life fall apart as each day passed. After some time her mother got wind of what was happening her son's life and as a result, tried to come up with ways to try and make amends. The son, a nineteen-year-old, had even no control of his finances only due to the word ‘drugs.' Jake simply started experimenting with weed, alcohol and then graduated to his final blow by taking OxyContin. Abuse of drugs has got its effects, either to the family of the abuser or the abuser himself. Without any interventions, the effects of drug abuse can be much worse. After Burwell notices how her 19-year-old boy had spiraled out of control, she knew deep down that their parenting move had failed. A series of events take a toll on Burwell's life, her son drops out of college due to drugs addiction, after being taken to rehab he also walks out of rehab without finishing the recommended period and finally ends up being homeless on the streets of Boulder. Burwell herself also suffers from identity crises due to the feeling of guilt as failing parent suffers from fear and her desperate desire to protect her son. To top it up, D'Anne also wrestles up with her husband's uncontained anger and at the same time tries to deal cope up her daughter who is suffering from depression as the addiction disease impacts her whole family. In this difficult situation, she learns about the ties that exist between the prescribed-drug abuse and the sudden increase of heroin use. This helps her realize that to make her son survive; she must stop trying to find ways for her son's redemption but instead let him fight for his soul. Saving Jake presents the voice of those families of addicts all over the world that share the same devastation. Furthermore, it is a strong influential personal narrative of love and redemption. The Outstanding Themes in the Book In this book, the author has brought out some issues that are worth noting and of which draw a clear picture of what the society is facing today. Effects of drug and substance abuse and parental love are some of the major themes worth noting. Effects of Drug and Substance Abuse Abuse of drugs is globally known to cause dire effects to the abuser or the abuser's family and in most cases both the parties. Jake, a smart and a young athlete and whose the son of D'Anne Burwell is the key character faced with the drug and substance abuse in this book. The teenager is believed to have started this behavior by taking weed, a common phenomenon that is mostly associated with all the drug and substance abuse beginners. He then advanced to drinking alcohol and OxyContin was his last toll. Jake as the abuser suffered both physically and mentally. ...