A Rogerian view of drug abuse: implications for nursing

Drug abuse and the concept of addiction are explored utilizing Martha E. Rogers' conceptual system of unitary human beings, resulting in a novel and thought-provoking view of this health behavior. Following an overview of Rogers' concepts, principles, and theories, the example of the heroin addict is reviewed, conceptualizing the addict as a high-frequency, diverse human energy field integral with a low-frequency, impoverished environmental field. Drug use provides an alternative way to participate in the mutual process. The drug "high" is conceptualized as providing a means to increase one's awareness of the four-dimensional nature of reality. The integral nature of human and environment is illustrated with examples of increasing diversity in each due to human drug use. Addiction is discussed as are other aspects of the environmental field. Finally, nursing interventions at the individual and environmental levels are presented.