Author: larceri

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“Zoophoria”: Drugs and Addiction

Another taboo faced in our societies and cultures are drug-use and addiction. Drugs and addiction are often seen as byproducts of a corrupt society, however, Dr. Natterson-Horowitz dives into the variety of cases involving animals and their use of drugs and addiction. According to her findings, addiction is a natural tendency and when viewed as such, we can break down the walls of stigma and truly help those who fall victim to it. Dr. Natterson-Horowitz discovered that dogs lick toads, wallabies trespass into poppy-fields, and dolphins fiend for a puffer-fish’s toxins. These, and many more, examples have come to show that addiction is not a uniquely human trait. Receptors for cannabinoids and opiates are found in a variety of animals, which introduces the idea that opiates and cannabinoids serve a role in survival and fitness, especially due to the release of dopamine. Many other mammals respond to intoxicants in similar ways to humans. By identifying the natural causes of drug-use in the animal kingdom, Dr. Natterson-Horriwitz suggests that we humans can become more open to the biological specifics of addiction.

If this peaked your interest check out: Intoxication: The Universal Drive for Mind-Altering Substances By Ronald K. Siegel

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“Roar-gasm”: Sexuality

One of the most taboo topics within human nature is the discussion of human sexuality. Centuries of religious, cultural, and societal demands have controlled the sexual tendencies of humans, disregarding the natural aspects behind said sexuality. Dr. Natterson-Horowitz explores the sexuality of other members of the animal kingdom and recognizes the similarities between them and humans, showing that human sexuality is not as provocative as we make it seem. Through her research, Dr. Natterson-Horrowitz discovered that many animals take part in same-sex relationships, suffer from erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, develop ways to prevent sexual encounters, pick specific partners, and so much more. By recognizing sexuality in the rest of the natural world, people would be able to recognize the naturalness of human sexuality. Studying the sexuality of animals can help show society that the acts people are disowned, abused, or killed for around the world are completely natural and not based on “human error”. Dr. Natterson-Horowitz’s analysis of this aspect of health can help play an important role in human acceptance and understanding.

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One Health

“One Health” is a fairly new initiative that integrates human health, animal health, and environmental health. Through this initiative, the world will be viewed as a network of of all the Earth’s organisms in which we can learn from the creatures around us. Dr. Natterson-Horowitz explains the importance of “One Health” in order to understand our own beings as humans. More and more diseases are being discovered as zoonotic, meaning that they can be passed between animals and humans. For decades there has been a disconnect between human and animal health causing independent studies of the same disease. This lack of communication caused incomplete studies of the same diseases. For example, Mad Cow Disease was first identified by the neurological symptoms experienced by cows in Great Britain. It was not until the doctors treating human patients with this disease looked beyond humans and into the animal world to discover that the disease was in fact previously noticed in animals. This led to the ability for the government to effectively protect the people and prevent the further spread of the disease.  By using animal and human models to understand diseases our societies face, we as humans can develop better treatments and courses of action. In “Zoobiquity”, the author highlights the necessity of the connection between human and animal medicine in order to advance our medical field. As Dr. Natterson-Horowitz states herself, “Because the fate of our world’s health doesn’t depend solely on how we humans fare. Rather, it will be determined by how all the patients on the planet live, grow, get sick, and heal.”

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How Animals Help Break Human Taboos

“Zoobiquity” explores many aspects of the intersection of human and animal health. However some chapters dive deeper than others, such as “Zoophoria” and “Roar-gasm”, and explore the nature of controversial topics deemed “touchy” to us humans: drugs and sex.