Barriers and Limitations in the Treatment of Alcohol and Substance Abuse

One out of every thirteen adults are considered to be an alcoholic or to suffer from drinking problems. Alcoholism is a developmental disease that progresses slowly over a number of years and is based on both the physical and emotional dependency on alcohol. In many cases it leads to brain damage or early death. Alcoholism is a chromic disease, which means that it will last a person’s lifetime. The risk for developing alcoholism is influenced by both a person’s genes and their lifestyle.

Addiction is an epidemic in the United States of America. Yet out of all the addictive substances that are available to Americans, Alcohol has become the leading stimulant to flourish this outbreak. According to the 2014 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration statistics, 60.9 million Americans considered themselves binge drinkers while 1 in 10 underage alcohol users, age 12 to 20, already themselves considered heavy alcohol users (SAMHSA, http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-FRR1-2014/NSDUH-FRR1-2014.pdf ). Since alcohol addiction can affect any socioeconomic status and any street corner in America, many Americans know a friend or a family member that has been struck by this epidemic. I myself am one of those Americans. Although my grandmother lost her battle to addiction more

Twelve step programs are commonly used in drug and alcohol treatment. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous both utilize the twelve steps, along with many other treatment centers. The twelve steps are used as a tool to stay sober and overcome addictions to substance abuse. The first step involves admitting one is powerless over the drug. It also involves admitting that due to the drug, one is no longer in control of his or her life. The second step is coming to the belief that there is a greater power that can restore one to sanity. The greater power can be anything from God to a higher power such as nature. The third step is making the decision to turn one’s will and life over to the higher power. This is when an individual fully commits oneself to the belief in something greater than him or her self. The fourth step is a moral inventory of oneself. Many individuals make a list of all the wrongs he or she has done while in the fourth step. (Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, 1981)

The federal and local community resources dedicated to the treatment and prevention of substance use, has become a valuable tool in the process of recovery. Chemically dependent individuals often have a variety of psychosocial problems in addiction to addiction, such as financial, housing, criminal, and poor social support that often leads to poor treatment retention and higher risk of relapse according to Krupski, et. al. (2009). Therefor the need for community resources is critical to the success of the original treatment. When investigating into the federal resources available, there becomes a view into a larger problem with chemical dependency as government agencies compile statistical data of therapeutic approaches, cultural diversity,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there are about 100,000 of deaths per year and there are approximately 8 million people in the United States who have a substance abuse problem (CDC, 2015). A better understanding and greater attention to the commonly abused substance and its treatment would be beneficial in a provider's practice and will also protect the provider from the legalities of prescribing these medications. There are several forms of treatment for every abused substance and the main goal is to help the patient to stop the stop and helping them during the phase of withdrawal. The intent of this paper is to discuss the commonly used substance for abuse and its treatment with the implications

One issue that has made me passionate about social work is substance abuse, an issue that has made a deep impact for communities everywhere. Not only does it affect the mental and physical health of the individual, but it also burdens the friends, family, and community as a whole. This concern is a personal interest because of my mother and grandfather’s past struggle with alcoholism, as well as because of a childhood friend who was killed by a drunk underage driver on her second offense. While my mother won her fight against her addiction during the time that she was in therapy for depression, I know the tragic effects of addiction firsthand from my grandfather’s death from the consequences of alcoholism and my friend’s death at the wheels of a drunk driver. I wish to address and understand this social issue in detail during and after graduate school.

Bailey (2004) used the Substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], and the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to gain access to records and reports on how many Americans were binge drinkers and drug users. It was concluded that an estimated 14 million Americans (in 2004) met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol/drug abuse (Bailey, 2004). She used this information to compile the data used on the first page of her report to explain that alcoholism and addiction are devastating problems that many people/families deal with daily.

Alcoholism is a growing problem in the United states. About eighteen million people in the U.S. have this disorder. Alcoholism is a serious problem that can be helped if a person receives treatment. Throughout the United States there are many resources like the Farley center whose goal is to help Alcoholics recover and get back into society. Places like the Farley center offer different treatment plans depending on the severity of a given person’s situation, for instance they may only have you stay a few days or up to 3 months, they have a 12-Step program, and the patient gets a personalized treatment created by the qualified professionals at the center.

When alcohol and substance recovery became popular, it was just individual groups that supported recovery. It wasn’t until 1935 that the federal government acknowledged that alcoholism was a disease and needed to be treated. Once the government acknowledged that people could be an alcoholic, they opened their 1st “narcotic farm”. This facility marked the beginning of federal involvement in addiction research and treatment. Since the government recognized alcoholism as a chronic disease, the insurance industry began to reimburse the treatment of alcoholism just like any other illness. This leads to a dramatic expansion in private and hospital-based inpatient treatment programs. In 1966, President Johnson appoints the first National Advisory

It is estimated that 22 million Americans in 2005 struggled with drug or alcohol related problems. Among the 22 million, 95 percent who were involved with substance abuse problems were observed to be unaware of their problems. An estimated 273,000 individuals realized they had a problem and made an unsuccessful effort to obtain treatment. The above-mentioned estimates reflect the severity/importance of increasing prevention efforts and improving access to treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders1.

In and around most large cities in America, the rising substance abuse epidemic has brought about a renewed interested in determining the root cause of substance abuse, the effects of substance abuse on individuals and societies, and the substance abuse treatment modalities that achieve the best outcomes. In reviewing the current research on substance abuse there seems to be no one clear cause of substance abuse disorders, although there is strong evidence that a number of life circumstances may predispose an individual to a substance abuse disorder, as well as a number of protective factors that may reduce an individual’s risk of developing a substance abuse disorder. One important risk factor that is commonly associated with substance

Alcoholism relapse is common. After completing a treatment program more than 60% of alcoholics drink within the first 90 days after treatment and on average only 1 or 2 remain abstinent 1 year after treatment (Maurer & Smith, 2009). The use of resources such as Alcoholics Anonymous support, along with a supportive social network, and adequate socioeconomic support has a positive correlation with lasting abstinence and decreased numbers of reoccurrence for alcoholics. With these statistics it is evident that the treatment of alcohol and substance abuse, in general are in high demand today.

Alcoholism relapses are common. After completing a treatment program more than 60% of alcoholics drink within the first 90 days after treatment and on average only 1 or 2 remain abstinent 1 year after treatment (Maurer & Smith, 2009). The use of resources such as Alcoholics Anonymous support, along with a supportive social network, and adequate socioeconomic support has a positive correlation with lasting abstinence and decreased numbers of reoccurrence for alcoholics. With these statistics it is evident that the treatment of alcohol and substance abuse, in general are in high demand today.

The purpose of this paper is about two substance abuse preventing program in the United States. Team Awareness is a preventing program that deals with behavioral risk that is associate with substance abuse among employees and their families. The purpose of this preventing program is to help individuals with social health and communication to improve the attitude towards alcohol. The program is about six to eight months to help employees and prepare them for the program. According to NREPP “Team Awareness is a customizable wellness program that also incorporates substance abuse prevention; it has been adapted for many different contexts.” Therefore, programs like team awareness help organizations that have employees that are having a hard time with substance abuse. The goal of this substance abuse program is to help with community resources and if they need to be refer to a program 12 step program. According to NREPP “ To achieve these objectives, the training focuses on six components: the importance of substance abuse prevention; team ownership of policy (embracing policy as a useful tool for enhancing safety and well-being for the whole workgroup); stress, including stressors, individual coping styles, and other methods for coping; tolerance and how it can become a risk factor for groups; the importance of appropriate help-seeking and help-giving behavior; and access to resources for preventive counseling or treatment. Team awareness is funded by the Peer Assistance

An intervention is an attempt to get someone to seek help with an addiction, traumatic event, or another severe problem. Interventions differ depending on the type of addiction. Alcoholic interventions can include a twelve-step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous, counseling, medications, or rehab. There are 2 types of interventions: the Johnson and the ARISE intervention. The Johnson intervention confronts the addict and explains the consequences of their addiction. For example, an alcoholic would be confronted about how his drinking will affect his liver in the future. An ARISE intervention involves the family of the addict and attempts to get him into a rehab facility.