Effects Of Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism

In this paper, the role of a social worker will be addressed. A Human Service professional has, in its hands, the responsibilities in the life of the clients and families they meet. The tremendous and arduous responsibilities they take on include, but are not limited to, the well-being and care of people and their communities. Such roles can be helping others manage the care of a family member, assisting individuals experiencing problems with family relations and conflicts, dealing with changes that come with growing old, aiding those suffering mental illness and or those individuals struggling with addictions. Briefly

Social work professions need to understand the importance of how individuals interact both with other people and their environment, to have an understanding how individuals are affected by these interactions (Rogers, p. 2). According to Rogers (2016), “Social workers are knowledgeable about human behavior across the life course; the range of social systems in which people live; and the ways social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being. Social workers apply theories and knowledge from the liberal arts to understand biological, social, cultural, psychological, and spiritual development (p. 2). Their work with clients begins with assessments to evaluations of intervention and is based in and supports of the core value system of the profession.

As of January 2015 alcohol related deaths were represented as accountable for approximately 6% of deaths worldwide. That is 3.3 million deaths from alcohol related car accidents to alcohol poisoning. The consumption of alcohol can be tied with being a factor in a variety of diseases, disabilities, tragedies, and crimes. An estimate of over 76 million people suffer from alcohol dependence and abuse. Consumption of alcohol can become a serious threat to personal and public health when an individual engages in activities such as binge drinking or drinking while driving. In other words, harmful drinking is anytime an individual becomes unable to have full perception and control of his/her surroundings because of alcohol. Harmful drinking can also be defined as a pattern of alcohol consumption causing health problems that are directly connected to alcohol.

Social Work practitioners every day interact with individuals who are challenged by personal, societal, environmental barriers to life, and in amidst this face inequities and injustice as part of life (Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers, 2011). It is the role of the social worker to use their therapeutic and facilitation skills to assess the clients risk and then work with the appropriate interventions in order to help promote social change for the individual and their family.

Walker developed a passion for social worker after her mother and brother-in-law passed away from substance use. Mrs. Walker stated her mother’s drug addiction negatively impacted the family dynamics because a large portion of her time and energy was spent, obtaining drugs instead of attending to their emotional and physical well-being. Mrs. Walker stated this was a very stressful time in her life because she was the person responsible for making decisions about her mother’s well-being and treatment options. This experience gave her unprecedented insight into the social service field which served a catalyst to her career choice. As a social worker, she hopes to improve the lives of the underserved population especially those suffering from addiction to substance

Through service, addiction specialists help their clients to find further support by putting them in contact with programs like alcohol anonymous, narcotics anonymous, or a treatment center. Specialists may inform the client of a program, such as, clean needle exchange that they did not previously know existed and could greatly benefit from. Through the extended services provided by the social worker, the client would then have access to more resources that aid in the recovery process, hopefully resulting in success. In addition, social workers are careful to be sensitive and gentle when dealing with this specific population. Specialists treat their clients who suffer from addiction with dignity and respect, and not like a degenerate.

The DSM IV-TR criteria for substance dependence requires the person to have three or more of the following; tolerance, characteristic withdrawal symptoms, substance taken in larger amount and for a longer period of time than intended, persistent desire or repeated unsuccessful attempt to quit, more time or activity to obtain, use and recover, important social, occupational, or recreational activities given up or reduced, and use that continues despite the knowledge of adverse consequences.

According to Payne (2014), an empowerment view of social work would “empathize the importance of helping people lead a more fulfilling life by developing their skills and personal relationships” (p. 10). In working with Christine, I tried to support her with coping skills to deal with her depression and anxiety which in turn might assist her in not self-medicating with alcohol. Using a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approach, I was able to help her be aware of how she used alcohol to deal with her pain and circumstances and how the alcohol use increased her pain and negative circumstances. By using these coping skills, she was able to reduce her dependency on alcohol; thereby improving her relationships with her family and friends.

In Whiting S. Albert’s article “Alcohol Use Is Harmful” he stated that alcohol is a chemical that contains hydrogen and carbon. Whiting stated further that the active ingredient of alcohol is ethyl alcohol, which is also known as ethanol. Alcohol is one of the few things that human being consume that do not need digestion. Alcohol appears the bloodstream immediately, thus, its intoxicating effects are felt instantly (1). “High levels of mortality, morbidity, and social malaise are associated with abuse of alcohol, and increasing numbers of women and youth are abusing alcohol” (Ferreira and Darryn 1). “Alcohol slows down the function of all living cells, especially those in the brain” (Whiting 1), which causes thinking to be impaired. Alcohol is probably the most used drug worldwide. “Three in ten adults 18 years of age and over have had alcoholism and/or engaged in alcohol abuse at some point in their lives …” (“Impact of Alcoholism” 1). According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

The correlation of the negative impact of drinking and loss of employment have made an impact to change. The client may be open to help without resistance because of fear of the consequence. This is the time the agency can be of service with resources and referrals to support the

Social workers are unique in the way that they look at many different aspects of a problem, from the individual to the societal, from the psychological to the political. Social work is about serving clients include providing counseling, therapy and education, as well as connecting clients to appropriate public or private resources. It attracts people who are interested in creating positive change in the lives of individuals, families and communities.

During interventions that are geared towards other goals, such as a mental health assessment social workers will often become aware of substance use. The DECLARE model (Trevor McCarthy 2001) assists social workers in making appropriate referrals to substance use agencies. This DRUG model refers to EXPLORING the issue of the drug use with the individual to see if they or others have concerns over their usage, CONSULTING with the individual, their family, and possible other services and colleagues, LIASING with specialists in problematic drug use, ASSESSING the next step with the individual, and REFERRING them if necessary. Referrals are likely to fail if not explained to the individual or explored first with the agency. Social workers can undertake community care assessments, complete care plans, and review and commission day and residential care and substance misuse rehabilitation services. Social workers are able to actively intaking and assessing individuals, and commission, if necessary, structural day care or residential rehabilitation services. They may regularly review the support package for an individual, and respond and actively intervene with an individual and service provider if the individual’s needs are not met by the placement.

In the substance abuse field of social work, social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of their client. They need to value their clients as unique individuals and believe there’s room for growth and contribution. Mary Richmond, an early social work pioneer, influenced the practice of the social work profession within the substance and abuse field. The intervention process is definitely present in practice, and Mary Richmond’s terminology is used in an interview guide designed for the assessment of clients. In today’s social work profession, substance abuse and misuse problems are found across all fields of practice.

When I step into a college party, the first thing I see around me is alcohol. I often notice underage adolescents drinking and I also distinguish how they become different people when intoxicated by alcohol. They begin to walk funny and they tend to slur their words, making it hard to comprehend anything they are saying. I have watched family members who were so inebriated that they could not even spell their own name or even pinpoint who they were. The questions I always ask myself when I see these drunk college kids is “Do these kids know the effects of alcoholism?”

During the treatment and assessment of drug or alcohol users, social workers must put their own morals and opinions aside in order to properly assess those who are afflicted by addiction (Boyle et al, 2009). Subsequently it is important for social workers to know themselves as individuals and professionals when facilitating those they are trying to help. The social workers’ approach to the client can help determine the foundation for intervention techniques. However, in order for a social worker to fully understand the client who suffers from substance abuse, it is important to know the neurological effects that the client endures in order to ultimately gain a better understanding of treatment methods.