Substance Abuse Analysis

According to the Diagnostic Statistic Manual 5 (DSM-5) substance use disorder is when the individual has a dependency on alcohol or drug, followed by penetrating craving and antisocial behavior to acquire the substance. The terms substance abuse and substance dependence refer to substance use disorder, which has been separated into three classifications as follows

Practice models used in treatment of substance abuse have up until recently only been recommended for the intervention of younger addicts. As a result, treatment approaches for older adults are lacking in evidence. However, screening for substance abuse is the first step towards determining if a more thorough assessment is needed. Cook et al. (1998) reported that it is necessary to take a holistic approach to treatment, and take a broader focus than just the chemical abuse because as people age their psychological and health problems become more complex (p. 146). Older adults face life changes and lack of poor support networks are more deeply felt. Bogunovic (2012) answered that, “A comprehensive evaluation should include a thorough physical examination and laboratory analysis and psychiatric, neurological, and social evaluation.” Such measures are effective when paired with screening

Abuse may be revealed in a number of different ways. For example you may find that someone wants to tell you about it because they trust you. Also it might be from someone who has observed the abuse taking place, e.g. resident seeing a care worker shaking another resident because they were too slow getting dressed. The abuse is disclosed to the professional, sometimes with a request for confidentiality.

All around the world anyone can find people that are addicted to some form of drug. Drug addiction is a huge issue that has been occurring for about thirty years now and is occurring to this day for many reasons. Some of those reasons may be that something is going on back home and they have had enough, or because of stress, peer pressure, biological reasons and the list goes on. However, there has been law enforcement due to drugs since the mid 1980’s. People have many viewpoints to when it comes to drug use and addiction. There are three perspectives people have that view the use of drugs and drug addiction which are structural functionalism, conflict, and symbolic interactionist.

According to Feldstein and Miller (2007), explain that the SASSI was publish is 1985 and select by counselors to use with other screening instruments. Wormer and Davis (2013) describe the SASSI form with true/false question not pertaining to substance or alcohol. This SASSI assessment is the most used tool that has different versions (Miller, Woodson, Howell, & Shields, 2009). For instance, the SASSI 3 has 10 scales with 93 items to identify if a client has a substance disorders. In addition, the scales include the Face Valid Alcohol, Face Valid Other Drug, Symptoms, Obvious Attributes, Subtle Attributes, Defensiveness, Supplemental Addiction Measure, Family History, and Tendency to Involvement

There are a wide range of substances that can be misused. These come under the categories of the following:

Although there are several different assessments one could use, the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory, (SASSI-3) would be the first choice. It is a “brief self-report, easily administered psychological screening measure that is available in separate versions for adults and adolescents. The Adult SASSI-3 helps recognize individuals who have a high probability of having a substance dependence disorder with an overall empirically tested accuracy of 93%.” Dr. Glenn A. Miller developed the SASSI-3 and is comprised of 67 true-false items with additional 26 item self-report section on substance use for identifying people with a high probability of having a substance dependence disorder. The subtle items of the SASSI-3 appear to have no correlation with the rest of the test. The subtle items may identify some clients who have alcohol or other drug issues the client may not admit to. A counselor having an awareness of their client’s history of alcohol use aids the counselor in identifying clients who are at risk and what treatment strategies may be most effective. The SASSI-3 is quick and easy for the counselor to score; only taking 15 minutes to administer and score. This assessment is helpful in both inpatient and outpatient sites. Although some studies have shown that alcoholism is hereditary, the genes have yet to be identified. Alcoholism is not only complex but involves different pathways that may lead to the development of alcohol dependence. Some factors may

There are many assessment processes that are used to identify substance abuse as well as many other disorders that are addictive. These processes include the SBIRT, AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), NIDAMED, CAGE AID (which is used frequently within the counseling foundation), AUDIT-C, and also the DAST-10 which is an assessment process used to evaluate drug abuse within the patients. These are many different processes that are currently used to identify these addictions in clients. The activity of identifying these processes can be over a period of time or can be evaluated in that same day or after the evaluation is completed.

The second scenario, during these 6 week of reading at the end of every story, page, and chapter a person with substance abuse felt alone, confuse, and lost, until they decided to reach out for help or depend on something other than themselves. While making the comparison a lot of individual experience loneliness, temptation, loss their way or direction, hunted by fear and emotional turmoil daily even without having a substance abuse or in the wild. In this sense counselors uses techniques, guidance, spirituality to prepare the individuals to find their own way since every one practice may be different than others an there are non-believers. Therefore, coping respectfully in my eye’s is preparing them for the up and down they may encounter

Americans today tend to not realize we’re slowly being separated from each other. Whether it be electronics keeping us away from the family at night or just social media that keeps us from going outside and actually socializing. It has become a serious problem and it happens more and more as we continue to advance in technology. Not to mention it's forming another problem in the way we’ve shaped our societies so that it's extremely easy to be cut off from human connections without even realizing it. Johann Hari, The author of “The Likely Cause of Addiction” pulled my attention towards realizing that this addiction is a fast paced growing problem. Hari Specifically states,"We have created human societies where it is easier for people to become cut off from all human connections than ever before." He’s basically stating that it’s become way too easy to be disconnected from our society and its gotten worse over time. Honestly I agree with how he thinks, we don’t realize it but we’re all being slowly cut off from our society. Whether we like it or not we’ve created our society to be the way it is, and it caused us to be so easily disconnected from one another.

Sue was referred to American Samoa Department of Human and Social Services for a substance abuse intake assessment due to her addiction to crack cocaine. She has recently pled guilty to charges of possession, sale of an illicit substance, and of engaging in prostitution. Sue is a single mother of four children range from the ages of 2, 4, 5, and 8. She has been a victim of domestic violence by the father of her children and now his whereabouts are unknown. Sue believes that he has returned to Haiti. After her husband left her and the children, she engaged in an ongoing lesbian relationship with her best friend, which is another prostitute.

I had a very strong feeling when I watch the video. Having such a strong emotion is not a usual thing to me. It is not in front of the war or natural disaster, instead, it is only a documentary video on two girls who have addictions. I was uncomfortable seeing Tamela cutting herself and I feel sad when I saw Jerrie’s anxieties when her pills didn’t come in on time and the calmness after she swallowed the pills on the street. Cutting or doing drugs are something they must rely on to live. I am confused about their behaviors and the contributors for these behaviors. Many questions came up to my mind. This video has provided me the opportunity to examine my own inner thoughts about certain addictions and behavior patterns.

In January of 2009 the government took action against the recommendation of the ACMD, and move Cannabis from a Class C drug to a Class B drug, based on the foundations of the Misue of Drugs act 1971 this would indicate that evidence of increased harm has been discovered. Jacqui Smith, the home secretary at the time of this action justified the act with the following quote “decision takes into account issues such as public perception and the needs and consequences for policing priorities, where this is, doubt about the potential harm that will be caused, we must err on the side of caution and protect the public.” - Reference

Avoiding repeated arrests and putting a stop to the revolving door commonly seen in the criminal justice system is possible. However, to accomplish this, counties throughout Tampa must begin addressing the issues of drug addiction and depression through drug rehabilitation and mental health facilities.

My field of interest is drug and alcohol addictions. More specifically I am interested in what knowing exactly what can increase someone’s odds of becoming and addict and what different levels of addictions means in terms of the treatment that they may require. An assessment that I found that seems to be able to establish good data as it relates to drug and alcohol abuse is The Substance Abuse/Life Circumstance Evaluation or SALCE. SALCE was developed by ADE Incorporated in 1988 as a means to assess ten areas of substance abuse.