Substance Abuse And The Ethical And Legal Obligations

The three models of addiction examined in this week’s readings include the medical model, the psychosocial model, and the disease of the human spirit model. The medical model “rests on the assumption that disease states are the result of a biological dysfunction, possibly one on the cellular or even molecular level” (Doweiko, 2012, p. 333). Many consider this model and “maintain that much of human behavior is based on the interaction between the individual’s biological predisposition and the environment” (Doweiko, 2012, p. 333). Individuals under this model view free will “as an illusion” (Doweiko, 2012, p. 333). There is controversy regarding this model as “to the degree to which the

Every day, hundreds of people experience the overwhelming effects of addictions. Individuals can become addicted to virtually any action or item. If individuals use addictive substances, there will be serious medical repercussions. This paper will focus on the idea of addiction through the fields of anthropology, psychology, and sociology, and how these fields have benefitted this prominent issue. Addictions are currently being researched by various social scientists in an attempt to fully understand their causes and cures.

It is believed that certain individuals are predisposed or vulnerable to addiction based on biological, psychological and social influences. The euphoric high produced by many addictive substances is the result of overstimulation of the “pleasure center” of the brain. This is the same area that controls emotions, fear, self-control and overall feelings of wellness. The presence of these foreign chemicals creates a response that the brain will crave as soon as it fades. The brain’s chemistry works against its own health, as it rewires its decision making faculties around the primary goal of finding and taking more of the drug” (1). Many people mistakenly believe that psychological addiction is somehow less serious or real than physical addiction. The psychological aspects of addiction are much more challenging to repair and recover from than the physical addiction. Psychological addiction can last for years or even a lifetime.

It is paramount to attempt to understand why individuals become ‘addicts’/ drug dependent, as in doing so treatments and therapies may be adopted in line with the needs of the drug dependent individual. A greater understanding in the area of causality may produce more effective interventions at earlier stages of drug misuse.

The history of addiction goes back centuries, and unfortunately, there is still a long way to go for people to realize the effects of chemical substances do more harm than good. The difference between drug use and abuse relies heavily on a person’s dependence on the substance. The line between the differences is often very fine. Depending on other factors involved, such as morals, values, environment, and genetic predisposition, the line will most likely be crossed without regard to the consequences until treatment and recovery are the only options left. This is essay compares two theoretical explanations

The definition provided above is accessible and easy to understand; however, it initiates false beliefs among individuals because it fails to acknowledge that drug addiction is a mental health problem. Moreover, when words such as, “dependence”, “control” and “craving” are used to define drug addiction, it leaves an impression to the reader that addicts are indeed “people who cannot control their impulses.” Consequently, when we fail to recognize that drug addiction is a mental health problem, our focus is diverted towards the physical aspect of drug addiction. This could cause the belief among individuals that drugs alone cause the addiction. It is essential to acknowledge that there are chemical hooks in drugs; however, individuals need to understand that drugs alone do not cause the addiction. We need to identify and distinguish the “root cause” of addiction and ask ourselves: what caused the individual to take the drug in the first place?

Understanding Marisa’s childhood and upbringing will help me determine which assessments, diagnosis, and treatments are appropriate. I will implement the appropriate assessments and follow up assessments. My diagnosis will be completed with the insight of Marisa’s childhood struggles and her current struggles. I will provide the proper treatment for Marisa’s drug use and help her find her identity. My main concern with Marisa is relapse. Marisa will still face challenges and become stressed, which may cause her to feel personal failure, leading to a relapse (Van Wormer & Davis, 2013). Marisa is at high risk for relapse, and it is my ethical duty to become aware of relapse before it

Imagine laying on the floor in your own pool of sweat—miserable, your mind bouncing off the walls while the cloud of your darkest thoughts looms over you. Teeth chattering anxiously, waiting to receive the next second, minute, hour of painless bliss. This—this is the life of an addict; does this horror appear to be a choice or more like a disease haunting the mind of the user? Despite the fact a choice was needed to initiate the result, addiction itself is a debilitating disease NOT a choice due to initial influences and anatomical changes to the brain.

For years, I have desired to work within the addictions industry, as I am aware through my upbringing that substance abuse is a barrier that keeps a person from being who they truly are. But not only this, it stops them from feeling the pain of their life and the world. While attempting to protect themselves from the pain, it ultimately causes worse pain and detriment to their lives: being incarcerated and losing their freedom. What is worse, is never getting the help needed while incarcerated and then being released back into the community unchanged. Hoping to change this cycle, The John Howard Society developed and implemented with the Nanaimo Correctional Centre, a unique therapeutic community (TC) program called the Guthrie house in Nanaimo BC; it supports inmates with addictions who want to change their life (Nanaimo John Howard Society). The Guthrie program has assisted in developing skills needed for inmates to beat their addictions, learn the skills they are lacking and successfully reintegrate back into their community with ongoing support. There is further need for this program in all correctional institutions, as it is the first and only prison-based therapeutic community of its kind in Canada. (BC Ministry of Justice).

Addiction is like all behaviours “the business of the brain”. Addictions are compulsive physical and psychological needs from habit-forming sustenances like nicotine, alcohol, and drugs. Being occupied with or involved in such activities, leads a person who uses them again and again to become tolerant and dependent eventually experiencing withdrawal. (Molintas, 2006).

Among the numerous definitions for addiction, there lies yet another to define it from a biochemical perspective. Milkman (1983) defines it as “self-induced changes in neurotransmission that result in social problem behaviors." This definition encompasses the psychological, biochemical and social aspects of addictive processes. It is not limited to substance abuse and can be applied to any activity characterized by compulsion, loss of control and continuation of the substance despite harm. This has helped investigators gain a better understanding of the nature of addiction.

The purpose of this paper is to review and discuss a hypothetical case study on Mary who received an evaluation in a Community Health Center due heroin use. This writer will discuss biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence Mary’s treatment options. This writer will discuss appropriate diagnosis and treatment options, as well as transference or countertransference issues that may impact the case. Finally, there will be discussion of the ethical and legal implications of the case.

Pregnancy can often be used as an opportunity for women to change their patterns of substance abuse, and as such clinical professional must understand the full range of medical, mental, and social factors that complicate these womens’ antepartum course ( Chang 1992)

There are many reasons why individuals have a substance abuse addiction. There are many theories and pathways that have been researched and linked to substance abuse. However, according to David Smith, MD (n.d), the three most important aspects of the development of addiction progress is due to emotional, physical, and existence of addict’s addiction (Inaba & Cohen, 2014). In addition, according to Inaba and Cohen (2014), Individuals can have substance disorders resulting from combinations of environmental trauma, stress, the effects of psychoactive drugs that are addictive, and hereditary-predisposition. Furthermore, triggers and cravings are a major influence and factor to substance abuse. Individuals may be in a certain type of environment

For any professional working in the substance abuse treatment field, they will very likely come across situations and be presented with dilemmas relating to personal beliefs, judgments, and values. Drug or substance use and abuse have been a controversial and heated topic around the world for centuries. Drug abuse, in a way, is a facet of human culture that has been present for a great deal of human history in general. Every culture handles the issue of drug abuse differently. The history of how a society views persons with addictions is intermeshed with emotion, misperceptions, and prejudice that directly affects the care of drug abusers. This is a kind of awareness that drug users and those who provide drug treatment or rehabilitation should have. They may be susceptible to treating patients different because of their own personal views or because of the culturally normative views of that particular society. Just like teenagers may be automatically considered dangerous or irresponsible, it is fairly normative in a health care setting for a patient to be perceived negatively just because that person is a known drug user. Because of the highly charged emotional nature of the substance abuse treatment field, providers should possess the tools to explore ethical dilemmas objectively. By doing so, and by examining their own reactions to the situation, providers can proceed with the most ethical course of action. Ethical practice is