Substance Abuse Research Paper

In addition, these drugs are just as addicting as some of the drugs that most hold to be off-limits, and need to be

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

Millions of people throughout the world are taking drugs on a daily basis. If you were to ask someone why they take prescription drugs, most people would be taking them for the right reason. However, it’s estimated that twenty percent of people in the United States alone have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.1 Prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem that often goes unnoticed. Abusing these drugs can often lead to addiction and even death. You can develop an addiction to certain drugs that may include: narcotic painkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.1 Prescription drugs are the most common abused category of drugs, right next to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and

Many people have developed an addiction due to an injury and which were prescribed painkillers to manage and treat the pain. Prolonged use leads to dependence and once a person is addicted, increasing amounts of drugs are required to prevent feeling of withdrawal. Addiction to painkillers often leads to harder drugs such as heroin due to the black market drug being cheaper. Prescription drugs remain a far deadlier problem and more people abuse prescription medication than cocaine, methamphetamine heroin, MDMA and PCP combined. Drug abuse is ending too many lives too soon and destroying families and communities.

Correspondingly, pharmaceutical opioids are not the only narcotics consumers can get their hands on. It is said that heroin, an illegal but natural opiate, “... scheduled 1 controlled substance in the United States…” (AmericanAddictionCenters) Taking heroin puts consumers at a high risk for addiction and abuse. Although heroin is a very dangerous drug it does dull pain, impair cognition and the senses, increase sedation, and slow functions of central nervous system. It is stated that “... heroin is the fastest-acting opiate.” (AmericanAddictionCenters). Heroin is described as a brown, or white powder or sticky substance that may be snorted, smoked, or injected, giving consumers a sense of “rush” or “high” that comes very rapid and very intense. Due to the fact that prescription opioids are becoming more expensive and less accessible many people turn to heroin, a much cheaper opiate. Not to mention, but three out four consumers who first started off by taking prescription medication who then became abusive of them now look towards the “high” of heroin. It's no coincidence that opioids, illegal or not can cause severe damage to the consumer that may even lead to deaths due to overdose. Above all, “heroin and other opioid drugs interact with the dopamine levels in the brain,which is what causes the burst of pleasure associated with their use.” (AmericanAddictionCenters) Clearly the abuse of any drug leads to drug tolerance, dependence, and last but foremost addiction.

It is very likely that people given prescription medications do not intend to become addicted or to abuse the medication. They simply want to ease their medical problems. There are numerous reasons a person may abuse or become addicted to prescription medications. Many physicians are over-booked and have busy schedules and don’t take enough time with patients, instead they simply write a prescription and send the person on their way. A second reason is that most addictive medications work quickly and effectively, especially painkillers. A third reason is that many people have a subconscious

It's scary to think that we live in a world where drug addiction is a growing epidemic plaguing families on a daily basis. One of the most common drug abuse problems to date is that of addiction to prescription medications, but more specifically opiates. Opiates are used to help treat chronic and severe pain, but the drug can become highly addictive. In recent years, more people have overdosed as a result of prescription medications than both heroin and cocaine combined.

You see on characters on TV shows and movies, and even real life, that struggle with addictions. Most of the time when you hear the term “drug addict” you automatically think of street drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, or LSD. Not too often do you hear a storyline of someone addicted to painkillers, but the reality of that type of abuse if very real. It has been said that an estimated 2.4 million Americans abused prescription painkillers in a year. This addiction has to have a starting point. A patient could go to the doctor because of a toothache. The doctor then may write a prescription for a simple prescription painkiller. That medication may have a side effect of a relaxing feeling, therefore when the patient experienced this they decided they wanted to have that feeling more. Eventually they will

Prescription drug abuse can lead to addiction, over dose or even death. More and more people are dying each day from drug overdoses. The use of the prescription drugs in the wrong manner can result in several different life altering side affects. Between the three main types of prescription drugs used the side affect can range from repertory failure, seizures, brain damage, extreme weight loss or even death. Our bodies were not designed to take these drugs in such a way. The body becomes dependent on the drugs and withdraws cause serious and painful side affects. The brain creates certain chemicals to help us deal with pain whether it’s mental or physical, and the abuse of prescription drug throws everything out of whack. It’s ironic how something that is designed to help us can also destroy us. (Prescription)

On the medicinal side, people take drugs to make themselves “better” or “perfect”, according to Greenfield. The mind is something that is uncontrollable, certain brains have chemical imbalances causing others to need medication just to function in life, which seems to be overlooked by the author of the article. Medication is there to help people, not hinder them. For example people who don’t get the needed medication for their violent mental illnesses and end up trying to self-medicate through substance abuse have a high chance of being destructive; or those with depression could end up committing suicide because the lack of medical help. But there are other individuals that do abuse drugs to distract themselves instead of focusing on how to fix the problem or problems in their life.

Even if the opioid is prescribed to a patient if they misuse the prescription the abuse and misuse is reported among the patients and health care providers. Some reasons behind the abuse of opioid drugs include self medication, result of addiction, reward of a high, and sold for profit. Patients who are usually involve in the abuse or misuse obtain a prescription from a licensed health care provider and they alter the directions on the label, altering doses for their own benefit. In the duration of the treatment the patient may end up with higher doses of the drug in their blood stream than as originally prescribed. If this continues to happen the patient may become dependent of that “high” feeling the drug gave them.

They can cause health issues. Some of the drugs have hormones made in the body, if there is too much of that hormone it can cause harm to you. Also the average dose is 10 to 100 times what the doctor gives you. People use the drugs together which is called stacking. Furthermore People can inject the drug. If they don’t have medical training they could hit an artery of vein.

Question 1-What other data would you want to collect from Mrs. Collins related to her abuse of alcohol?

The negative effect of alcohol have been well documented and scientifically proven. The United States National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that “1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries.” furthermore “599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 receive unintentional injuries while under the influence of alcohol.” These statistics show just how easy it is for young drinkers to abuse alcohol. Many young drinkers are aware of such statistics. Despite that they continue to consume alcohol. Perhaps we’ll never be able to completely eliminate drinking from our society, historically there have been attempts to ban alcohol in many countries, none of them

Some people would ask why not all people who take the same prescription drug ends up to be addicted to the drug. The answer is simple. When one takes the prescription drug according to how it was prescribed to him – taking the right dose at the right time, this ensures that the drug is able to perform its function without getting the patient addicted to it.