Substance abuse remains a prominent issue affecting men, women and adolescences young as “age 11.”

As a counselor in training and an advocate for individuals’ mental health and wellness, I chose to become an official member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and create an advocacy project to enhance adolescent mental health and wellness by advocating for more available protective factor to reduce substance use and abuse among this population. The purpose of this paper/project is to address and improve the rate of substance use and abuse among adolescents in Pitt County, more specifically in Greenville, North Carolina. This paper goes into great detail of the description of the population (adolescents), providing statistical evidence of adolescents’ use of drugs in Greenville. An increase in youth involved community activities, community service work and parental involvement will be discussed as ways to create a healthy, anti-drug, and stable environment for adolescents in Greenville, North Carolina.

Addiction is thought of a biological nature that is past through genetics according to the biological theory as explained in P2. A contrasting theory of the biological theory would be the classical and operant conditioning theory, this was made by Pavlov. The basis of conditioning theories is that addiction is the end result of the reinforcement of drug use. The drug acts as a reinforcer and gains control over the user’s behavior. In contrast to the biological models of the exposure theories, these conditioning models suggest that anyone can show addictive behavior if they are given reinforcements, regardless of their genetics. The advantage of this

According to current statistics released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, “In the United States in 2011, there were an estimated 25.1 million adolescents aged 12 to 17. In the past year, more than one quarter of adolescents drank alcohol, approximately one fifth used an illicit drug, and almost one eighth smoked cigarettes” ("A Day in the Life of American Adolescents," 2013, para. 1). Substance abuse is major problem amongst adolescents. Some are experimenting, but some adolescents may become dependent on a particular substance. If one becomes dependent on a substance as an adolescent it could be detrimental to their future health and success as an adult. Spear (2003) stated in an article titled Alcohol’s

Adolescence, usually defined as individuals between the ages of 12 and 20, is a period of transition, brain development and challenges1, 2, 3. Adolescence is the peak time to engage in risk taking behaviors2. Substance use is a common occurrence among adolescents. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse has identified adolescent substance use as one of the United States’ top public health concerns4. In fact, an individual’s chance of becoming a cigarette smoker drastically declines if smoking is not initiated by the time the individual is 18 years old. Alcohol and Marijuana are the most commonly used substances among adolescents1,2,3. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Study, the Center for Antisocial Drug Dependence, Monitoring the

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) describes addiction as a, “chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences” (“Understanding Drug Use and Addiction,” 2016). Long-term use can effect and change a person’s ability to learn, judge, and make decisions. Stress, memory issues, and behavior problems are also common side effects of extended drug use. There is not one single factor that can determine if a person will become addicted drugs. However, certain risk factors have been identified as predicting higher probabilities of addiction because of a person’s biology, environment, and development. Adolescents who abuse

Sometimes one may find that difficult times can cause him or her to use a substance. A counselor is working with a client named Miguel. He is a sixty year old Mexican-American. Miguel has been unemployed from a job that he has worked at for twenty years. He has taken pride in supporting his household and helping to pay for his children’s education. His three children now live on their own. The counselor should identify assessment tools that will help the Miguel to overcome his drinking problems, reach a diagnosis, and identify concerns that should be addressed.

Though it is important to realize that intervention is not necessarily limited to assisting addicts in the cessation of drug use, and that this process can include harm reduction approaches. In terms of use discontinuation, methods involving the decriminalization or legalization of substances have allowed for counselors and doctors to more effectively help addicts in cutting and eliminating use all together. An example of counselors working with unhealthy drug users is the Taipas Treatment Center in Portugal, “the team will try to build a safe, trusting environment where you can do something you have been running away from for years - express your emotions, and tell your story truthfully” (Hari 242). This type of program would be beneficial because imitating emotions and developing trust are crucial, which allows previously isolated and shamed individuals a chance to create healthy bonds with others (Hari 242). On the contrary, for individuals not ready to attempt abstinence, legal prescriptions of the addictive drug with a patient control of doses would cause them to stabilize and eventually minimize use (Hari 221). Ultimately, this intervention technique would eliminate major stigma elements, like isolation, that cause rehabilitation to become harder for

Addiction is formed by an initial choice fueled by external beguiling factors. From the time we are born, we know absolutely nothing, our minds are a blank slate. In fact, according to Jean Piaget’s cognitive stages of development, the mind does not begin to think abstractly from concrete ideas or reason until the final stage (formal operational), which lasts all the from age twelve and on. Because of this, we can deduce that at any age in our development, we are susceptible to external factors influencing our behavior. With that being said, a person’s decision to participate in the use of any substance is influenced by much more than their knowledge that it is “wrong”. Peer pressure, stress, curiosity or even medical practices can ignite the choice to abuse substances. The majority of addictions that begin in the pre-teen and teenage years stem from their exposure to drugs and alcohol in the media, many even claim that

(maintained abstinence/sobriety for than twelve months), or is in a controlled environment, such as a treatment facility, where access to alcohol is restricted (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 491). Individuals presenting two or three symptoms are considered to have a mild severity disorder, those who present four or five symptoms are considered to have a moderate severity disorder, and individuals presenting with six or more symptoms are considered to have a severe disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 491). These criteria help care providers diagnose alcohol use disorder among a variety of populations, including adolescents, and are similar to the other substance use disorder criteria that are listed in the

It is my hope that throughout the development of this research paper I will be able to furnish an assessment tool that identifies the risks of the clients, in conjunction with finding the best evidence based interventions that would help to facilitate change. After careful consideration, I have chosen to look at the 2nd case study with Terrance who is a 21 year old male who resides at home with his grandmother. He is currently coming in to be seen because his grandmother has been noticing his drinking recently and doing drugs. Terrance reports that his grandmother seems kind of depressed because he has gone to using substances as a way to deal with his stress and that he has tried to stop using substances and even sought help but it

Liddle, H. A., Rowe, C. L., Dakof, G. A., Ungaro, R. A., & Henderson, C. E. (2004). Early

After much discussion and research upon the subject matter of drug use and addictions, the author has come to a conclusion. The basis for the author’s “Self-directed Addictions Project” will revolve around the recreational drug use among teenagers and young adults, as well as the foundations of such use. Having personal experience and considerable interest in the aforementioned topic, the author will be able to delve into various commonalities in which contribute to drug usage at such a young age. The author also has many connections within the addictions field as many family members are involved in law enforcement or the medical field. Interviewing these people will give reliable and direct information regarding the subject matter.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) reported that more than eight million children younger than age 18 live with at least one adult who is struggling with substance abuse, a rate of more than one in 10 children. The majority of these children are younger than age 5. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2010). Children that have one or more of their parents that are addicted to drugs are at a higher risk for negative experiences in their lives compared to children that do not, including poorer health, risk for harmful behaviors, physical and mental delays, and a higher susceptibility to using substances themselves. The development of attachment theory by psychologist John Bowlby and family systems

Partner. A study as cited in Fleming, White, and Catalano, (2010) found that couples who were dating or co-habitating but not married tended to have heavier levels of substance abuse than those that were married. Yolanda talked about how whenever she was in a relationship the main activity it centered around was using substances, and because of this she feels she has never had a truly healthy relationship. At the present time, she is single and feels that she does not have the time or energy to put into a relationship. She also feels that she is not far enough along into her sobriety to be able to have a genuine relationship and wants to work on herself and building her relationship with her son before she gets involved with another partner. Currently, she is good friends with her son’s father for her son’s benefit, but she feels it can never be more than that because he still uses. She knows if she gets back together with him it could cause her to relapse.

to govern much of the individual’s behavior. The most extreme case of drug use is the