...Substance abuse is considered a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress as manifested in a twelve month period by at least one of four criteria: (1) recurrent substance use resulting in failure to fulfill major obligations at work, school or home (e.g., poor performance at school or work, neglect of children or younger siblings); (2) recurrent substance use in hazardous situations (e.g., driving while intoxicated); (3) recurrent substance-related legal problems (e.g., DUIs); and (4) continued substance use despite having recurrent interpersonal problems related to substance abuse (e.g., arguments with family members about consequences of intoxication) (Sussman, Skara, Ames, 2008). The most commonly abused substances include alcohol, tobacco, and illegal and prescription drugs. Often times, a user will develop an addiction to one of these substances. When an individual abuses a substance or develops an addiction, and require the use of a rehabilitation service, he or she may either be voluntarily or involuntarily admitted, such as through the Department of Corrections or drug courts. Substance abuse treatment has proven to be a successful rehabilitation tool. Empirical evidence has shown that substance abuse treatment is a cost effective method for addressing substance abuse and that treatment is effective in limiting substance abuse, criminal activity, and improving quality of life outcomes for as many as five years...
Words: 2460 - Pages: 10
...Substance Abuse Treatment Substance abuse is considered a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress as manifested in a twelve month period by at least one of four criteria: (1) recurrent substance use resulting in failure to fulfill major obligations at work, school or home (e.g., poor performance at school or work, neglect of children or younger siblings); (2) recurrent substance use in hazardous situations (e.g., driving while intoxicated); (3) recurrent substance-related legal problems (e.g., DUIs); and (4) continued substance use despite having recurrent interpersonal problems related to substance abuse (e.g., arguments with family members about consequences of intoxication) (Sussman, Skara, Ames, 2008). The most commonly abused substances include alcohol, tobacco, and illegal and prescription drugs. Often times, a user will develop an addiction to one of these substances. When an individual abuses a substance or develops an addiction, and require the use of a rehabilitation service, he or she may either be voluntarily or involuntarily admitted, such as through the Department of Corrections or drug courts. Substance abuse treatment has proven to be a successful rehabilitation tool. Empirical evidence has shown that substance abuse treatment is a cost effective method for addressing substance abuse and that treatment is effective in limiting substance abuse, criminal activity, and improving quality of life outcomes...
Words: 2476 - Pages: 10
...R. (2014). Health Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach. (4th ed). New York, New York: Worth Smart Recovery (2015). Stages of Change. Retrieved from: http://www.smartrecovery.org/resources/library/Articles_and_Essays/Stages_of_Change/Stages_of_Change.pdf Family Doctor (2004). Mind/Body Connection: How Your Emotions Affect Your Health. Retrieved from: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/emotional-wellbeing/mental-health/mind-body-connection-how-your-emotions-affect-your-health.html Burke, D. (2015). Health Line. Alcoholic Hepatitis. Retrieved from: http://www.healthline.com/health/alcoholic-hepatitis#Overview1 Heuman, D. (2016). Medscape. Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatment & Management. Retrieved from:...
Words: 1359 - Pages: 6
...Adolescent Substance Abuse Isaiah.R 3/27/14 In society today, a common problem among teenagers is the use of drugs. Teen age years are probably the most challenging periods of life. It is a stage of finding yourself versus confusion of knowing oneself. Belonging and being accepted in a group seems to be very important, as well as being “cool”. Troubled, teens turn to things such as drugs to help Suppress or ease the emotional/mental pain of things such as the common rejection. During these years of maturing, teenagers encounter their share of positive and negative experiences. Peer pressure, curiosity, and the availability of drugs are some of the factors that youthful and vulnerable teenagers have to cope with in their young lives. One of the significant reasons for teenage drug use is peer pressure, particularly from the influences among friends, acquaintances, school, and the media. If a teenager’s main social group is using drugs, then there is a strong pressure due to the fact that drugs are present and can easily be offered. Also, the person might get convinced to think that there is nothing wrong with trying drugs because “everybody else is doing it.” In the effect that teenagers will try drugs just to fit in the social norms, they might do it to impress their buddies to be considered “cool” as part of being in the group and gain acceptance by friends. The issue of using drugs is everywhere in this country and around the world. It’s available and accessible...
Words: 3108 - Pages: 13
...ALCOHOL Philip J. Cook and Michael J. Moore Duke University and NBER Prepared for the Handbook of Health Economics, Joseph P. Newhouse and Anthony Culyer, editors. Thanks to Michael Grossman, Will Manning, and Harri Sintonen for their very helpful comments. All errors remain the authors’. Abstract Excess drinking is associated with lost productivity, accidents, disability, early death, crime, neglect of family responsibilities, and personality deterioration. These and related concerns have justified special restrictions on alcoholic-beverage commerce and consumption. The nature and extent of government involvement in this arena vary widely over time and place, and are often controversial. Economists have contributed to the evaluation of alcohol policy through empirical work on the effects of alcohol-control measures on consumption and its consequences. Economics has also provided an accounting framework for defining and comparing costs and benefits of interventions, including excise taxes. Outside of the policy arena, economists have analyzed alcohol consumption in the context of stretching the standard model of consumer choice to include intertemporal effects and social influence. Nonetheless, perhaps the most important contribution by economists has been the repeated demonstration that there is nothing unusual about alcohol in at least one essential respect: consumers drink less ethanol (and have fewer alcohol-related problems) when alcohol-beverage prices are increased...
Words: 21217 - Pages: 85
...Analyzing Psychological Disorders University of Phoenix Axia College Part A Schizophrenia is a disease that affects the forebrain, hindbrain, and limbic system. The forebrain is the anterior and largest part of the brain. This part of the brain functions to control sensory, and motor function, cognitive function, reproductive function, eating, sleeping, emotion display, and helps to regulate temperature. The hindbrain is the part of the brain that helps to coordinate posture, motor activity, balance, and sleep patterns, and helps to regulate essential but unconscious functions like breathing, and blood circulation. The limbic system is essential in the regulation of motor activity and emotional expression. Schizophrenia has a strong genetic component. Patients, who have an immediate family member such as a parent or sibling, have a higher chance of developing schizophrenia. Other factors that have been believed to contribute to schizophrenia, like high levels of stress during pregnancy, traumatic injury, toxins, infections, and autoimmune reactions. Symptoms of schizophrenia include: * Bizarre delusions- delusions of being controlled by an outside source * Inappropriate- failure to react appropriately to emotional events. * Hallucinations-imaginary voices controlling behavior. * Incoherent thoughts-illogical thinking or peculiar ideas. * Odd behavior-talking in rhymes, long periods of...
Words: 1428 - Pages: 6
...Elderly patients that had a history of prescription drug abuse and alcohol abuse early in life are more likely to have issues with abuse later in life. As noted by Olivera Bogunovic, M.D.’s article “Substance Abuse in Aging and Elderly Adults”, it is estimated that early-onset substance abusers make up two-thirds of the geriatric alcoholic population and patients who developed late onset abuses were thought to be due to by major life events that commonly occur with aging (Bogunovic). Examples of these major life events range from dealing with the death of a loved one, or a change in one’s own health status. A patient’s chance of abusing prescription drugs increases if the patient abused alcohol earlier in life. The mentality of taking a pill as a “cure all” will also lead to potential drug abuse in elderly...
Words: 1507 - Pages: 7
...Alcoholism is a prominent substance abuse issue in Western society. The treatment method of controlled drinking as opposed to abstinence is a continuing cause of controversy in alcohol research to this day. The US is different from Europe in its acceptance of controlled drinking as a goal of treatment: “in the US alcohol dependence is typically depicted as a ‘recurring disease’ and the ‘successful abstainer’ as a ‘recovering’ though never ‘recovered’ alcoholic” (Coldwell, 2005). Depending on the alcohol abuse patient’s individual characteristics, either controlled drinking or abstinence is chosen as a treatment. Alcohol treatment in Canada, however seems to incorporate both mechanisms as shown in the study by Rush and Ogborne (1986).The study states that goals for one third of clients who were non abstinent were accepted depending on whether it was a residential or community-based outpatient service. Other effective methods in treating alcoholism are pharmacotherapy, behavioral method and self help manuals. This paper will discuss different therapeutic interventions while highlighting the controversy between controlled drinking and abstinence. Alcohol abuse is growing rapidly throughout U.S. society. One in every twelve adults is being diagnosed with alcohol abuse (Barlow and Durand, 2006). All that are diagnosed with alcohol abuse must meet one or more of the following criteria within a twelve month period: he/ she must fail to accomplish major work, school or home responsibilities;...
Words: 2780 - Pages: 12
...INTRODUCTION Addiction is specifically concern with the process by which drug-taking behavior, in certain individuals, evolves into compulsive patterns of drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior that take place at the expense of most other activities and the inability to cease drug-taking. THERE ARE FIVE THEORIES OF ADDICTION NAMELY; * MEDICAL MODEL * PSYCHODYNAMIC MODEL * SOCIAL MODEL * MORAL MODEL * BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL MODEL MEDICAL MODEL This involves * Addiction as a “brain disease” * Neurotransmitter imbalance * Disease model: * Agent: drug * Vector: dealers * Host: addict PSYCHODYNAMIC MODEL This involves the following * Drug abusers who are self-medicating * Drug abuse which is a symptom of underlying psychological problems * Drug use is also a maladaptive psychological coping strategy * Drug abusers also need to resolve internal conflict, and when they do, drug use will be unnecessary. SOCIAL MODEL This involves * Drug use as a learned behavior * People using drugs because drug use is modeled by others * Peer pressure * Environmental effects leading to drug use MORAL MODEL * Addicts are usually weak and can overcome a compulsion to use with willpower * Drug abusers are anti-social and should be punished for that * Drug are generally evil BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL MODEL * All the above are true, to greater or lesser degrees * Each person’s drug use is a result of some aspects of some or all...
Words: 3596 - Pages: 15
...What Is An Alcoholic? What Is Alcoholism? An alcoholic is a man or a woman who suffers from alcoholism - they have a distinct physical desire to consume alcohol beyond their capacity to control it, regardless of all rules of common sense. According to Alcoholics Anonymous UK, who say they have no unique definition for alcoholism, it may be described as a physical compulsion, together with a mental obsession. Apart from having an enormous craving for alcohol, an alcoholic often yields to that craving at the worst possible times. The alcoholic knows neither when nor how to stop drinking. Definition - an alcoholic is a person, while alcoholism is the illness. An alcoholic suffers from alcoholism. Alcoholism is a long-term (chronic) disease. Alcoholics are obsessed with alcohol and cannot control how much they consume, even if it is causing serious problems at home, work, and financially. Alcohol abuse generally refers to people who do not display the characteristics of alcoholism, but still have a problem with it - they are not as dependent on alcohol as an alcoholic is; they have not yet completely lost their control over its consumption. Moderate alcohol consumption will not generally cause any psychological or physical harm. However, for some individuals, social drinking eventually leads to heavier and heavier alcohol consumption, which does cause serious health and psychological problems. Alcoholism in the UK - one in every 13 people in the United Kingdom is...
Words: 4303 - Pages: 18
...Alcohol use in elderly Alcohol is part of our culture- it helps us celebrate and socialize and it enhances our religious ceremonies. In one word is social drug and in other word is depressant drug. Depressant drug because it slows down the messages travelling between the brain and the body. How does alcohol affect older adults? * When adults age 65 and older drink the same amount of alcohol as younger people, their blood alcohol levels are typically 30 to 40 per cent higher. The higher blood alcohol concentration results from an age-related decrease in the amount of body water in which to dilute the alcohol. Therefore, although they can metabolize and eliminate alcohol as efficiently as younger persons, the elderly are at increased risk for intoxication and adverse effects. * One reason for this is that older bodies tend to have less alcohol dehydrogenase available. This is the enzyme in the stomach that starts to break down alcohol before it reaches the bloodstream. * Women in general have less body water than men. * A higher blood alcohol level is associated with a higher risk of intoxication, cognitive difficulties and problems with balance and co-ordination. * Older adults’ sensitivity to alcohol may also be heightened by medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension or dementia or by medications. Signs of alcohol problems in older adults * Focusing on how much alcohol an older person is consuming is not overly helpful in determining if a problem...
Words: 1156 - Pages: 5
...Psychology Committee Report By Lynda Joy Green Instructor Remo Obertello 2/6/2011 Health psychology is a specialty area that focuses on how biology, psychology, behavior and social factors influence health and illness (about.com, 2011). The field of health psychology is all about promoting healthy lifestyles as well as prevention and treatment of disease and illness. Gadsden Regional is establishing a committee of five specialists in different fields of psychology: a substance abuse counselor, inpatient-only psychologist, child psychologist, adult psychologist, and a clinical psychologist. This committee will work together to study the mental and health illnesses that arise within the Psychology Department and provide specialized treatment in each area of recovery. The Psychology Department will provide treatment and care for a wide range ages and different abuse areas. Everyone from children to older adults, drug and alcoholic abusers, and people with psychological disorders or those just having problems coping with everyday stress will be able to obtain the help they need. The substance abuse counselor will be responsible for coordinating the use of recovery and structured programs substance abuse. The substance abuse counselor will coordinate with a social worker in order to research the patient’s addiction, addiction habits, frequency of abuse, abuse patterns, and identify thinks that might trigger the patient to abuse whatever substance they...
Words: 2174 - Pages: 9
...Maranda Harris Chris Bishop English 1302 12 October 2014 Should Non Violent Drug Offenders Be Imprisoned? With so much overcrowding and financial problems, it is obvious that non-violent offenders should not be incarcerated but instead they should be offered alternatives to incarceration. This argument will discuss the benefits of offering another option to offenders who have not committed a violent offense. Rehabilitation has been proven to be an effective alternative when offered to non violent offenders who are usually addicts. By incarcerating people who are not a threat to others and have not committed a violent crime we are simply wasting space in prisons that could be better used to house violent offenders such as murderers and rapists. In addition to wasting space, every state that continues to jail non violent offenders is wasting money. They are wasting money not only for salaries of correctional facility employees but also on housing and feeding these inmates. The amount of money it takes to keep a person imprisoned for one year is unbelievable. The average cost to house an inmate in California over one year is $47,102. (Brown, 2009) In Wisconsin that number is $31,806, much closer to the national average. (National institute of corrections, 2008) Think of all the money that could be saved by referring non violent offenders to rehabilitation instead of putting them in jail. Even with all the spending done each year on inmates, they are just as likely to...
Words: 1544 - Pages: 7
...DRUGS AND ALCOHOL Introduction The use and misuse of alcohol and other non-prescription drugs is one of the more controversial issues in our society, and often a source of conflict between generations and between sections of society. It’s not the purpose of this page – or of the NTU student counselling service – to tell people how to behave or to seek to label them as alcohol or drug abusers. However alcohol and other drugs are powerful substances with a potential to harm users; we would encourage people to take care of themselves when considering using them and to avoid taking any risks which they might regret later. No universal classifications ignore the fact that significant alcohol and drug use is an accepted part of many social groups. What is seen as risky or inappropriate behaviour by one group is accepted as normal by another. Use of drink and drugs can be classified as – 1. Abstinent – no use is made 2. Controlled – people have made a conscious decision have evaluated the risks and can stop if they want. 3. Impulsive – use is unpredictable and can lead to unexpected accidents and harm. However this is not continual or dependent use. 4. Habitual – the use of alcohol or drugs have become a significant and important part of the person’s lifestyle. Stopping would not be easy. 5. Dependent – there is a high degree of physical and psychological addiction. Alcohol and drug use disrupts or rules the person’s life. Stopping is not possible without considerable support...
Words: 3956 - Pages: 16
...Analyzing Psychological Disorders Lynn Bible PSY/240 December 2, 2012 Pam Stoelzel Analyzing Psychological Disorders Schizophrenia, drug abuse, and anxiety are all complex psychological disorders. When helping someone that suffers from these disorders, you must understand how and why they work the way that they do. All three disorders come with symptoms that can cause people not blend in with society and live a normal life. The right kinds of treatment can help people to overcome the symptoms of these disorders and live a normal life, but they are not curable. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia affects the most crucial parts of the brain: the forebrain, the hindbrain, and the limbic system. The forebrain includes the cerebral hemispheres (hypothalamus, thalamus, corpus callosum, and the limbic system). It controls cognition, sensory and motor functions, temperature regulation, hunger, sleep cycles, and emotional expressions. The frontal lobe of the forebrain causes positive symptoms of schizophrenia like delusions. The temporal lobe of the forebrain distorts sounds and visions causing hallucinations. The hindbrain includes the pons, medulla, and the cerebellum. Schizophrenia affects this part of the brain causing the negative symptoms as in distorted motor functions, body language, and catatonic behaviors. The limbic system includes the hippocampus and the amygdala. The functions of this area of the brain are regulated emotions, memories, learning, and...
Words: 1959 - Pages: 8
