...Substance Abuse to cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Military Veterans face many life changing stressors while away on active duty as well as when they return home. To cope with the stress, drugs and alcohol become a way to self-medicate and cover the unseen pain. Substance abuse, because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is a coping mechanism for some of the nation’s Veterans, but with proper medical attention, treatment is possible. PTSD can occur after a traumatic event, in which there are four types of symptoms: reliving the event or flashbacks, avoiding situations that may trigger memories, and feeling numb or detached from life (“United States Department of Veteran Affairs”, 2013). Many classifications of drugs are abused to help cope with the different symptoms of PTSD. Unfortunately, substance abuse has negative consequences and in return, increases the stressors experienced once home. Treatment and recovery options are available to make the coping a positive experience. There are several risks associated with serving this country, such as leaving home at a young age, training for combat, seeing explosions, witnessing innocent by standards injured and killed, and attacks by the enemy. Returning home is also stressful for many Veterans; mentally and physically life is different, personalities have changed, and the perspective on beliefs are not as they once had been. Some find themselves easily angered, irritated, and no longer finding joy in...
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...never been more important. Many of today’s youth actively and proudly engage in criminal activities, with much of it being spurred on by gang activity. The lack of structure within the lives of adolescents and lack of discipline has created a generation of unlawful, disrespectful delinquents that are difficult to successfully integrate into society. This column reviews three article that take an in depth look at what can cause this scenery to play out for youth and what some of the solutions may be to the problem. The first article examines the connection that has recently been discovered between level of functioning and the recidivism risk for offenders based on that. The second article takes a look into gang life and how the use of drugs within gangs plays a vital role in the ability of youth to successfully integrate into society. The third article reviews the developmental aspect of juvenile delinquency and how serious juvenile offenders are often overlooked in many studies dealing with mental health social disorders. Level of Functioning and Recidivism Shepherd, J. B., Green, K. R., Omobien, E. O., (2009). Level of functioning and recidivism risk among adolescent offenders. Adolescence. 40, 23-32. In this article the author’s main focus is that there should be more attention paid to the level of functioning in adolescent offenders. The idea that delinquent’s affective intervention can take place without properly taking into account these children’s problematic domain...
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...Some veterans aren’t so lucky to come home and live a completely normal life. More times then not veterans tend to come home dealing with PTSD (Post traumatic Stress Disorder), or they become be highly addicted to drugs and alcohol. These veterans try to cope with their Post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by drinking heavily, using drugs, or smoking too much. People coming back from service have more problems with drugs and alcohol both before and after getting PTSD. Even if someone does not have a problem with alcohol before a traumatic event, getting PTSD tends to increases the risk that he or she will develop a drinking or drug problem. Eventually the overuse of these substances can turn into Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and treatment...
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...Mental illness paper Athena M. Blythe HCA/240 December 14, 2014 Ismaila Ramon Mental Illness Paper There are several types of anxiety disorders. The anxiety disorder that I chose to write about is post-traumatic stress disorder also known as PTSD. A person with PTSD has experienced an overwhelming traumatic incident. Most think of veterans of war having PTSD. Actually PTSD is more common than you think. It can happen because of a car accident, a fire, a rape, child abuse, or even events like September 11,2001. Patients with PTSD experience the traumatic event repeatedly and can last for months or even years after the original event. Over the years there have been many studies to diagnosis and help treat patients with PTSD. Post-traumatic stress disorder was officially introduced in the psychiatric world in the 1980 according to the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III) by The American Psychiatric Association (APA). However the signs and symptoms can be noted as far back as the fifth century. During the First World War soldiers were showing signs of fatigue, impaired vision, nightmares, confusions, and seizure like tendencies. Medical professional didn’t understand the cause and called this reaction “shell shocked” since there were no physical evidence of trauma and as a result the behavior was often perceived as being a coward. In fact some believed that based on the idea that soldiers were faking their psychological...
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...What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder has been around for a long time. In fact, it was first recorded as Da Costa's syndrome during the American Civil War. Usually associated with military service, PTSD is also called "shell shock" and "battle fatigue." But it doesn't only affect war veterans - it can also affect civilian men, women, and children who have experienced particularly traumatic events. PTSD occurs after a distressing event, like war, terrorism, torture, natural disasters, accidents, chidhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, or rape. Usually the disorder begins within three months of this experience, although the disorder can take years to appear in some cases. Common PTSD effects include extreme fear, depression, and anxiety. Generally, post-traumatic stress lasts only for a short period (6 months) but in some cases the disorder can become chronic and last for years. Post-traumatic stress affects both men and women, and can affect children as well. Women are much more likely to suffer from the disorder though - of those women exposed to a traumatic event, 20% will exhibit symptoms of PTSD, and 30% of those women will develop chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. What Causes PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder is caused by a traumatic event. However, there may be other causes of PTSD. In some cases, the sufferer may have been predisposed to development of the disorder before this event occurred. Men and women with a history of drug or alcohol abuse, experiences...
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...have a misrepresentation of drug addiction. If you were to ask someone their definition of a drug addict, that person would already have a preconceived “imagine” of what a drug addict looks like and how they act. People tend to focus more on the physical attributes rather than the foundation of the internal struggle. See, we were taught at a very young age to “say no to drugs” “hugs not drugs” but in hindsight the severity of addiction was never taught. Currently, I am working in a disease model treatment program. This particular case will be a dual-diagnosis treatment plan. 25 Aug 2015, approx. 2200. Candace James, 28 year old single Caucasian female was admitted to Capella Hospital after being brutally attacked and sexually assaulted for allegedly prostituting for crack cocaine. Patient is in stable condition and being held for 24 hours for further observation. Per the police report, charges for possession of crack cocaine will be dropped if patient seeks treatment. Patient was referred to treatment by the hospital social worker. 26 Aug 2015 approx. 0900, I met with Candace regarding treatment options. Patient was noncompliant with further medical treatment and experiencing severe withdrawal from crack cocaine but willing to seek treatment. Patient has no previous treatment history for addictive behavior. Patient admits she was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from an unknown provider for chronic history of physical and sexual abuse by men. Patient is unemployed...
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...including abuse, addiction, family breakdown, and PTSD. Abuse in families or relationships is a factor of youth homelessness. "The current body of research indicates that abuse, breakdown, and disruptive family relationships are common contributing factors to youth homelessness." Children...
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...Kerrigan Essay #3: The Expository Essay 31 July 2012 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD- Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health problem that can occur after one goes through a traumatic event in their life. Today, military people or people who struggled with challenges, such as injuries caused by the attack on September eleven, could have been experiencing the PTSD. Doctors, families, Psychologists, and scientists are very concerned about this disorder and are finding right ways to resolve this problem. Some scientific studies have been completed over the past few years. The studies were regarding the impacts of combat deployments and their relation to spouse abuse. Research in the article “Psychology of Violence” shows that numerous psychological and behavioral outcomes are related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The most common symptoms were depression, alcohol intoxication, and spouse abuse. The September eleven, terrorist attack, serving in military, and being deployed into a war has a direct impact on soldiers and their families. The article gives us three studies that examined the effects of deployment on spouse abuse. The first study discovered that returning Army soldiers report abuse rates that lasted longer than six months (McCarroll et. al.,2000). The second and third study found no association between deployment and self-reported spouse abuse during a post deployment period neither wives nor soldiers reported it (McCarroll et.al., 2003)...
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...The topic of marijuana as a medical drug for treatment has sparked much controversy. Generally people tend to be fiercely on one side, for or against medicinal marijuana, while many remain undecided, believing much more research is needed. Recent studies on medicinal marijuana show benefits in its use for cancer, seizures, and post-traumatic stress disorder but conflicting reports cause doubt in its benefits. Some studies have found that both compounds found in marijuana tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is a psychoactive chemical and cannabidiol (CBD) which is a non-psychoactive chemical found in the marijuana plant, to have cancer fight properties. Cancer research has shown that marijuana can drastically reduce nausea associated with chemotherapy...
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...Military Veterans From research studies, military veterans aren’t well compensated for their service in the military. Not only are they not well compensated, there were many combat soldiers coming home with anger issues, PTSD, depression, and other psychological problems. According to research, half of the homeless individuals are military veterans not just an opinion but it’s a proven fact. Veterans are often not honored, as they should be. Why aren’t they? Another question is why aren’t our veterans not well taken care of? No health insurance for veterans First, scientific studies show that working age veterans don’t have health insurance. According to Genevieve Kenney, a senior fellow with the Urban Institute and co-author of the report...
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...Suppositions I have chosen to examine the following two suppositions: trauma as a major cause of addiction and the War on Drugs as an abject failure. I decided to discuss these suppositions because I have worked with several clients diagnosed with substance use disorders that report extensive histories of primary and secondary trauma. Many of the clients had similar stories to that of some of the Edgewater homeless that they grew up in environments where drugs, alcohol, and sex work were present on a daily basis. I decided to discuss the War on Drugs an an abject failure because as an African American, I see how the War on Drugs has disproportionately impacted the African American population in such a negative way. I am also eager to gain...
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...Veterans with PTSD: Should Society Get More Involved? November 11th, also known as Veterans Day, is the day citizens all over the United States celebrate the soldiers who serve for America. A person can tackle his or her daily duties under the protection and services of the soldiers fighting for freedom. Soldiers put in work everyday and sacrifice more than what a lot of people realize. But most importantly, veterans and soldiers alike are human too, meaning they also have problems and struggles in life; most commonly Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Because of soldiers’ great sacrifice to protect civilians and their country, more actions must be taken to assist in reintegrating veterans with PTSD back into society. When dealing with a particularly...
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...is vital, especially when working with high risk individuals and groups. High risk families can be defined as those families with a higher than expected risk for developing a particular disease or injury in association to their lifestyle, environment, habits, or socio-economic conditions. Post active-duty war veterans are a group that is at high risk for developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can lead to physical, psychological, and social problems. These problems not only affect the veteran but also strongly alter the health and lifestyle of the entire family. The objective of this paper is to present the health profile and behaviors of PTSD veterans, describe assessment models and theories that are applicable to the patient and family, and identify Healthy People 2020 objectives that relate to this high risk group. In addition, the paper will present nurse intervention strategies based on health promotion and prevention as well as the role of advanced practice nurses as case managers. Health Profile According to the Mayo Clinic (2012), PTSD “is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event” (p. 1). After experiencing severe trauma or a life-threatening event, many deployed war veterans develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Many feel as though their lives or the lives of others are in imminent danger in which they have no control. These feelings develop...
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...Can Medication Generate a False PTSD Event? Silverback Psychology/610 October 11, 2014 Dr. Jane Manson Can Medication Generate a False PTSD Event? During the past few decades, many soldiers have returned from war (Dessert Storm, Dessert Shield, Iraq, and Afghanistan) with having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic experience and sleep disorders. Traumatic experiences have a different effect on each person. Each person that went to war had a different mission. Each of these soldiers has experienced different variations of the war from their contributions. Some of the soldiers have been medicated during the wars, and some are being treated after the wars. Many have been on medication prior to the war and sent with these medications. This doctrine is going to depict if medications and drugs, whether legal or illicit, have caused a kind of PTSD event within this special group of people. The people that make up the military force and veterans are approximately one percent of the population of the United States. This is a much-diversified group of people. They comprise of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. These are further broken down to reserves and national guards. They also come from different ethnic backgrounds, race, male and female alike. Many reports have been made in the media about the soldiers that have returned about the various treatments they have experienced and care that has been provided them. The...
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... however, had not been approved by the FDA nor had the drug undergone clinical trials. The DEA placed a ban on MDMA in 1985, since the ban MDMA has not been used for legal psychotherapeutic treatments. Until recently, MDMA was believed to have no clinical value, and was not used for more than a party drug. New research has also been conducted to determine how MDMA affects the brain, and the FDA has approved phase three clinical trials. Studies have shown that MDMA cures people who have been suffering with PTSD. MDMA originally dates back to the beginning of the 1900s in the country of Germany....
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