Category: Abuse

The Humanistic theory was first formulated by Carly Rogers who suggests that therapists and counselors need to help clients achieve the best outcomes during therapy and counseling. The theorist suggests that it is the nature of humans to be in control of issues and matters affecting their lives (Lewis, 2013). According to Rogers, one of the ways of achieving this goal is by adopting a client-centered approach to therapy. The theorist argues that counselors play a vital role in assisting clients coping with substance abuse and addiction. The Humanistic theory stipulates that an individual decides to take up the mantle upon themselves to make a change in their lives or solve issues in society.

Moreover, Rogers urges counselors to adhere to multicultural considerations to ensure that they provide aid to the client in line with their cultural values, norms, and traditions. Furthermore, in a community where drug abuse and addiction are rampant, he recommends that a counselor considers the aspects of the communitys culture that could be encouraging this issue and discourage their clients from emulating such cultures (White, 2012). According to the Humanistic theory, counseling sessions also help individuals develop their social interaction skills since they can interact with the counselor in the process. Counseling provides a safe space where individuals can talk through their problems and with the help of a counselor make changes in their behavior and lifestyle to improve their lives and relationships.

The Psychodynamic theory was first developed by Sigmund Freud, a Viennese neurologist. Freud believed that ones behavior or actions are determined by life experiences. Therefore, he insinuates that drug abuse is not accidental, they are influenced by past experiences of an individual (Lewis, 2013). One of the solutions that Freud provides is the use of counseling. He recommends the application of counseling theories in developing a better understanding of the nature of humans, why people abuse drugs and substances, and how addiction occurs (Lewis, 2013). Moreover, Freud suggests that clients play a crucial role in the management of drug abuse. They are the ones to adhere to all the interventions provided by counselors and therapists.

Other than counseling, one of the most effective interventions for substance abuse and addiction is therapy. According to Freuds Psychodynamic theory, therapeutic interventions can be used together with counseling or as an alternative to it. A good example of such prevention is empirically supported treatment (Lewis, 2013). This is the treatment that has been proven to be effective for helping the youth prevent and manage drug abuse. Empirical data on the use of therapeutic interventions with drug addicts indicate that such interventions are effective in the management and prevention of addiction to drugs and substances.

One of the similarities between the two theories is that they encourage both clients and counselors to be responsible for substance abuse and addiction treatment. However, Freuds Psychodynamic theory emphasizes the need for counseling while Rogers Humanistic theory encourages individuals to seek therapeutic interventions. Moreover, the two theorists differ in the roles that clients should perform in solving the problem. Freud suggests that individuals should work with counselors to prevent and manage substance abuse and addiction. Rogers argues that clients should take individual responsibility in managing addiction.

In my view, drug and substance abuse can be prevented and managed through a combination of both counseling and therapeutic interventions. Moreover, clients and counselors need to work together to ensure that the issue is solved. I believe Sigmund Freuds Psychodynamic theory and Carl Rogers Humanistic theory help develop a better understanding of drug and substance abuse addiction.

References

Lewis, T. F. (2013). Substance abuse and addiction treatment: Practical application of counseling theory. Boston, MA: Pearson College Division.

White, T. (2012). Working with drug and alcohol users: A guide to providing understanding, assessment, and support. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Introduction

Adolescent drug abuse remains a big challenge in the world today. It is associated with high morbidity and mortality amongst young people. Also, drug abuse is costly to society. It is crucial to note that the factors behind adolescent alcohol and drug abuse are preventable.

Chakravarthy, Shah, and Lotfipour (2013) provide an analysis of awareness and prevention interventions that can be pursued to mitigate this ill among the youth. This essay provides a critique of an article written by these authors about adolescent drug abuse prevention interventions.

Adolescent drug abuse, awareness, and prevention

Chakravarthy, Shah, and Lotfipour (2013) use the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) strategies to analyze appropriate measures that can be taken to control adolescent drug addiction.

They also refer to recent studies that have utilized different models for reducing the prevalence of drug abuse among adolescents. Through their review, these authors hold an opinion that effective mitigation of alcohol and drug abuse among adolescents should involve all the stakeholders in the community (Chakravarthy, Shah, & Lotfipour, 2013).

They hold that modifiable risk factors such as exposure to drugs, bad parenting, socio-economic status, inherent predispositions, and peer group influence, need to be examined for successful mitigation of the adolescent drug abuse. Also, these three authors opine that families, communities, and primary care provider programs are adequate in the elimination of adolescent drug abuse.

They acknowledge that the lack of prevention programs is one of the reasons why the modifiable risk factors are prevalent. They also argue that preventive programs encourage family bonding, parental behavior change, and quality parental care, contribute significantly to reducing levels of drug abuse.

Furthermore, the introduction of community and school programs help identify personal characteristics of children at an early age. This enhances early management, and hence avoids indulgence in adolescent drug abuse. Finally, they also recognize that primary caregivers play a big role in helping adolescents overcome risk barriers.

This article can be critiqued from different points of view. Despite the interventions being sound, there are several gaps that arise. The intervention does not incorporate the adolescent resistance to the community and primary caregiver programs. It is critical to recognize that during such interventions, there is a likelihood of the adolescents resistance to the program activities.

One critical program is a family preventive intervention; the authors argue that adolescents should avoid drug abuse and change their behavior. However, change in behavior is not adequate in fighting the complex drug abuse enhancing factors.

Individual behaviors can only change if the relevant behavior influencing factors such as culture, religion, ethnic, and other environmental mechanism are understood. Therefore, while implementing community programs efficiently, practitioners should have a deep understanding of these factors.

Feedbacks from an intervention program are very useful. The preventive interventions discussed in the article are silent on the role of monitoring and evaluation of ineffective mitigation of the menace. Feedbacks are useful in providing essential information about the progress of the intervention so that important steps can be taken to strengthen it (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2006).

The article describes one of the most critical intervention platforms that should be utilized in modeling the behavior of the adolescents, as well as the entire community. Mass and social media have grown tremendously in the last decades. This provides a good explanation of how these programs are run (Wakefield, Loken & Hornik, 2010).

Through these media, adolescents can be taught specific skills on drug abuse. For instance, programs that incorporate components of how adolescents should resist peer pressure can be passed through mass media platforms.

Conclusion

The article provides relevant information on intervention programs that can be used to curb adolescent drug abuse. However, it does not enlighten us on how community and primary caregiver programs can be monitored for their improvement. Also, it is silent on how mass and social media can be utilized in the programs. In conclusion, if these factors are integrated into the programs, a remedy for adolescent drug abuse can be achieved.

References

Chakravarthy, B., Shah, S., & Lotfipour, S. (2013). Adolescent drug abuse-Awareness & prevention. The Indian Journal of Medical Research, 137(6), 1021-1023.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2006). Monitoring and Evaluating: Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Programs. WHO. 

Wakefield, M. A., Loken, B., & Hornik, R. C. (2010). Use of mass media campaigns to change health behaviour. The Lancet, 376(9748), 1261-1271.

Drug Misuse and Abuse

Addiction is a recurrent, chronic disorder characterized by compulsive substance seeking and use despite harmful consequences. Because it involves functional abnormalities in brain circuits involved in reward, stress, and self-control, it is classified as a brain condition. These alterations might remain for a long time after a person stops using drugs. It is very similar to other disorders like heart disease. Both interfere with an organs normal, healthy functioning, have substantial negative consequences, and are, in many circumstances, preventable and treatable. They can last a lifetime if left untreated and may even result in death.

Why do people use drugs? People use drugs for a variety of reasons and here are the common reasons:

• To be happy. Drugs can provide extremely pleasurable experiences. Following the initial pleasure, the medicine produces a variety of side effects. Stimulants such as cocaine, for example, produce sensations of strength, self-assurance, and increased energy. Opioids, such as heroin, produce euphoria, which is followed by feelings of relaxation and fulfillment.
• To feel better. Some persons with social anxiety, stress, or depression turn to medications to feel less anxious. Stress can play a substantial role in the initiation and maintenance of drug use and relapse in those who are addicted (return to drug use).
• To perform better. Some people are under pressure at school, work, or in sports to improve their attentiveness. This may impact your decision to try or continue using medications such as prescription stimulants or cocaine.
• Social pressure and curiosity. Teenagers are particularly vulnerable since peer pressure can be incredibly powerful. Adolescence is a stage of life when will accept risk factors such as drug-using peers, which can lead to substance abuse.

When people first use a drug, they may perceive what appear to be favorable effects. They might also believe they have complete control over how they use them. Drugs, on the other hand, have the ability to quickly take control of a persons life. Other fun activities become less enjoyable as drug use continues, and the person is required to ingest the substance just to feel normal (Drug Misuse and Addiction, 2020). They are battling their drug addiction, despite it causing them and their loved ones significant problems. Some people may feel tempted to take more of a substance or to use it more frequently, even in the early stages of drug use, which are addiction signs.

Even modest drug use poses a risk. Consider how a drunk social drinker could get behind the wheel of a car and quickly turn a pleasurable activity into a life-threatening disaster. Occasional drug use, such as abusing an opioid to get high, can result in comparable undesirable outcomes, such as impaired driving and overdose. Another question arises: why do people continue to abuse drugs? Initially, taking medicines is usually a personal decision. Chronic use, on the other hand, can significantly reduce a persons ability to exercise self-control. The loss of self-control is a hallmark of addiction. Physical changes in brain parts critical for judgment, decision-making, learning and memory, and action control occur in people with addiction. These alterations assist in explaining why addiction is so obsessive.

Can we determine whether a person can be a drug addict? Addiction, like other diseases and disorders, varies from person to person, and no single characteristic affects whether or not a person will become addicted to medications. In general, the more risk factors a person has, the more likely they are to take drugs and get addicted. On the other hand, protective factors lower a persons risk. Both environmental and biological risks and protective factors exist.

Genes, developmental stage, and even gender or ethnicity are biological factors that can influence an individuals predisposition to addiction. Genes account for 40 to 60% of a persons risk of addiction, including the influence of environmental variables on gene expression, known as epigenetics (Drug Misuse and Addiction, 2020). Teenagers and adults with mental illnesses are also more susceptible to drug usage and addiction than others.

Factors Affecting Drug Addiction

Environmental factors include family, friends, or other social relations of a person. To look closer at each factor separately:

• Family. The home environment is extremely crucial, especially throughout childhood. Parents or elder family members who abuse drugs and those who break the law can put their children at risk for future drug problems.
• Friends and Peers. During the teen years, friends and other peers might have a growing influence. Teens who use drugs can influence even those without risk factors to try drugs for the first time. A childs struggles in school or a lack of social skills can enhance the likelihood of them using or becoming addicted to drugs.

Moreover, the age when a person starts using drugs affects their addiction. Even though drug use can lead to addiction at any age, the earlier people begin taking drugs, the more likely they are to develop serious problems. This could be related to the negative effects of medicines on the growing brain (Drug Misuse and Addiction, 2020). It could also be the result of a mix of early social as well as biological preconditions. For example, lack of stability in ones home or family, physical or sexual abuse, genetics, or mental illness. Despite this, early use is a major predictor of future difficulties, including addiction. Therefore, drug abuse prevention requires constant parental monitoring and supervision. These skills can be improved by rule-making training, monitoring techniques, praise for good behavior, and gentle, persistent discipline that implements specified family norms. Drug education and information for parents and caregivers reinforce what children learn about the dangers of drugs and allow for family discussions on legal and illegal drug usage. Family-focused therapies for the general population can help improve specific parenting behaviors, lowering the likelihood of drug misuse later.

Aside from social interactions, prescriptions for medicines can be made with the right use of technology, which will help to avoid drug misuse and abuse. Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are state-run electronic databases that track the prescribing and distribution of regulated prescription drugs to patients (Drug Misuse and Addiction, 2020). While evidence on the observable consequences of these programs is still scarce, the use of PDMPs has been associated with lower rates of opioid prescribing and overdose in some states; nonetheless, questions of best practices, ease of use, and interoperability remain unresolved. Interactive strategies like peer discussion groups and addressing issues with parents, which allow for active participation in learning about drug usage and reinforcing skills, are most effective in prevention programs.

Work Cited

Drug Misuse and Addiction. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020.

For this class, the article by Parolin et al., Parental Substance Abuse as an Early Traumatic Event. Preliminary Findings on Neuropsychological and Personality Functioning in Young Drug Addicts Exposed to Drugs Early, was chosen due to its relevant topic. There are many families where parents suffer from substance abuse remains comparatively high, which causes severe problems with upbringing children from such families are exposed to addiction from their birth. The researchers focus on the negative impact of parental substance abuse on child development, leading to addiction problems when these children become teenagers or young adults. Parolin et al. emphasize the increased risks for childrens psyche when exposed to drugs before birth. The long-lasting effects of parental substance abuse led to traumas from adverse parental behavior and biological changes in childrens minds. Therefore, the selected article allows us to determine the problems that negatively affect child development and aggravate the problems connected with substance abuse. It is critical to understand the causes of parental substance abuse and ensure that children do not suffer from it to solve the existing issues with drug addiction and domestic violence. It is possible to hypothesize that parental substance abuse that leads to the inability of adults to care for their children and the traumatization of children in such families are the primary concerns of social workers, psychologists, and educators.

The chosen topic is relevant to the world beyond psychology because it affects different spheres of life. For instance, parental substance abuse damages the behavior of children who live in such families, which becomes a problem for educators. Neurological complications that children whose parents are drug addicts do not allow them to generally study at school, which is a problem for teachers and their peers. These children require an individual approach to learning, which is always challenging for the teacher. Educators need to pay specific attention to these students during the class. Moreover, parental substance abuse is usually connected with the marginalization of the lifestyle. As a result, children from these families are exposed to crime and violence, which affects their worldview. They have greater chances of becoming drug addicts in the future compared to children who are brought up in families where parents are not substance abusers. This situation becomes a concern for social workers because it leads to an increased crime rate in the community and the spread of criminal activities. Possible physical and emotional abuse of children who live in families with parents who are drug addicts is relevant to educators and social workers who are responsible for protecting the well-being of children. Therefore, it is vital to develop a holistic perspective on parental substance abuse and protect children from potential harm.

Parolin et al. focus on various types of traumas children have resulted from parental substance abuse, including dysfunctional development of the nervous system and adverse experience at home. The researchers use the preliminary study to describe the psychological state of children whose parents are drug addicts. They emphasize that this childhood experience is trauma with long-term destructive consequences. There are several ways to prove this hypothesis in the article. The first method is the use of the assessment entitled Esame Neuropsicologico Breve-2, an example of the neuropsychological battery. The second method to prove the claim is the use of Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200, which is the evaluation of personality disorders. The third method is the Symptom CheckList-90-Revised, which has similar functions and provides the researchers with theoretical information concerning childrens states. The critical point is that the surveys feature the answers of adolescents and young adults whose parents were substance abusers. It allows the scholars to evaluate the real impact of their adverse childhood on their personality development. Moreover, it is an effective way to develop and apply effective programs that reduce the damaging effects of parental substance abuse on children. It is possible to describe the approach that the articles authors use as the trauma-focused one. The survey that Parolin et al. conducted among young adults and teenagers who have related childhood experiences allows them to analyze different variants of future that children from the families of substance abusers have. The researchers analyzed the information they received from the survey with the help of the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, which allows them to evaluate both quantitative and qualitative data. Therefore, this information from the focus group allows the researchers to develop objective conclusions on the discussed topic.

The survey results show that the levels of psychological distress among teenagers and young adults who have relevant childhood experiences are different. Their pain level is almost 67 percent higher than their peers whose parents were not substance abusers. They tend to develop the signs of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder combined with psychoticism and hostility. These qualities hurt their interactions with other people and have a destructive impact on their socialization and education. Individuals who were the victims of parental substance abuse in their childhood tend to develop the histrionic and the dependent traits of personality that are combined with high levels of hostility and anti-social traits in behavior. More than 73 percent of people whose parents were substance abusers report low adaptability skills, differentiating them from individuals with a normal childhood. The tests show that the cognitive functions of adolescents and young adults from the families where parents were substance abusers are lower than the exact parameters of their peers from the focus group. The articles authors write about the neuropsychological damage that parental substance abuse has on children. For example, the results of three tests show that the respondents have lower mental flexibility, they perform visual searches slowly, they lack attention, and they have problems with switching between various tasks. Parental substance abuse also impacts the memory of their children, which leads to low results in the tests that suppose immediate recall of information, in the clock drawing test, and in the interference test. Comparing the test results from two survey groups allows the researchers to make conclusions concerning the negative impact of parental substance abuse on childrens neuropsychological, cognitive, and behavioral development, which are evident even when these children become mature.

The authors of the article assert that young people who become drug addicts have a history of parental substance abuse, and this factor makes their state more serious. Children who live in families where parents are drug users are regularly exposed to psychological abuse and physical violence. They do not have the chance to improve their lives because their parents do not support them. Moreover, children from these families suffer from cognitive problems that negatively affect their learning process and integration into society. All these issues are of great importance because parental substance abuse leads to the appearance of the second generation of drug addicts. It becomes a severe problem for society in general that destroys the lives of many children, which foregrounds the need to cope with it.

Parolin et al. do not write about the situation of violence and neglect of children among substance abusers, which is a critical detail in understanding the trauma that children in the families of drug addicts receive. The researchers mention that children from these families cannot adapt to life in the community and show hostility to most people. It is possible to explain it with the neglect from parents who are drug addicts and the lack of supervision from the side of social workers who allow children to stay with such families. In all cases, the investigation results show that parental substance abuse is a severe problem that requires attention from the side of psychologists, social workers, healthcare professionals, and educators. It is possible to talk about the complex traumatic experience that destroys human lives (Parolin, Micol, et al. 11). Children from these families do not receive adequate help from adults when they are young, which leads to the epidemics of substance abuse due to the inability of these people to oppose drug addiction when they become adolescents themselves. Adult people have to reduce the potential harm from parents with substance abuse to children. Otherwise, their lack of action might lead to the aggravation of drug addiction in society and destroy the lives of children who belong to the next generation, which is unacceptable.

Works Cited

Parolin, Micol, et al. Parental Substance Abuse as an Early Traumatic Event. Preliminary Findings on Neuropsychological and Personality Functioning in Young Drug Addicts Exposed to Drugs Early. Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 7, no. 887, 2016, pp. 1-15.

Introduction

Various substances, including drugs and alcohol, are some of the most notable predictors of crime. This issue is particularly relevant for adolescents who are frequently not addicted but rather want to try something new. This curiosity is typical for many teenagers; however, it is critical to address this issue to prevent juvenile crime and save younger adults from potential drug addiction. In addition, many teenagers suffer from unhealthy family environments, where they are continually exposed to domestic violence and parents with alcoholism and drug addiction. Hence, societies should raise awareness concerning the dangers of substance use in adolescents and support struggling families.

Ultimately, the current paper focuses on the topic of drug abuse and alcohol-related crimes among teenagers, showing that substances remain the most notable factor in juvenile crime. Moreover, the tendency for risky lifestyles and family-related issues are the most relevant causes of substance use in adolescents.

Drugs and Alcohol Overview

First, it is essential to examine the differences in drug abuse and alcohol-related crimes between teenagers and adults. There is extensive research that shows that alcoholism and other more severe health complications generally occur in people older than 20 years old (Hammerton et al., 2020). In many cases, violent crimes among adults emerge from substance addiction and the necessity to find more money to buy more drugs and alcohol (Hammerton et al., 2020). In a sense, more adults commit alcohol-related crimes out of necessity because of their medical condition, and they need to consume more substances due to addiction.

The situation is drastically different for adolescents, who, in most cases, do not have drug or alcohol addiction. However, teenagers are generally easy to influence, and they frequently perceive substances as a unique endeavor or a motivator for social relationships (Engström, 2018). Moreover, adolescents who are prone to risky lifestyles are much more likely to try drugs and alcohol (Engström, 2018). The research shows that such behaviors have a positive relationship with alcohol use, the chances of being a victim in a crime, and the chances of being an offender in a crime (Engström, 2018).

It generally means that drugs and alcohol significantly boost the risky aspect of many teenagers lifestyles, eventually leading to their involvement in criminal activity. Another relevant problem is that family-related issues have a significant impact on adolescents likelihood of drug abuse and related crimes (Martin et al., 2020). It implies that adolescents frequently adopt unhealthy behavior patterns from their parents and siblings. The current essay focuses on these two causes of drug abuse and alcohol-related crimes to demonstrate their impact on juvenile crime.

Risky Lifestyles and Substance Use

Adolescents are more prone to risky behaviors and endeavors than adults generally because of a lack of experience and general curiosity. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey highlights that during this age period, people are most likely to try substances for the first time (Jones et al., 2020). Moreover, the study finds that this behavior not only elevates the chances of crime but also increases the likelihood of teen mortality, morbidity, and decreased economic conditions (Jones et al., 2020). Yet, impulsive behavior remains a notable contributing factor to substance use and alcohol-related crimes among adolescents.

Consequently, risky lifestyles enable other associated factors, such as teens socialization with criminals and drug dealers. The study reports that peer and adult coercion into substances has a positive association with risky behaviors among teenagers (Jones et al., 2020). In other words, when adolescents see how drugs and alcohol enable short-term fun, they rarely think of potential consequences and health complications. This problem is highly relevant for teens globally, resulting in a higher percentage of drug- and alcohol-related crimes (Engström, 2018). Moreover, it demonstrates an indirect link between juvenile crime and the glorification of drugs in media and general adolescent perception (Engström, 2018).

In the United States, this problem is more evident due to the differences in how various demographic groups perceive substances. For instance, the report shows that male students are much more likely to try more addictive drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, while white students are more likely to consume alcohol (Jones et al., 2020). These differences show that risky behaviors are enabled by various factors, including the social environment.

Family-Related Issues and Substance Use

Consequently, upbringing and family-related issues have a significant impact on the likelihood of drug abuse and alcohol-related crimes in adolescents. The associated factors include parents alcoholism, economic hardships, single parenting, family stress, and culture/ethnicity (Martin et al., 2020). Adolescence is a highly stressful but significant age period when people are highly susceptible to any type of influence (Martin et al., 2020). In this sense, parents who are prone to drinking/drugs, domestic violence, and even crime will most likely affect their childrens perception of the world.

Consequently, the degree of influence that parents have on their children depends on the age of the teenagers. Hammerton et al. (2020) found that family-related issues are most concerning during earlier phases of development. Namely, children affected by domestic violence or parental drug abuse demonstrate a direct relationship between their age and the likelihood of criminal behavior in the future (Hammerton et al., 2020). In the study, the authors concluded that this influence begins at the age of four (strongest association) and generally finishes at the age of thirteen (weakest association) (Hammerton et al., 2020).

It means that when four-year-old children consistently watch their parents drinking, there is a relatively high chance that they will commit alcohol-related crimes by the age of fifteen (Hammerton et al., 2020). It is a highly concerning statistic primarily because of the high level of domestic violence, alcoholism, and drug addiction among adult parents, who show this example to their children.

Personal Opinion

After reflecting on the topic, I have realized that my opinion aligns with the mentioned facts. In my experience, most teenagers who commit crimes while under the influence usually have family-related problems or are typically prone to risky behavior. However, before exploring the topic, I would have also assumed that peer coercion had a much greater impact on teenagers likelihood to drink and use substances. Nevertheless, most of the examined research demonstrates that risky behavior and family-related issues are much more contributing factors to alcohol-related crimes (Engström, 2018; Hammerton et al., 2020).

In my opinion, it is critical to mitigate these issues in the earlier phases by improving the quality of life for families struggling with alcohol/drug addiction and introducing preventative programs in schools. After all, it is more effective to address the causes of the issue than battle with their consequences, such as alcohol-related crimes among adolescents and potential substance addiction.

Conclusion

Juvenile crime is a relevant problem in the United States, and drug/alcohol abuse remains a notable contributing factor to this problem. The current essay has demonstrated that the tendency to risky behavior and family-related issues are two primary causes of alcohol-related crimes among adolescents. Hence, it is essential to change the perception of substances among teenagers and help families who struggle with finances and drug addiction. Ultimately, focusing on the causes of the problem will help mitigate a large number of crimes and instances of violent behavior among adolescents.

References

Engström, A. (2018). Associations between risky lifestyles and involvement in violent crime during adolescence. Victims & Offenders, 13(7), 898-920. Web.

Hammerton, G., Edwards, A. C., Mahedy, L., Murray, J., Maughan, B., Kendler, K. S.,& & Heron, J. (2020). Externalizing pathways to alcoholrelated problems in emerging adulthood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(6), 721-731. Web.

Jones, C. M., Clayton, H. B., Deputy, N. P., Roehler, D. R., Ko, J. Y., Esser, M. B.,& & Hertz, M. F. (2020). Prescription opioid misuse and use of alcohol and other substances among high school students  Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019. MMWR Supplements, 69(1), 38. Web.

Martin, M. J., Conger, R. D., & Robins, R. W. (2019). Family stress processes and drug and alcohol use by Mexican American adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 55(1), 170. Web.

Introduction

Social problems are inherent when members of a society behave in a manner that is contrary to the acceptable norms and regulations. There are other social problems that are not attributed to behavior but to social structures. Examples of the former are crime, juvenile delinquency, escalating divorce rates and substance abuse.

Examples of the latter are poverty, AIDS and wars. Social problems are many and usually interconnected such that one problem will usually have many causal factors behind it and the factors will also have others that are behind it. Some of the factors leading to social problems are instability of the family institution, psychological problems as well as poor political and economic structures. This paper seeks to look at the role of substance abuse in social problems.

Main body

Substance abuse is a contributing factor to social problems but cannot be said to be the one that is most responsible. For a factor to be more responsible it would mean that eradicating it would mean fewer problems since it has a big share in causing them. Contrary to this rehabilitation of substance abusers and control of problems would not lead to a significant reduction of the Social problems.

According to Lauer 1986, the causal factors can be classified as primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary factors are the root causes of problems whose prevalence results to secondary problems. These secondary problems can also be described as secondary causes of tertiary problems. Substance abuse is a secondary problem and thus cannot be said to be the most responsible. Lauer indicates that social problems are very much inter connected.

Substance abuse is a social problem that can be attributed to the inadequacy of the family institution. Juvinile delinquency can be fuelled by substance abuse in children whereby children indulge in criminal activities like bullying and even theft. A good example is that of street kids who sniff glue which as (The Social Impact) puts it, reduces feelings of hunger, increases feelings of bravery and reduces pain. These features of glue are supposed facilitate their ability to cope with their harsh life. Looking intently at this scenario we find that these street children are not in any family setting. This institution is non existent for them since there are no guardians to mentor or guide them.

This therefore means that the lack of a family institution for these children necessitates their indulgence to abuse of substances and eventual delinquent habits or behaviors. If the substance abuse is dealt with and the children left in those very conditions, of being under no guardian or institution, juvenile delinquency would still thrive. It is also noteworthy that there are children in families with even both of their parents or other guardians that get themselves in the problem of substance abuse.

The explanation of such an occurrence is failure of the family in addressing issues. The parents may be too busy with their schedules and lack time to spend with their children who in turn spend it with the wrong company.

The family institution plays a big role in shaping up individuals right from their childhood to adulthood. This can therefore be classified as a primary factor which if dealt with can contribute to a great reduction in social problems. Substance abuse is characterized by addiction such that one cannot survive without using the substance. Examples of these substances are drugs such as cocaine, heroine, marijuana and alcohol.

There are medicines that are also sold over the counter and abused by being consumed for other purposes than what they are meant for. Substance abusers are usually involved in crime because living on drugs or those other substances that are usually abused is a very expensive affair which many cannot afford with their meager incomes. They therefore have to substitute or complement their income sources through other means which may contravene the laws and statutes of that region.

Other social problems like poverty and wars which are mostly encountered in less developed countries cannot be blamed on substance abuse. The social structures as well as political structures are the ones to blame for that. A country that has poor governance and leadership will always have poverty as a problem. People will be poor even if they work so hard because if the political structures are weak such factors such as inflation, corruption set in and push the economy further down. Poverty also results in other social problems such as crime, juvenile delinquency and involvement in illegal businesses like drugs.

Conclusion

Substance abuse is just one of the many secondary causes of social problems and is also another social problem that is brought about by other causes. Dealing with it does not guarantee a society devoid of problems since it is never an underlying cause. Primary factors can be described as the ones that are more than any other factors responsible for the prevalent social problems.

Drug abuse is becoming a growing social and a public health problem. There are many substances blamed to be of use and abuse. Substances are either licit or lawful (bought legally as tobacco and alcohol) and illicit or illegal as heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, or cannabis. This has influenced public and individual view to the whole problem. Public view on a drug being a licit one, there is no enough cause to face its consumption. Second, being licit, it is available for everyones wide use; yet, the harm is still cropping up (Fagg, pp.1-15). This essay aims to discuss briefly prevention of substance abuse.

On reviewing the literature, substance use, abuse, and dependence are used interchangeably (Fagg, pp. 1-15). Based on the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-TR (2002), both substance abuse and dependence are maladaptive patterns of substance use. The difference is mainly in the decisive factors needed to consider a case an abuse or dependence. Drug abuse is an individual showing one or more of the following signs within 12 months of drug use. Repeated drug use results in failure to fulfill a principal commitment (work, school, social, or family). The individual does not avoid using the drug in possibly risky circumstances as driving or working on a machine. Other signs include repeated use of the drug despite exposure to legal problems, social or family problems caused by, or aggravated by using the drug. In drug dependence, the individual fulfills at least three (or more) of the following signs on condition, signs take place within 12 months of drug intake. First is tolerance, it takes one of two forms , either there is a need to take increasing doses to get the wanted effect or continued intake of the same dose results in reduced effect. Second, drug withdrawal results in symptoms relieved by drug intake. Third, is despite continuous urge to stop the drugs but repeated trials persistently failed. Fourth, longtime, persistent, repeated, and failing efforts spent trying to control the drug intake are signs of drug dependence. Other signs are declining significant commitments whether social, work-related, or leisure-related because the individual keeps on taking the drug (DSM-IV, pp.185-198).

A successful substance abuse prevention program should fulfill the following stipulations (National Institute on Drug Abuse, pp. 2-25).

1. About risk and protective factors: a prevention program should focus on strengthening protective factors, and minimizing risk factors. It should also address all possibilities of substance abuse (single or in combinations) and should be planned for the targeted community.
2. Prevention programs usually give better results if combined (school and family targeted), and delivered at times of transition (as the transition from middle school to high school)
3. It should be research-based in structure, content, and delivery.
4. It should be long-term with interventions or booster sessions, and delivered in multiple settings (school, clubs, family, or religious organizations)
5. Several Meta-analysis studies confirmed that interactive approaches produce better results than non-interactive ones.
6. A successful prevention program should include training of the executive personnel.

Based on data from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), there are three different approaches to choose the one most suitable to the target group. The universal approach, the selective approach, targets a subgroup considered at high risk. Third, is the indicated approach that aims at the subgroup showing early signs of substance dependence (Nebraska Behavioral Heath Program, pp.9-10).

Prevention of substance abuse needs inclusive and intricate approaches that interconnect school, family, and community. Whatever the approach is, it has to rely on an understanding of the psychological, social, and cultural factors behind the problem (Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA, p. 85). Psychological comorbidity is common with substance abuse, Rosack (p.32) stated that smoking in the targetUS population is nearly 23%, in schizophrenia and mood disorders patients tobacco abuse rises nearly to 90%. A figure that points to how important prevention-associated, intervention programs are.

Works Cited

1. American Psychiatric Association (2002). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
2. Disorders DSM IV-TR (4th ed). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press.
3. Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA. UCLA Dept. of Psychology. A resource aid packet on Substance Abuse. 2003.
4. Fagg, D. Adolescent Drug Use. Revolve vol 13 2006. p. 1-15.
5. Nebraska Health and Human Service System. Office of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Addiction Services. SICA Guidance Document For Selecting Science-Based and Promising Substance Abuse Prevention Strategies. By Nebraska Behavioral Health Prevention Program. 2004.
6. Rosack, J. NIDA, APA Collaborate On Substance Abuse Series. Psychiatric News vol 39 (4) 2004. p. 32.

Domestic violence has always been an ongoing issue in human society. Relationships within family units are complex, and people might have numerous motivations for using physical power to affect their family members. This problem was disregarded for years and even centuries; however, due to the unique features of modern society and the significant societal shift towards humanism, tolerance, and equality, increased attention has been paid to domestic abuse in recent years. At the moment, the civilized world condemns domestic violence and has introduced different measures to protect people from this remnant of the past. As one of the main powers that protect the lives and wellbeing of citizens, the police are expected to play the main role in this process.

In addition to domestic abuse, the issues that police face are complex, as there are also non-crime calls that require police attention. In fact, these calls could be important and help improve the polices functioning. The crime prophylactic model states that such calls might help prevent crime and defuse violent situations; the police knowledge model states that non-crime calls improve cooperation with the community and help police officers solve crimes; the social work model proclaims a latent power that prevents lawbreakers from committing a crime; and the community cooperation model suggests that these calls help establish better relations with the community (Walker and Katz 241).

Nevertheless, when investigating the problem of domestic violence, it is crucial to admit that the problem is complex. The close relationship that exists between the victim and the perpetrator is one of the main causes for the increased complexity of this issue. According to the latest statistics, only 28% of people facing domestic violence report it to the police (Walker and Katz 245). Besides, the approaches to this problem vary in various departments across the United States and may include arrest, mediation, separation, referral to social services, or even no action at all (Walker and Katz 244). For this reason, the need for a unified approach became obvious, and mandatory arrest was suggested as this approach.

Mandatory arrest vests a police officer with the authority to arrest a person any time that abuse is reported, without determining whether the person is really guilty or not. The emergence of the mandatory arrest policy coincided with a rise in the movement against domestic violence and was expected to deter it. However, there is still no clear data that either proves or refutes the positive impact of the mandatory arrest on misdemeanor domestic violence. The Minneapolis domestic violence experiment conducted in 1981-1982 showed positive shifts in statistics related to domestic abuse and stated that the adherence to mandatory arrest contributed to an improvement in the situation and a decrease in the number of repeat offenses (Walker and Katz 246). However, the results of this experiment have come into question recently as investigators are confident that it was conducted in an inappropriate way. At the moment, the impact of mandatory arrest remains unclear. First of all, it might discourage people who just want a police officer to calm the situation and suppress the development of violent conflict. Additionally, there are numerous facts that state that people who go through mandatory arrest often become even angrier and may further injure family members (Craig). Finally, adherence to a mandatory arrest might also have a negative impact on peoples desire or willingness to call the police due to the fear of being arrested.

To maintain peace, police officers might need help from different members of the community, including streetwalkers and call girls, who could also help police accomplish this task. Streetwalkers work in the street and know a great deal about the local community, making them good sources of important information about crimes. Call girls, on the other hand, are called by phone and may be able to provide vital data about the dangerous inclinations of a certain individual. For this reason, their help might be very useful.

Works Cited

Craig, Lisa. Mandatory Arrest Laws May Hurt Domestic Violence Victims. uakron.edu, Web.

Walker, Samuel and Charles Katz. The Police in America. An Introduction. McGraw-Hill Education, 2012.

People often abuse substances such as alcohol, drugs tobacco for many varied and complicated reasons. It is very clear that our society plays an important role in the existence of this vice. The major indicators of the increase in substance abuse are the daily cases of health damage in hospitals and the many police reports of crime related to substance abuse. The judiciary has had to rule over cases that show the direct connection between the crime committed and the dependence and abuse of substances in the country. Some drugs are more abused than others and they all affect how society functions. This document through considering prominent authors of the subject of substance abuse will outline the aspects, strategies of the authors in establishing conclusions. The major conclusions discussed by the authors will also be looked into and then thereafter, my personal reaction to how the conclusion reached affects the practice will be given.

There are many people who are in the practice of rehabilitating the American society from the hard hits of substance abuse as stated by Tarter (2002). These practitioners write books and journals to explain and outline the methods through which society can reduce the many substance abuse cases. The personal and social damage that substance abuse inflicts on young people compels the school, the family, and the nation to develop new strategies for treatment and prevention of the substances. According to Deas & Thomas (2001), drug abuse is the use of any chemical substance that causes physical, mental, emotional, or social harm to an individual or to the people close to him/her. America poses the highest level of drug use among young people among the other developed country of the world.

Abused substances produce some form of intoxication that alters judgment, perception, attention, or physical control. This has to lead many of the practitioners to write on the concept and details of Alcohol and other drugs abuse. This is also known as AOD. This part of the document will focus on the details of the drugs abused and alcohol. The abuse of alcohol is the most prevalent in American society. Teenagers and young adults are the main flag bearers of this abuse. Alcohol is viewed by the young in society as a personality enhancer since it leads one to think of themselves as more confident than in normal conditions. According to Glynn, Leukefeld, and Ludford (1984), the American society has a 10% of the population as alcohol dependent or abusers. Alcohol is a brain depressant. Its effects such as lessening of inhibitions, a slurred speech, the decrease in muscle control and overall coordination of the human body are just a few of the many outcomes of its consumption. Alcohol is highly addictive and often leads to alcoholism. In the event that a person wants to quit alcohol consumption, they will experience what the practitioners know as withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include a lot of anxiety, irregular heartbeat, seizures, tremor, and hallucinations. The withdrawer ought to practice nutritional feeding or else they may suffer from a life-threatening malnutrition ailment known as delirium tremens (DTs) as stated by Fisher & Harrison (2009). The many cases of liver failure are attributed to alcohol consumption. Other ailments include heart enlargement and cancers of the stomach, pancreas, and esophagus. The drug often creates impaired vision. This according to many reports is a major cause of road accidents in many states. The overall result of this is the breaking of a stable family and in most cases creates single parenthood.

Tobacco, which is the second most abused substance in America. The common reasons for tobacco use include a source of pleasure, improves performance and vigilance, helps bring relief of depression, curbs hunger, and is used to help weight control. The health hazards that come with cigarette smoking include heart disease, lung cancer and emphysema, peptic ulcer disease, and stroke. Those who opt to withdraw from the abuse of this substance, suffer various Withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include anxiety, hunger, sleep disturbances, and depression. The smoking of tobacco is responsible for many deaths in America annually and the high direct or indirect medical care costs.

There are many other drugs that Americans abuse. Any non-prescribed drug that is meant to enhance human ability or emotion is illegal. The assessment and treatment of substance abuse is necessary in any society. Substance assessment involves the identification of the drugs that are abused and by which society. Treatment on the other hand often occurs after the individual has come to an understanding that he or she needs to stop abusing the substances. Treatment includes therapies and rehabilitation programs. These are not easy as discussed by many practitioners since the clients have a tendency to have a defensive approach to the problem. The client may decide to withdraw from the treatment and waste time in their cocoon of escapism.

Substance abuse assessment is necessary to proceed in treating the victim of the abuse. In order to assess the individual, the social worker or school counselor must acknowledge the reasons that lead to the abuse. The assessment process involves interrogation of medical fraternities on the cases per drug abused that they handle and making a valid report. The report should identify the age groups, sex and at times race of the patient. These factors help to determine the troubled group in society. There are family factors which affect the child who ends up abusing substances. These factors include: Chaotic home environment, ineffective parenting and lack of nurturing and parental attachment for the child. There are other factors beyond the family that lead to development of the tendency to abuse substances. These factors are inappropriately aggressive or shy behavior in the classroom, poor social coping skills, poor school performance, association with a deviant peer group, and perception of approval of drug use behavior as cool and popular. All these factors in one way or the other lead to the addition of the child to what they view as the relevant substance to solve their problem. According to Fisher & Harrison (2009), there is an increase in the number of adolescents who are entering treatment for various substance abuse. These adolescents have social and developmental deficits of great magnitude. At school according to (Fisher & Harrison, 2009), the students display deterioration in academic performance, increased absenteeism and truancy, fighting, verbal abuse, defiance, or withdrawal are visible indicators.

The treatment procedure includes the social worker for example becoming part of the childs daily activities in order to develop a clear insight of what may have lead to the abuse and how to counter it. The substance abusers are often resistant to change and do not always follow through to the set programs and arranged schedules of treatment. They need to be brought to an understanding that their problem is not unique and that other individuals are experiencing the same and have taken the initiative to make appropriate changes as stated by Owen & Nyberg (1983, p.254). At this juncture, group counseling is viewed as the best alternative for the substance abusers. They will interact with fellow victims and work together towards becoming free from their addictions. There are many key groups that deal with these groups such as the A.A. the grouping ensures that there is a supportive environment for one to express and recover from the addiction. Most substance abusers are known to be dependent and show great levels of manipulative traits. They will often deny, blame others and find a rational excuse for their substance abusive behaviour. The group helps the abusers recognize and confront these defenses, it should offer both support and confrontation. The end result will be the resocialization of the individual as stated by Tarter (2002, p. 172). Most social workers and counselors acknowledge that interventions work better than treatment. Interventions are the fore warnings of a substance abuser for example of the dangers of the substance and the results of its addiction. Interventions are based on the observations that have been made and the recommended changes that the counselor sees as fit for the abuser.

The treatment procedure may be informed of counseling or inform of medical care. The substance abuser in most cases faces other problems and these problems need to be solved concurrently with the cause of substance abuse. The abuser may suffer from health, occupational, legal, familial, and social and financial problems. The American government has made its priority to curb the great levels of substance abuse and create a drug-free environment for the generations to come while maintaining a clean generation of young people. The government has continued to invest heavily in keeping the program on its toes. The social worker ought to know when to intervene on the addict or abuser he or she should choose to address the issue when the addict is calm and not under the drugs influence. The social worker then should lay out the consequences of the addicts actions by making them understand the value of the changes they ought to make. The key steps of the intervention include: the family of the individual should stop what the social workers call the rescue missions. Most family members see interventions as ways of victimizing their family members and hence they protect them against confrontations and rehabilitating procedures making the process slow. The family members may also play the role of enabling the addict to continue in the trend by fixing all the problems they cause and bailing them out of jail and misfortunes for example. The social worker has to consider the best time to intervene. The social worker should be specific and address the issues head on. The worker should also state the consequences to the addict hence justifying the need for the intervention. The family and friends of the addict should be brought in to help the worker find strength in numbers to be able to deal with the addict all around. The worker should listen to the addict or abuser in order to administer relevant treatment. The worker should not base their judgment based on their personal experiences but rather on the situation at hand.

The media and the society at large are responsible for the many misleading concepts of substance use and the pursuit of fame and greatness in the world. In the treatment process, the abuser is educated on how to make quality judgments from the pressures of his or her environment and from the media. A major boost to the fight against substance abuse is education on substance abuse. Schools programs and clubs ought to have an awareness module that helps the young in society to know the consequences of substance abuse. The students will also get a chance to meet individuals who have encountered substance abuse-oriented problems and relate what they have learnt. To most students, the encounter with such individuals is experienced daily from home. Every family in America has had an encounter with a substance abuser either directly or indirectly. Most of the clients social workers meet have problems that are linked to substance abuse as stated by (Fisher & Harrison, 2009). There is a need therefore for the social worker to embrace the changes in society regarding substance abuse. The social worker must understand the frame of thought of the addicts and relate to their problems from a professional point of view. The practitioner has to separate humane reactions from the professional expectations. The worker has been bound to legally protect the expressions of the client and in the event that the worker exposes the details of the client to help them out they may be sued or their license may be revoked.

Personally, I perceive the conclusions by substance abuse workers as relevant and informative. The authors have made it clear that there is need to educate children and their families on the vices of substance abuse and addiction. The addict is a product of his or her environment. The social worker has a great role to play in rehabilitating the individual. The social worker should play the role of a counselor, friend and confidant, to the victim for there to be effective change. The family of the victim should also provide a supportive structure for the victim without creating room for excuses and withdrawal tendencies from the rehabilitation program. The conclusions of the authors have greatly affected the practice of social work or counseling. The professionals are now forced to consider the patient or client from a personal involvement without necessarily getting into a personal rapport. The problem is viewed from a broader perspective hence bringing in more team players. This move may lead to great dispute among the involved people and lengthen the rehabilitation procedure.

The social worker has a duty to create an understanding in the addict of the consequences of his or her actions. The addict should view the effects of the consequences as personal and affecting society at large. The social worker should address the problems that exist in relation to the substance abuse to get effective results. This tends to limit the social workers time per client due to the many agendas per client that he or she has to deal with. Every patient ought to receive specialized treatment. The social worker has a duty to every of his client. They ought to maintain a code of silence while at the same time help the institution that has hired them to maintain a drug-free environment as stated by (Fisher & Harrison, 2009). These aspects require a lot of intelligent judgments and actions.

The family also plays a big role in the development and treatment of substance abuse. Study shows that individual from families that experience substance abuses tend to follow suit. The teenagers in those families experience at times violent encounters from parents and siblings and may take it out on the students in their institutions of learning. This may be the leading cause of bullies in schools and the pulling of hateful pranks. The social worker has a duty to make the child not to blame themselves for the problems that exist in his or her setting to a point of seeking refuge in substances. The worker has the role also of making the parents realize the intensity of their addiction problems on their childrens progress. The social worker in a high school for example has the duty to create awareness on substance abuse against the popular messages of the kids who are viewed as cool and who use drugs. The American government has also lend a hand in the fight against substance abuse by providing enough material to educate the society on drug abuse. The government has also set up rehabilitating programs for substance abusers.

In conclusion, there are various ways of substance abuse assessment and treatment. The models of approaches help the social workers to be able to relate to the substance abusers. The drugs that are commonly abused are alcohol and tobacco. The two substances have brought many health and social problems to American society. The main reasons assessed to be the causes of drug abuse include parental problems, peer pressure, stress and personal development issues. There is need however for every individual to identify that drug abuse is a current problem that needs to be addressed. Treatment occurs in two types namely behavioral treatment or medicinal. Behavioral treatment will lead to an analysis of social issues that affect the person leading them to substance abuse. The document has looked into the various ways that social workers address the treatment procedures and how the problem of addiction can be tackled. Substance abuse is related more to the social needs and occurrences of both society and individual and hence should be handled by the relevant societies. Millions of Americans lose their lives to substance abuse and these need to change. The state authorities and the society of various parts of the state should work towards making America a drug-free state. These will result to a society that has an almost ideal state of existence.

Reference

Deas Deborah, Thomas E. Suzanne. (2001). An Overview of Controlled Studies of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment. American Journal on Addictions 10:2, 178-189

Fisher, G., & Harrison, T. (2009). Substance abuse: Information for school counselors, social workers, therapists, and counselors (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Glynn, J., Leukefeld, C., & Ludford, J. (1984). Preventing Adolescent Drug Abuse, Intervention Strategies. Rockville, MD: ERIC Clearinghouse.

Owen P. & Nyberg L. (1983). Assessing alcohol and drug problems among adolescents: Current practices. J. Drug Educ. 13: 249254

Tarter, R. (2002). Etiology of Adolescent Substance Abuse: A Developmental Perspective. American Journal on Addictions 11:3, 171-191

The series that is built on substance abuse disorders is Breaking Bad. In order to pay for his treatment for cancer, Walter White, a chemistry professor, turns to producing and selling methamphetamine. Walter White collaborates with Jesse Pinkman, a former student with a history of drug abuse. Jesse helps Walter distribute the drugs because he already has an established drug network. In addition to distributing drugs, Jesse is addicted to methamphetamine, which is indicative of a stimulant use disorder. The most obvious signs of his substance abuse disorder are frequent tremors, psychological problems, such as heightened anxiety, interpersonal issues, precisely anger issues, and conflicts with others.

The number of people suffering from substance abuse disorders, especially methamphetamine use disorder, has risen in the United States. In 2020, approximately 0.6% of the population had a methamphetamine use disorder, which is about 1.5 million people (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2021). Substance abuse disorder is a recurring theme in movies and TV shows because it is a prevalent social problem.

As for Jesse, he meets the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for stimulant use disorder. He gradually increases his meth intake, attempts to control use, fails to fulfill obligations at work and school due to use, and experiences interpersonal problems. For example, his parents forced him to move due to his drug use. His meth addiction strains his relationship with everyone in his life. Jesse made numerous unsuccessful attempts to control his use, including joining Narcotics Anonymous. He also spent a lot of money to obtain meth and even squandered Walters money in this quest. He experienced psychological trauma due to his girlfriend dying after both of them abused meth and heroin. Additionally, Jesse displays abusive behavior, including withdrawal and tolerance, causing him to seek pure meth. It is evident that the character Jesse Pinkman battles severe substance abuse disorder.

However, while the character embodies the symptoms of a stimulant use disorder, there are missing symptoms, such as rotting teeth, acne, or constant itching. One course of treatment that could have been beneficial for Jesse is inpatient drug rehabilitation. This involves staying in a healthcare facility to receive services such as therapeutic and medical treatments. Inpatient rehabilitation would be effective because it would remove Jesse from the outside environment where he had easy access to drugs.

References

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.