Substance Use Disorder, Misuse, And Dependence Essay

Substance abuse as well as addiction is a topic many people choose to ignore or tend to believe that it does not affect them. Addiction itself does not seek out certain types of people but can affect anyone, at any time, for any reason. Stress, per pressure, financial trouble, even genetics all play a role in substance abuse and addiction. Unlike others, I don’t see substance abusers as weak willed but instead in need of guidance and someone to talk to about their problems. That is why, when I decided to go to school I was very interested in becoming an Addiction Counselor. I am one of those types of people who really enjoy learning new things and coming up with solutions for myself or others. The biggest reason that I decided to go to college was to find a job that I was actually fascinated with and wouldn’t dread going to work day in and day out. The biggest concern I have for my future job is stability and job availability. One area that I don’t really find high on my priority list is the money. I want to be able to make enough that I can survive and even thrive at times but I’m not looking for a job just for the financial gain. If I’m going to spend my life in a working profession it might as well be doing something I love.

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

Alcohol Use Disorder, most commonly known as Alcohol Abuse or Alcohol Dependence, is widely known as problem that occurs with individuals who consumes an enormous amount of alcohol on a regular basis often in a single use. The individual is consumed with the thought of drinking most of the time and often feel as though they need it to continue with living their daily lives, even though, they are not really living at all because the enormous amount of alcohol causes a dysfunction for their daily tasks. It inhibits their ability to take care of their family, have social relationships and performing activities at work. It is believed that genetics can play a massive role towards an individual developing an Alcohol Use Disorder.

Substance abuse offenders experience a myriad of challenges when attempting to re-enter the community. First, per Marlowe (2011), substance abuse offenders have obstacles when it comes to an increased risk for relapsing. Sadly, once the offender is discharged into the community, almost a third of inmates go back to their old ways of abusing different substances. This obstacle is problematic for the offender since they have been incarcerated, and without drugs for a significant period of time. Therefore, their tolerance has now decreased, so if they relapse and use the same high amounts of drugs they were using before incarceration, they are at a significantly high chance for overdose.

Substance abuse disorders impact, not only the user, but their families and children as well. The impacts experienced by children and families can be categorized into three main life functions: Physical, Intellectual, and Social/Emotional. Physical Children and families being cared for by a parent with a substance use disorder are at risk for not getting regular and as-needed medical and dental care. Children and families may not always have healthy, regular meals and in some circumstances may be malnourished.

Adolescence is a time where adolescents grow and mature at a rapid rate. It is also a time where adolescents are more vulnerable to taking risks, such as using and becoming addicted to illegal substances, due to raging hormones. Whether or not an adolescent chooses to engage in drug use and abuse depends on their home environment and those they choose to associate themselves with. Adolescents are confronted with an enormous amount of pressure to participate in risky behaviors by their peers. According to Broderick and Blewitt (2015), “risky behaviors are behaviors that constitute a departure from socially accepted norms or behaviors that pose a threat to the well-being of individuals or groups” (p. 389). One such risky behavior is drug use and addiction. Some adolescents use cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs in order to get “high”. Adolescents who engage in drug use are likely to become addicted, and thus, their addiction will negatively affect their brain development.

Substance abuse disorders are common in our society. It is a disorder that each one of us will most likely experience through a family member, friend, or our self. I felt very drawn to this topic due to the fact that I have a family that has background of substance abuse and I myself have battle the demon. Not until I struggled with my own addiction did I become more tolerable and understanding to those that have a substance abuse disorder. Substance abuse is not something anyone wants to have; it is a disorder that takes control of a person’s life. It is a beast that tears a person apart; from their being to the lives of their loved ones. This disorder is not biased in anyway; rich or poor, male or female, employed or unemployed, young or

I heard you say there are many factors that could influence substance abuse issues in today’s society. I personally have never witness any drinking or smoking during a repast after a funeral. I would find it odd, but would have to respect drinking at a repast after a funeral if it is tradition. From my perspective, I belive it depends on the individual belief and religion. In muslins countries drinking after a funeral is very common. According to Dueck and Johnson (2016), significant life experience for an individual with a Jew background would be to drink during social events.

When you see the word addiction, you might immediately think of the use of illegal substances, but there is actually more than one definition for this word. The word addiction, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, is defined as “a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble)”, or “an unusually great interest in something or a need to do or have something.” Addiction, most commonly known as a condition that causes dependency of particular things.

Substance abuse accounts for a high number of deaths in the United States. Alcohol is the third leading cause of deaths in the country with approximately 88,000 deaths occurring annually (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). In contrast, almost 40,400 annual deaths are related to the use of illicit drugs. As reported by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (2014), 24% of youths in the eighth grade, and 64% in the twelfth grade, have used alcohol in the past year. Of the adolescents ages 12-17, 11.6% have used alcohol in the past month, 6.2% have engaged in binge drinking, and 5.6% have smoked cigarettes (Fisher, G.L., & Harrison, T.C., 2013). Substance abuse is defined as the continuous use of alcohol and/or other drugs despite consequences in one or more areas of a person’s life (Fisher, G.L., & Harrison, T.C., 2013). Substance abuse relates to other problems, such as illegal behavior, family conflict, poor academic performance, lack of respect for authority, deficiencies in self-confidence, and psychiatric symptoms (Liddle, Rowe, Dakof, & Henderson, 2009). Although substance abuse is a prevalent issue, interventions have been implemented to assist these individuals in making a change.

Substance abuse and addiction have become a social problem that afflicts millions of individuals and disrupts the lives of their families and friends. Just one example reveals the extent of the problem: in the United States each year, more women and men die of smoking related lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined (Kola & Kruszynski, 2010). In addition to the personal impact of so much illness and early death, there are dire social costs: huge expenses for medical and social services; millions of hours lost in the workplace; elevated rates of crime associated with illicit drugs; and scores of children who are damaged by their parents’ substance abuse behavior (Lee, 2010). This paper will look at

Alcohol abuse is a serious problem, driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs is an even bigger problem that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Abusing either one of these substances can lead to the death of you or the death of someone else or even cause a major change in their life like Jacqueline’s story, her whole life has been changed because of another person’s ignorance and carelessness. Therefore, you should know the facts about drug and alcohol abuse before you do something you may regret for the rest of your life.

Persistent substance abuse among youth is often accompanied by an array of problems, including academic difficulties, health-related consequences, poor peer relationships, mental health issues, and involvement with the juvenile justice system. There are also significant consequences for family members, the community, and society in

My reflection paper is on the subject of substance abuse. As the structure of society changes, the acceptability of one drug or another changes. I have dealt with my own experiences of substance abuse personally and through family and friends throughout my community. I believe there are many underlying problems Native people face today that lead to substance abuse. So, drug use and alcoholism is not the problem in my town, those are more like side effects of something deeper. I would have to agree most with the symbolic interactionist perspective as far as the labeling theory goes. There are also many images in the media that depict the use of drugs and alcohol to make it seem like even though it is bad, it is sometimes okay. These images sparked my own curiosity to experience a fun high or a night out with friends and hopefully getting lucky. I had so many questions about drug use and alcohol. My older siblings and cousins were involved in those circles so it was only natural that me and my cousins and peers who I grew up with got into smoking marijuana and buying drinks on the weekends. I did not know at the time about the dangers of underage drinking. I also had very little knowledge of the condition of my mental health at my young age. Eventually I found out that I had an addictive personality and I got myself into a downward spiral of substance abuse.

In relation to life skills education, the following problems related to mental well and behavior of children can be resolved: (WHO)