Chemical Use Assessment/ History and Treatment Recommendations - Research Paper Example

Chemical Use Assessment/ History and Treatment Recommendations name Liberty University Chemical Use Assessment/ History and Treatment Recommendations This assessment will give clarity on the reality of Jay W’s situation. It is set to determine whether it is a clinical case, caused by other means and whether there are other means to solve and deal with the situation. The focus will be to determine Jay’s state in the addiction state. To determine this, his religious, social, emotional and physical status will be determined thus, aiding in giving accurate results of what is exactly happening to him. Reason for assessment An abnormal situation can be defined as deviation from the norm. This begs for thorough investigation of the background information. This is diverse; background information could range all the way from before birth to one’s current age. The range would vary from religious physical, social and all other socially related fields. This is not an informative for classification of Jay’s situation as abnormal. The exact reason for this analysis is to determine what Jay’s situation is and how to deal with it. If a student with an outstanding GPA starts to get low results and the drop is constant, inquiry into why there is a sudden drop of grades that cannot be explained should be carried out. The world has created a sort of rubric that allows the grading of what is expected of a fully functioning society. Thus, the normalcy of a society is dependent on how the environment and heredity affect them. The most affected is personality and behavior; this is because it encompasses interaction with the social aspect of the environment. People tend to relate well when they are in public, and thus we are viewed by how we portray ourselves in public. The same reason that anything out of the ordinary always catches attention enough to make an analysis, and try to determine the cause of the abnormally. Jay started out as a bright student, and from nowhere started flunking in school and his parents saw the need to seek professional help. This is the main reason for conducting this assessment. The assumption is, taking up position as Jay’s psychiatrist and analyze all the information regarding his past and present life. Anything diverse enough that could have led to who he is now. Try to justify his behavior with the activities in his life. The hope is that Jay’s life history will give us a clear understanding of who he is and his outlook on life will enable us find a way to solve a problem, if there is one with a workable solution that will yield immediate results hopefully. To determine whether his desire for whatever he is taking is either considered use, abuse or dependency on alcohol. Sources of Information The information used in this psych-social analysis of Jay was given by Jay himself, and his parents. Background Information Jay becoming part of the study was not at fault, like earlier explained deviation from what is considered societal norm often calls for attention. Jay was born under normal conditions, normal delivery with no complications during delivery. He grew up needing very little help and later became a bright student, and even was enrolled in the gifted class. His first year of college signaled the beginning of his troubles as he flunked out of his first year of college. He seems to value his education as his parents threatening to cut out his college funding, forces him to agree to see a therapist. Jay comes from a family of both hard working parents a mother who is a neurosurgeon, and a father who is a research scientist. This is a clear show that his effort and input into the education sector could very well be genetically inclined. As bright as his parents and focused on venturing into the scientific world as he wants to be a chemical engineer. Both his parents have a history of alcoholism, from his paternal side both his father and grandfather displayed alcoholism and form his maternal side his grandfather. Jay’s drinking started at an early age of twelve but was brushed off by both his parents as just a stage which would pass. The situation worsened after he totaled a car and was charged with a DUI that led to revoking of his drivers’ license. Jay’s family has done whatever they believe possible to stop him from drinking too much. They both signed up for AA so as to give him support. Jay dropped out off the AA group, his situation seems to worsen as he drinks more than he used to when he started drinking. His friends have aided in his drinking, they drink as he does. The problem worsens when his girlfriend leaves him. Jay does not recognize the gap in his life, the problem he has with drinking. His girlfriend does not acknowledge his friends, maybe because she probably believes that they could be the reason for his heightened drinking habits. Current Status Currently Jay’s situation is still the same, stopped going to AA as he believed nothing was wrong with him, his average intake of alcohol passed the normal level of what would be called normal. This is analysis of his behavior ever since he started taking alcohol to determine his current state in terms of use, abuse and dependency. Indicators of Use/Abuse/Dependency Not all impacts of alcohol intake are considered harmful. The use of a substance is the taking of alcohol or drug, abuse is the harmful use of alcohol use or drugs and dependence is getting an addiction to drug or alcohol. Attitude and behavior Jay’s behavior drifted from normal after he flunked out of college. This though, was not the beginning of a different trend in his life. He started drinking early in life a situation that led to him losing his driving license. He feels AA meetings are not important for him and all they do is talk about war, stories that are not of interest to him. His drinking pattern shifted to twelve packs or more over the weekends and he extended his weekends from Thursday all through to Monday. His friends are like him and drink just as much alcohol as he does. Jay believes that the drop in his grades is because of his teachers are not as knowledgeable as they should be thus, he finds going to class dumb. Jay does not acknowledge his parents efforts in trying to help him through the situation he is in. This in so many ways shows how much he believes that he has no problem. Trying to make someone change when they do not see the need to change is tricky as it makes the whole situation be difficult than it should naturally be. Jay wants his girlfriend back but does not realize that she left him because of his drinking behavior and his friends who also drink as much. Social functioning Jay’s life revolves around pushing almost everyone out of his life. By not accepting to stay through the whole AA process with his parents, he slowly is killing their desire to help him. Unlike his girlfriend they cannot easily abandon their child when he is going through a situation; a rough patch in his life. The same reason as to why they are worried about him dropping out of school. Jay does not get to interact with other people who are not into alcohol as much as he is. His friends drink as much alcohol as he does, his only other source of oblivion would have been his girlfriend and his parents but he is shutting them out too. By not attending classes his social interaction is limited, thus in his world alcoholism is permitted and there is nothing wrong with it. Occupational functioning Jay has stopped attending his classes; he feels his teachers do not have anything to teach him as they are not as bright as they should be. Financial aspects From the results of the case study Jay’s parents have used so much money to try and change the behavior of their child. Jay avoiding classes has led to a drop in his performance. This could very well lead to his failure in life if not controlled. To maintain a drinking habit requires money as alcohol is not cheap. Jay spends over seventy dollars a week on beer. This means the amount beer he drinks in a week is too much. He claims that he gets broke before the end of the month and blames this on his parents who give him only one thousand dollars a month. If Jay would stop taking alcohol his finances would very well last him through the month without him being broke. Since he is a bright student another option would be for him to look for a part time job if he felt his financial situation was not working out well for him. Familial relationships The relationship between Jay and his parents is deteriorating. To his parents he was a wonderfully bright, straight ‘A’ student who changed to a young man who cannot survive without alcohol. Their love for him has not stopped, evident from their input in trying to find ways of changing the trend in Jay’s life. Legal history Jay has a history with the law when he received his DUI. So far the only notable brush with the law. Health history Jay’s health history is not described much in the case study; the only health information is in regard to his drinking habits. Spiritual history Jay’s spiritual history is not described in the case study. Diagnostic Impressions Alcohol use is simply the taking of alcohol. Alcohol abuse involves a pattern of drinking that leads to clinical distress. Several factors symbolize alcohol abuse. If three or more of this factors occur within the same twelve month period then it marks as alcohol abuse. They include: Recurrent use of alcohol resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to alcohol use; alcohol-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household) Recurrent alcohol use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by alcohol use) Recurrent alcohol-related legal problems (e.g., arrests for alcohol-related disorderly conduct) Continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of alcohol (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences of intoxication) ( DSM-IV-TR). Alcohol dependence just like alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that leads to clinical distress. It is marked by three or more of the following occurring anytime in the same 12 month duration: Need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or desired effect; or markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of alcohol The characteristic withdrawal syndrome for alcohol; or drinking (or using a closely related substance) to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms Drinking in larger amounts or over a longer period than intended. Persistent desire or one or more unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control drinking Important social, occupational, or recreational activities given up or reduced because of drinking A great deal of time spent in activities necessary to obtain, to use, or to recover from the effects of drinking Continued drinking despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to be caused or exacerbated by drinking (DSM-IV-TR, APA, 2000). Jay’s situation shows his lack of knowledge to what is happening to him. He states that his friend help him drink thus, he feels he does not drink all the alcohol he buys on his own. He agreed to go back to counseling not because he believes he had a drinking problem but to find a way to get his girlfriend back. So far according to the case study he has had only one run off with the law in the case of the DSM. The DUI criteria suggest that three or more of the characteristics have to be observed within a twelve month period. In the alcohol use section Jay’s DUI case shows that he engaged in alcoholism despite causing an accident and his driving license was confiscated. These are two cases, but later in college it is notable that he drinks more than is expected, he undergoes a psychological problem when he is worried about his girlfriend who left him because she felt he hang around friends who did nothing but drink. He skips classes as he feels his teachers have nothing new to teach him. If Jay understood his situation and saw the need to seek help he would be classified as an alcoholic dependant but he does not even realize there is need for him to seek help. He therefore has made no attempts to cut down on the level of drinking. According to the case study there is an indication that Jay does not drink alcohol or as much alcohol between Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and only shows much interest from Thursdays onwards to the weekend. He started missing classes and the same reason has led to a drop in his grades. Jay’s situation can be described as abuse of alcohol as he easily can work through the week without alcohol. Also because his girlfriend assumes his friends are causing him to drink this is an indication that whenever he is around her he does not drink. Thus he is in the abusive stage but would roll over to dependency if his condition is not treated soon. Recommendations Jay has a problem that he is not aware of; the first step towards his treatment will be to help him understand that he needs help. It has been noted that most alcoholics who become abstinent did so in spite of treatment but not because of it. Thus, Jay has to see the problem at hand only then will treatment be effective. There are several methods of treatment of alcohol abuse, these include alcohol education, group therapy, one or more types of counseling. There is also medicine treatment which can either be oral, or injection and detoxification (Doweiko, 2012, p.401). A willing party would easily be admitted to an alcoholics centre or hospital and undergo detoxification which is not an easy process. Often painful and many people often fall back to the same trend which they are trying to avoid. Jay has either surpassed counseling or interventions need to be made for him to understand the essence of the AA meetings which are more like counseling sessions for alcoholics. Jay has shown willingness to attend the counseling if it will help him get his girlfriend back. This should be seen as an opportunity to help him, let him know what he can do to get his girlfriend back and open route for him to see his problem. Alcohol abuse just like any other drug abuse starts with a small intake which later depending on the satisfaction it achieves mounts up to become a serious case. The steps towards helping Jay can be as follows: Asking his girlfriend to encourage him to go for counseling In the counseling session, effort should be put to dig deeper and fins out what caused the habit of drinking. Encourage him by letting him know that the first step towards getting his girlfriend back is by stopping the abuse of alcohol. Lower the source of stress if the cause is psychological, if parents ask them to join in the therapy for the healing process and if school take a semester off. Keep him away from his friends who drink with him, this might be difficult thus it has to be done gradually. References American Psychiatric Association. (APA). (2000) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: APA. Doweiko, H. E. (2012). Concepts of Chemical Dependency (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Office of the Surgeon General (US); National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (US); Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US). (2007)The Surgeon Generals Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking. Rockville (MD): Office of the Surgeon General (US); 2007. Appendix B: DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44358/ Read More