Drug Use and Abuse - Case Study Example

Assessment 2 Outline Identification of the problem behavior Exactly what needs to be addressed? Conceptualization of the problem - how can we understand and explain the offending behavior? What sort of rehabilitation program should the individual do and why? What would be the objectives of such a program? How would you evaluate the outcomes? Based on the current literature, how successful is the program likely to be for this offender? Introduction Individuals’ behavior is determined by their upbringing, socioeconomic status, and peer pressure. Many individuals are subject to their drug related criminal activities. Therefore, they require immediate intervention in order to regain their lost normal personalities. A proper program is created in order to ensure that there is successful rehabilitation of substance abusers. This paper explores a case study of Bill, who has drug problem. In the paper, Bill’s actual problem is addressed, the conceptualization of the problem, rehabilitation, and the evaluation of the program’s effectiveness. Identification of the problem behavior Bill is a 32-year old prisoner who has committed numerous criminal activities and has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for theft. Explicitly, Bill suffers from drug addiction as a result of drug abuse which he began at his teen age. He is known to have used amphetamine-type-stimulants once a week for the past few years. In addition, the drugs that he uses include Ecstasy, Cannabis, Heroin, LSD and other hallucinogens. Ever since he indulged himself in the drugs, he has been found on the wrong side of the law on many occasions. Besides, he has been found guilty of many offenses that are connected to drugs. Additionally, Bill has a problem of stealing from close family members and relatives. He does this as one of the ways of sustaining his dependence on the drugs. Clearly, this behavior is as a result of poor upbringing and drug addiction. Therefore, substance abuse has forced him into theft. Although he admits his mistakes and promises to change for the best, Bill does not take total responsibility of his actions, and even ignores the damage he has caused his family and society. What needs to be addressed? In Bill’s case, there are certain issues that need serious attention in order to solve his problems. Firstly, Bill is experiencing a problem with drug addiction that results from the use of the aforementioned drugs. Secondly, Bill has developed an undesirable behavior that enables drug abuse and crime, which needs to be changed through various rehabilitative measures. Theft is another serious crime that requires urgent intervention in order to help Bill become a responsible person in the society. Because some of his problems are family-related, Bill needs a different environment that enables him to realize his mistakes and change for good. Conceptualization of the problem In an attempt to conceptualize this problem, there is a need to understand the theoretical issues that are relevant to it. One of these concepts is the social learning theory. According to Siegel and Welsh (2011, p.52), there are various elements of socialization among individuals. One of them is the family influence. Here, lack of adequate parenting affects and damages the child’s maturation processes. Therefore, children who grow up in a family that lack love and support are prone to criminality that allows adolescents to externalize problems, become anti-social, and develop emotional imbalance (Andreatta 2011, pp. 210-212). In Bill’s case, there is a high probability that his drug addiction is caused by poor parenting. Evidently, his father is a distant figure who rarely disciplines the children. On the other hand, Bill’s mother is so indulgent that she does not notice anything wrong with her son’s behavior. Bill’s behavior would be better than it is now if the parents had played their roles effectively. Another socializing element as stated by the Siegel and Welsh (2011, p. 53) is the relations and peer influence. There is a tendency by the adolescents to impress their close friends in order to preserve their social circles. Nevertheless, this has adverse effects on their behavior because they are forced to engage in negative behaviors displayed by friends; therefore, they develop and sustain the delinquent behaviors into adulthood. Clearly, Bill’s situation is caused by peer influence and relations who engaged in drug abuse. Lack of adequate parental guidance might have aggravated this behavior; hence making Bill a criminal at a young age (Akers, 2009, pp. 23-26). In addition, children are socialized by the religion and beliefs that their parents and care givers hold. According to Andreatta (2011, P. 210), children who grow up under religious parents are less likely to get involved in delinquent behaviors such as theft and substance abuse. On the contrary, those that are brought up by irresponsible parents tend to engage in wrong behaviors that eventually affect their lives. In Bill’s case, there it is possible that the parents are not attached to any religious beliefs. This explains why the mother does not see anything wrong with her son’s behavior. Moreover, it is explicit that Bill is brought up by a single parent; for the father is rarely home to play his role. Additionally, social learning theory involves three concepts of learning among human beings. One of these concepts includes people’s learning through observation, mental states, and that learning does not always result in behavior change (Abadinsky, 2011, pp. 390-393). To begin with, observational learning involves individuals imitating behavior displayed by others, especially parents or peers. Secondly, learning can occur intrinsically through the mental state. This implies that individuals can learn a behavior as a form of internal reinforcement, such as, satisfaction, pride, and accomplishment. Thirdly, human beings can learn, but not necessarily change their behaviors. In reference to Bill’s case, it is evident that his behavior is influenced by the aforementioned factors. His drug abuse is as a result of observational learning facilitated by the parents and peers. In addition, Bill’s maladaptive behavior might have been reinforced intrinsically. This means that in search of satisfaction, accomplishment and pride, Bill resorts to steal from close family members and friends (Akers, 2009, pp. 23-26). This behavior is reinforced by the fact that theft generates money for buying his drugs. Furthermore, social learning behavior demonstrates the importance of modeling process in the development of a certain behavior. According to Albert Bandura, there are various factors that are instrumental in the effective learning of behavior. Therefore, there are steps and requirements in modeling process and observational learning. These steps include attention, retention, reproduction and motivation (Akers, 2009, pp. 23-26). To begin with, attention is necessary for any successful learning and modeling process. Any form of distraction influences one’s attention; hence failure to learn. Moreover, retention is the ability of individual to store the learned information in order to perform the learned behavior. In addition, reproduction is vital in observational learning because it shows one’s ability to perform the observed behavior (Abadinsky, 2011, pp. 390-393). This requires further practice in order to advance and improve skills. Lastly, motivation is crucial in that it facilitates performance of observed behavior. This is influenced by punishment and reinforcement on the individual’s behavior. Therefore, in relation to Bill’s case, his current behavior has been facilitated by the aforementioned life factors. That is his attention; retention; reproduction; and motivation have played a key role in the development of the maladaptive behavior. His behavior was reinforced by the parents’ leniency and peer influence. Appropriate Rehabilitation Program Imperatively, Bill needs a serious intervention in order to overcome his problems and enjoy life like any other individual in the society. Rehabilitation refers to the restoration of a useful life or good health through therapy, education, or support (DeLisa, Gans & Walsh, 2005, pp.50-156). This is a process that involves quitting of drug abuse and alcohol drinking, and learning to stay abstinent for the rest of one’s life. There are various rehabilitation programs that are available for any individual who is struggling with addiction. According to Pallone (2003, p.8), there are numerous ways in which family-based problems ought to be solved. One of these interventions is the development of parent-child interaction strategy that aids communication of issues between the parents and the children. Communication skills are highly indispensable in the prevention of substance abuse among people (Akers, 2009, pp. 23-26). In the case of Bill’s addiction problem, there is a need for a medical treatment that involves the use of a biophysical rehabilitation program. This program is appropriate because it creates a long lasting solution to the user’s problem. One of the available rehabilitation programs include the long religious program that involves the individuals going for a retreat in a secluded farm where they read the bible as they meditate (Sigelman & Rider, 2011, p. 42). Normally, this program is ineffective because most of the drug victims run away from the farms. Another program is the 12 step, which is regarded as an inappropriate due to its perception for drug abuse as a disease; hence, it discourages many drug addicts who are in need rehabilitation (DeLisa, Gans & Walsh, 2005, p. 155). Behavior modification is another rehabilitation program is known to ineffective because of its poor results (Abadinsky, 2011, pp. 390-393). The ineffectiveness of this program is caused by the use of harsh berating in order to change one’s behavior. With the understanding of these facts, it is justified that biophysical method is the best option for Bill (Singh, 2006, pp.98-102). Biophysical program involves getting rid of a certain residual toxin in the body through the process of sauna (DeLisa, Gans & Walsh, 2005, p. 152). Human bodies store a residue of fat for about 7 years during the period of drug abuse. This residue is responsible for craving, depression, and anxiety among drug abusers; hence the categorization of the addiction as a chronic disease. The function of the metabolite stored individual’s body is to suppress the good feeling of drugs and cause more craving for them. It also makes an individual very depressed and anxious. Therefore, the removal of these residues in the body gives an individual a feeling of brightness that has never been experienced since childhood (Akers, 2009, pp. 23-26). The biophysical method of rehabilitation is highly indispensable for Bill’s situation, for it will completely change him positively. Besides, it is regarded as the most effective method as it does not require addicts to attend support-group gatherings in order to get over their problems. In addition, this method is influential because it offers an individual a long-lasting solution, unlike the 12-step method that has a short-term solution. It should be used on Bill’s issue so as to enable him get over addiction completely. Furthermore, this method is appropriate because it not only handles a person’s major conditions, but also addresses his physical factors. This implies that it counters biophysical and biochemical imbalances occurring in the body, and eliminates physical dependence that connects the person to his decision. Because it does not only concentrate on root subjects, but also on biochemical processes within an individual’s body. Therefore, Bill’s addiction can be successfully removed through detoxification (Pallone, 2003, pp. 8-10). Program’s Objective and Its Evaluation The aim of the program is to restore Bill’s health and enable him to live a normal life in the society. Besides, the program is aimed at changing Bill’s behavior of abusing drugs, and his criminal activities. The removal of the metabolite from Bill’s body is instrumental in suppressing any cravings for drugs; hence overcoming drug dependence. The biophysical program will play an important role in Bill’s treatment process because it will clear the toxicity in his body (Garner, 2008, pp. 70-77). As a result, Bill’s drug related criminal activities will reduce because of his eventual recovery from the drug addiction. Therefore, biophysical method is the most appropriate way of rehabilitating him. What is more, the effectiveness of the biophysical program is measured by the results it yields on the individuals that have gone through it. In the evaluation process, psychiatrists should observe Bill’s behavior; whether he still craves for the drugs. Besides, symptoms of depression and anxiety should be assessed in the patient so as to determine the program’s effectiveness. Effectiveness of the biophysical method is evident in a patient’s improved social and mental states. In Bill’s case, the program should enable him stop drug abuse and theft. According to Doweiko (2011, pp. 398-400), the program is the most standardized of all the methods as it sees many addicts recover without necessarily attending support groups. Moreover, the program’s effectiveness can be evaluated through the use of experiments conducted on individuals at the treatment centers. For instance, laboratory tests should be conducted before and after using biophysical method on patients. Behavior should be examined prior to and after the implementation of the program on the patients. Positive change of behavior indicates that the method is effective. This can also be achieved through conduction of interviews among patients and their family members. This way, psychiatrists can establish the change in social and mental states of their patients. Additionally, the program can be evaluated by use of sampling. This involves the removal of the metabolite from a few addicts so as to determine the results of the program when used on other patients (Preston, et al. 2011, p. 302). Here, the program is successful if patients’ social and mental behaviors are changed. Furthermore, evaluation can be done through self-reports from individuals who have undergone the treatment plan. In this case, a questionnaire can be used as a standardized tool of self-report study in which Bill answers some closed and open questions about his attitudes, feelings and opinions about the treatment plan (Haynes, 2004, p.212). Use of a questionnaire is influential in enabling the patient to freely experience his experiences with the treatment plan without any interference. Nevertheless, the questionnaire should have internal consistency, face validity, test-retest reliability and fair construct validity (Haynes, 2004, p.212).In Bill’s case, the program is declared effective if it meets the set objectives. Some of its intended objectives include recovery from drug addiction, and termination of other substance related criminal activities. Therefore, biophysical method is efficient if it successfully restores Bill’s normal behavior and health. Success of the Program According To the Current Literature According to the current available literature, biophysical method is one of the best and effective rehabilitations programs. As explained by Preston (2011, p. 304), the method is successful in treating drug victims whose lives depend on stealing in order to satisfy their cravings, depression, and anxiety. In terms of Bill’s situation, the program is effective because it involves the removal of the residue that is responsible for his drug addiction. As a result, his behavior of craving for drugs will reduce, which in turn, leads to improved social and mental behaviors. Because Bill will stop using drugs, his drug-related criminal activities will also come to an end, for he will not have to spend money buying expensive drugs. Besides, Bill’s social life will improve because he will be able to interact with the society as a normal person. Therefore, it is recommendable that Bill takes the program because it is influential in overcoming his drug-related problems and to live a normal life (Preston, 2011, pp. 304-306). Conclusion Bill is experiencing a serious problem of drug addiction that is clearly caused by the poor parental guidance and peer pressure. As a result of his indulgence in drug abuse, Bill gradually developed other criminal activities, such as, stealing from his friends and close family members. Bill’s problem can be explained by the use of social learning theory. More so, Bill requires an effective rehabilitation program, that is, the biophysical treatment method. The aim of the program is to restore his health and make him a normal human social being. Biophysical rehabilitation program is rated as one of the standardized methods that effectively help an individual recover from addiction and other drug-related behaviors. Therefore, the program is appropriate for Bill’s condition and other individuals who are struggling with similar conditions. References Abadinsky, H. (2011). Drug Use and Abuse: A Comprehensive Introduction. Australia Belmont, Calif, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Pp. 389-395. Akers, R. (2009). Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers. Pp. 23-26. Andreatta, B. (2011). Navigating the Research University: A Guide for First-Year Students. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. DeLisa, J. A., Gans, B. M., & Walsh, N.E. (2005). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Principles and Practice. Philadelphia, PD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Pp. 150-156. Doweiko, H. (2011). Concepts of Chemical Dependency. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Pp. 398- 400. Garner, G. (2008). Careers in Social & Rehabilitation Services. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. PP. 70- 75. Haynes, S.N. (2004). Behavioral Assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Pp. 212-113. Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2011). Development through Life: A Psychosocial Approach. Belmont. Calif, CA: Cengage Learning. Pallone, N. J. (2003). Treating Substance Abusers in Correctional Contexts: New Understandings, New Modalities. New York, NY: Haworth Press. Pp. 8-10. Preston, K. L., Vahabzadeh, M. M., Schimmittner, J. M., & Epstein, J. L. (2011). Cocaine Craving and Use during Daily Life. SpringerLink, 207(2), 307. Singh, R. (2006). Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Biophysics. New Delhi, ND: Global Vision Pub. House. Pp.98-102. Siegel, L., & Welsh, B. (2011). Juvenile Delinquency. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. Sigelman, C., & Rider, E. (2011). Life-Span Human Development. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. 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