Drug Abuse and Drug Treatment - Research Paper Example

Drug Abuse and Drug Treatment Drug Abuse and Drug Treatment Drug abuse is a serious social issue which requires constant research, control and interventions to help addicts and groups of people who are more likely to become drug users. There is a wide range of drugs which have different effects on people; in some cases, it is enough to try only once to develop strong adduction to the substance. In order to resists temptations and cope with addiction people often need professional help. It is the reason why there is a well-developed network of social organizations and community services which help people to rehabilitate and start their lives from scratch. This essay will dwell on social work related to drug abuse and drug treatment to show that new strategies and interventions give more chances for people to abandon their bad habits. Drugs arrived to the USA together with the first settlers. According to Zastrow (2013), Pilgrims who arrived to the North America in 1620 brought wine and beers to the new lands. During the Civil War, drugs were commonly used by practitioners to alleviate the pain of wounded soldiers. The problem became alarming in the beginning of 20th century when 1% of all American population was represented by drug addicts (Zastrow, 2013). Tobacco, marijuana, alcohol and hard drugs were used in different circles of people and caused serious social and psychological problems to addicts. Currently alcohol, marijuana and tobacco are top three drugs which are abused in the USA. Out of these 3 items, alcohol and tobacco remain legal. There are estimated 23.5 million people who needed were addicted to any illicit drug in 2009 (NIDA, 2012). The numbers continue to grow due to the ongoing discussion of marihuana legalization which easily persuades teenagers that this illicit drug is not harmful. As a result, 60% of high school students believe that marijuana is not harmful for their health (Johnston, 2010). People can use drugs because they want to experience something new, get high, cope with stress or escape from reality; however, euphoric and bizarre feelings end quickly leading to horrible consequences. There are many sociological theories and studies which try to define why people use drugs and what groups of people are under the risk of this harmful habit. As a result, every drug has its potential user in the USA. The most frequent characteristics include male gender, addicted relative or friend, and young to middle age. People who live in neighborhoods with high crime rate also have greater risk to let drugs in their lives. According to Zastrow (2013) none of sociological theories can fully cover the issue of drug abuse and its treatment. Social workers can be employed in special organizations which deal with drug abuse and treatment. Their clients can enroll the treatment programs voluntary and non-voluntary. Some people receive sanctions from their families, employers or practitioners. Other people desire to change their lives and recover. All treatment programs can be divided in inpatient, outpatient and self-help ones (Zastrow, 2013). According to National Association of Social Workers (2013), the variety of the treatment programs allows many professionals working with clients who suffer from substance abuse and their families. Inpatient programs are drug treatment interventions which are provided on the basis of detention facilities and healthcare establishments. Community organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous successfully work locally with people. This model represents self-help programs where people can share their personal struggles and be included in their community. Outpatient programs often include mental, vocational and counseling services for people who do not need inpatient care or successfully cope with their addiction. Even though is some cases client perceive social workers negatively, community appreciates their work due to their huge contribution to better future. Social workers can work with people in community centers, clinics or privately. All people who work in this sphere need to have appropriate qualification to work with people. In each case, social workers need to assess the severity of the problem of their client or clients and suggest intervention which would have positive impact in the situation. According to National Association of Social Workers, social workers address the issue in its complexity treating not only substance abuse but co-occurring addictive behavior like overeating or gambling. Social workers use evidence-based approach to each case. It means that they address separate aspects of drug abuse related to personal, family and social issues. They are required to update their qualifications to be familiar with emerging research which can cope with the issue more effectively (Fisher, Holton & von Wormer, 2013). According to National Institute on Drug Abuse or NIDA (2012), there are more than 14500 specialized facilities which complexly address drug abuse and treatment issues. Moreover, many professionals work with clients in clinics of private offices. Many programs are funded by federal, state or local governments because drug addiction is a ‘first scale’ problem (NIDA, 2012). Collaboration of social workers and local sponsors gives enough opportunities to work effectively with people who need help. In all kinds of treatment programs, drug abuse is viewed complexly. Group counseling, individual counseling, inpatient, outpatient programs focus on several important principles which guide social workers in what they do. For instance, drug addiction is viewed as disease which is possible to treat. Even in the severe cases of drug abuse, social workers cannot look at patient pessimistically. It is really important to believe in every client to empower them to change. The second principle states that there is not universal abuse treatment. All programs are developed with the consideration of social, family and personal factors of clients (NIDA, 2012). The number of treatment programs proves the next principle that social services for addicts need to be available and accessible. People who suffer from substance abuse often are not motivated to search for treatment. If they have a community based program which invites them to come, they are more likely to join. Treatment programs address not only abuse of each client; they focus of diverse needs. For instance, they consider culture, ethnicity, and social status. Moreover, they help people to cope with legal, psychological or medical problems which are not related to the abuse directly. All these services are usually provided to people in need (NIDA, 2012). All these issues cannot be solved in a day; it is the reason why many programs require retention of client for some period of time. If clients stay in the program longer, they are more likely to change their behavior. As far as individual therapy quite expensive; the majority of treatment programs focus on groups of people. Being in a group, people develop their communication skills and receive necessary social support. Treatment programs supply medications to their clients; buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone are used as substitutes for heroin and opioids. People who suffer from alcohol abuse receive disulfiram, acamprosate and naltrexone because they are proved to help them not to drink alcohol (NIDA, 2012). Social workers test their client in order to diagnose co-occurring mental disorders. One more important aspect of treatment programs is that they are required to test their clients to check whether they have HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis of other diseases which need appropriate healthcare services (NIDA, 2012). In the process of abuse treatment, people are complexly supported by social workers who take care about general condition of each client. I believe that the system of drug abuse treatment is effective and relevant in the context where it exists. Social workers have a very great role in this system because they connect drug addicts with the real world and help them to resolve their problems. Social support in treatment programs empowers people because they see that society does not forget about them and takes care of their health and emotional well-being. Accessibility of appropriate programs is satisfactory. Addressing the program locally, social workers make the outcome more positive and win the trust of their clients. Wide range of services included in treatment programs proves that they deal with the causes of drug addiction. Duration of programs makes it possible for people to get support after the treatment and develop positive habits. New social skills, circle of acquaintances and inclusive environment positively impacts lives of people and they get more motivation not to get back to their old behaviors. According to NIDA (2012), participation in treatment programs can be effective even if it is not voluntary. More people need to be sanctioned to enroll the program. If social workers can achieve significant effect without initial will to cooperate with them, more people need to be treated professionally. One more important aspect of work which can be implemented in drug abuse and drug treatment program is cooperation with local schools. Many students think that drugs make them cool; social workers can show the consequences of these thought. Even marijuana which is thought to be not addictive or bad for health is an illicit drug and it is very important to persuade students that media polemics is only one side of the coin because there are people who really suffer from addiction. In summary, drug treatment program would never be the same effective without social workers who devote their lives to serve people. These programs provide abuse treatment, healthcare services, counseling sessions, legal help and support to people who need to change their lives. The number of addicts in the USA still remains high. It is the most disturbing among young people who spoil their career perspective and motivation to study by using drugs. Hopefully, abuse treatment programs will become even more accessible in some time in order to provide their services to all people who need them. Their contribution to society is enormous; they believe in other people and lead them to better lives without drugs. References Fisher, M.S., Holton, J., & von Wormer, K. (2013). NASW standards for social work practice with people with substance abuse disorder. National Association of Social Workers. Johnston, L. (2010). Monitoring the future: National results on adolescent drug use: Overview of key findings, 9. DIANE Publishing. NIDA. (2012). Principles of drug addiction treatment: A research-based guide. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Zastrow, C. (2013). Introduction to social work: Empowering people. 11th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole Read More