Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Case Study

Superior Essays
As Perkinson states in his book “Chemical Dependency Counseling”, depression is a full body illness. Depression changes the way the client thinks, their body and their mood. The way a client thinks about themselves, their choices in eating and sleeping, and how they think about other things. In many cases, drug abusers have other sets of problems that make them dual diagnoses that should be treated for both. Most clients are depressed when entering treatment for drugs and to help with their primary diagnoses, their secondary diagnoses must also be solved. Helping their depression can improve their chances in recovery for their primary diagnoses, without the help, the chances of relapse increase. Depression comes in different degrees of severity, …show more content…
The assessment must include an examination with special emphasis on recalled, recent and remote memory; a current and past psychiatric/psychological abnormality and neurological assessment if indicated by the assessment; if they are dangerous to self or others; and an evaluation of cognitive functioning including learning impairments that may influence treatment. This assessment will be a signal to staff about problem that may need more treatment. To test the severity of the depression there is the psychological instrument, a popular one is Hamilton Depression Rating. Hamilton depression rating is a simple 21 questionnaire in which the patient, who is already diagnosed as depressed. The scale is not designed to be self-administered as the difficulty of interpretation of some clinical terms. Once the questions are answered the number is added up and the higher the score the more severe the depression. With the Hamilton score, mental status and history of present and past history, the mental health professional can assess the …show more content…
This biological interpretation of treatment focuses on the chemical problems in the brain. The medication helps deregulate and balance the brain. Four different groups of antidepressant medication commonly used are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and lithium. When put on medication there is usually a three to six week delay before the client begins to feel improvement. Before the client takes any medication, the client must be informed of the process and side effects that the medications may have. Some side effects include lack of hunger, weight gain or sexual dysfunction. A few examples of medication for depression are antidepressants such as Cymbalta oral, Lexapro oral, Effexor XR oral or Celexa oral. Cymbalta oral with the generic name of Duloxetine is used to treat depression and anxiety, it improves mood, sleep, appetite and energy level of the user. Lexapro also known as Escitalopram is used to treat the same as Duloxetine but it works by restoring balance of certain natural substances in the brain and improve energy and feeling of being. Effexor XR known as Venlafaxine treats the same plus panic attacks and social anxiety disorder. It may improve mood and energy but it also decreases fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts and panic attacks. Finally we have Celexa with the generic name of Citalopram Hydrobromide which is very similar to

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Autobiography: Chemical substances and how they affect our brains have always fascinated me. Fortunately, I haven’t been curious enough to find out for myself firsthand, despite the struggles I’ve experienced throughout my life. I grew up in an authoritarian household with a neglectful father. My parents had a very codependent marriage, which I later adapted to my own relationships later in life. I’ve always had a lot of anxiety and depression as a child.…

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    PSY3180 SHORT ANSWER ASSIGNMENT 1 Question 2: History taking History taking from a patient facilitates a comprehensive view of the patient, and a timeline of when neuropsychological symptoms occurred. Answers about the patient’s history and their problems in response to questions asked by the examiner will provide much of the needed information that is required to make an elaborative assessment ((Lezak, Howieson, Bigler & Tranel, 2012). However, considering the severity of the patient’s disease, potential language impairment, lack of alertness, and/or memory, some information about their life can be obtained from other sources, like cognitive functioning records, hospital records or personnel working with the patient, or from family, friends, and employers (Lezak et al., 2012).…

    • 1078 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Fentanyl Abuse Case Study

    • 1036 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Other behaviors that suggest a fentanyl addiction include: • Opening a fentanyl patch to eat the gel beads inside. • Warming up a fentanyl patch to release the drug more quickly. • Spending a great deal of time obtaining, using, and recovering from fentanyl. • Showing fear at the prospect of being without fentanyl. • Experiencing cravings for fentanyl.…

    • 1036 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    For this assignment, Banner Behavioral Health in Phoenix, Arizona was contacted in which Santiago was interviewed. Santiago expressed a preference for psychoeducation therapy and support when dealing with groups suffering with Substance Use Disorders (SUD). The interview encompassed both personal preference and experience with group therapy and contributes to the code of ethics practiced by the facilitator. Questions were formed around goals for group treatment, limits pertaining to content and membership, group size and leadership, and group selection.…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Part 1: The Prevalence of Co-Occurring Disorders Throughout the previous years, researchers and practitioners progressively have become aware of the connection between substance abuse and mental disorders. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) has realized that treatment areas required an outline of diagnostic criteria, assessment, psychopharmacology and substance abuse treatment for individuals with coexisting Mental Illness and Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. This stemmed from co-occurring substance use and mental disorders that had commonalities which formed multiple problems, and the effect they have on treatment and its aftermath. The primary commitment of TIP is to offer practitioners and counselors with information regarding the fast progressing field of…

    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The use of methamphetamine may result in severe psychological effects due to the impairment of the brain, through dopamine depletion as the main example. Australia has one of the highest rates of methamphetamine use in the world, with around 2.5% of Australians having used methamphetamine in the last 14 years. As methamphetamine enters the brain, dopamine is released in concentrations ten times higher than normal. This excessive release of dopamine produces pleasure and cause the user to feel energetic, joyful and alert.…

    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ftd Research Paper

    • 661 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Introduction Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a rare, progressive brain disorder that causes memory loss. FTD describes a range of diseases that often start with changes in behavior, speech, and decision-making processes. As FTD progresses, it affects short-term memory. Over time, FTD causes the frontal and temporal anterior lobes of the brain to shrink. These are the parts of the brain that control behavior and speech.…

    • 661 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Counseling is an effective therapy to remedy mental health problems and other erratic behaviors that are usually associated with substance abuse. The negative consequences on the personal and legal side are a great hindrance to anyone, especially teenagers, to achieve balance and sobriety while dealing with their friends, families, and society as a whole. A combination of pharmacological and behavioral treatments is necessary to address the problem. Substance abuse counselors identify the abusing individual's negative behaviors and apply the necessary procedures to change and provide a remedy for it. Counselors work closely with a group of caregivers from clinics or therapeutic centers.…

    • 332 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A persons mental health may vary through the course of their lifetime, and it can be influenced by external factors, the main one being the use of drugs. Drugs such as cannabis, alcohol, heroin and ecstasy have the ability to affect a person’s well-being because they are psychoactive drugs. These drugs interfere with the chemicals in the brain, this then affects the messages those chemicals are trying to send and as a result of the changes to the brain a person’s mood and behaviour will be altered. Psychoactive drugs can cause any number of temporary mental health problems whilst they are being consumed and as they start to clear from the body, a person may suffer from a temporary unstable mental condition as a result of anxiety, mood swings, depression, and sleeping problems. Drug induced anxiety disorder is when a person will have periods of very severe anxiety; heart rate will increase, with trembling, sweats and a fear of losing control.…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Antidepressants

    • 1657 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Depression is a big worldwide problem, and in USA antidepressants are the third most common prescribed drug. It is a problem that appears to be on the rise. However, a lot about the function of antidepressants and why they seem to be working better in some individuals still remains unknown. Some data actually suggests that antidepressants works as good as taking a sugar pill. A meta-analysis (2010) were six separate studies were analysed to compare the effectiveness of antidepressants indicated that patients with mild and moderate depression might be treated better with alternatives to antidepressants.…

    • 1657 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    My assignment was to visit a community agency or clinic offering substance abuse counseling and discuss my findings. I spoke with June Mikels, MSW, LSW, LCAC an addictions counselor who has been in the field since 1985. After discussing her qualifications, I asked June what her focal point was and the population she primarily served? She stated, as a counselor, my primary focus is education and outpatient treatment programs for alcohol and drug abuse. And, the primary population I serve is persons with mental and substance abuse disorders and active duty military personnel” (June Mikels, personal communication, April 7, 2017).…

    • 1115 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Drug abuse is one of the biggest things that are happening everyday around the world. Drug abuse is dangerous to do, in which can affect the human body. These affects can be very long term or even for forever. The more a person is abusing drugs the more that they are damaging themselves. There are different types of drugs that many put to use.…

    • 1868 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Difference Between Anxiety And Depression

    • 1469 Words
    • 6 Pages
    • 4 Works Cited

    Both anxiety and depression use antidepressants as a form of treatment, although depression also uses other types of medications including Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and Tricyclics. Depression also uses many different types of Psychotherapy including cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps people with depression restructure negative thought patterns. Doing so helps people interpret their environment and interactions with others in a positive and realistic way. It may also help you recognize things that may be contributing to the depression and help you change behaviors that may be making the depression worse (Cassano, Fava, 2002).…

    • 1469 Words
    • 6 Pages
    • 4 Works Cited
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Life is not without problems and as such, humanity share’s stories of struggles and for many these struggles are merely a part of the cycle of this life. Yet there are those that cannot cope with these struggles in terms of a positive solution and there for seek the guidance of a therapist to provide an unbiased view of the whole picture and train the client to get back on track, managing life once again. Therapists are trained in the field of mental health and provide experience in identifying key stressors within the client that may lead to unmanageability. Common place in society is substance use as a maladaptive behavior as well as a range of other mental and behavioral disorders. Often found that co-occurring disorders and substance use disorder (SUD) go hand in hand, the necessity for properly trained clinicians to assess and screen clients in order to achieve successful treatment plans.…

    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In my case medication made a world of difference at first. It did take several different trials before I found the right one. 1. There are different medications known as Antidepressants to help regulate the hormones released in your brain that can cause depression. It can take up to 4-6 weeks before any results are seen and sometimes a combination of mediations are needed.…

    • 1160 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays