Learning Objectives:
After this, physicians should be able to
Understand the importance of dealing with ketamine abuse
Identify physical signs and behavioral changes in young adults abusing ketamine
· Help family members deal with the patient and get them proper treatment
Case Presentation:
A 17 year-old female patient comes into the doctor's office for the usual check-up with her mother. The patient has complaints of painful urination and an intense pain in the abdomen that has not subsided. While asking the procedural questions towards the patient's mother, the doctor notices that the patient, who is usually upbeat and talkative, is currently quiet, irritable, and sullen. She snapped at her mother when her recent struggling …show more content…
Annually, more than $700 billion in costs are related to crime, work lost due to absences, and health care needed to treat patients5. It is cost-effective to invest in drug abusers future, as it keeps them from accruing these losses and from having to be incarcerated. Most people that become addicted to drugs later in life try them for the first time as a teenager, so it is important to have well trained professionals and parents who can spot the signs of drug use and abuse early5. In addition, getting doctors to realize that these individuals are sick and not simply "making bad choices" is vital to creating a culture of empathy and understanding. Individuals addicted to drugs have changes occurring in their brain, especially in the reward pathways center, most notably the nucleus accumbens6. Surges of neurotransmitters during use of drugs like ketamine make non-drug stimuli virtually unappealing to these individuals as they do not evoke the same physiological response6. Treatments are used to reprogram these pathways to allow the patient to feel less dependent on ketamine. These include counseling intervention like cognitive behavioral therapy and medication like methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, and
After this, physicians should be able to
Understand the importance of dealing with ketamine abuse
Identify physical signs and behavioral changes in young adults abusing ketamine
· Help family members deal with the patient and get them proper treatment
Case Presentation:
A 17 year-old female patient comes into the doctor's office for the usual check-up with her mother. The patient has complaints of painful urination and an intense pain in the abdomen that has not subsided. While asking the procedural questions towards the patient's mother, the doctor notices that the patient, who is usually upbeat and talkative, is currently quiet, irritable, and sullen. She snapped at her mother when her recent struggling …show more content…
Annually, more than $700 billion in costs are related to crime, work lost due to absences, and health care needed to treat patients5. It is cost-effective to invest in drug abusers future, as it keeps them from accruing these losses and from having to be incarcerated. Most people that become addicted to drugs later in life try them for the first time as a teenager, so it is important to have well trained professionals and parents who can spot the signs of drug use and abuse early5. In addition, getting doctors to realize that these individuals are sick and not simply "making bad choices" is vital to creating a culture of empathy and understanding. Individuals addicted to drugs have changes occurring in their brain, especially in the reward pathways center, most notably the nucleus accumbens6. Surges of neurotransmitters during use of drugs like ketamine make non-drug stimuli virtually unappealing to these individuals as they do not evoke the same physiological response6. Treatments are used to reprogram these pathways to allow the patient to feel less dependent on ketamine. These include counseling intervention like cognitive behavioral therapy and medication like methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, and