Substance-related disorders

and discrimination faced by the people with substance use disorders who are labeled as drug addicts. Stigma associated with substance addiction and substance use is very strong and is often structurally reinforced by government policy,…

Americans needed treatment for a drug related problem but only 2.5 million received treatment at a specialty facility” (Drug Facts, pg. 7). This is a pretty big gap in needed treatment. One must ask why aren’t people seeking treatment? Could it be lack of health care, resistance or outright denial? Once a person has decided to try to escape their addiction they must get help. Clearly if they could do it themselves they most likely wouldn’t have a substance use disorder. A rehab facility is…

According to the article titled “Perceived Discrimination and DSM-IV–Based Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use Disorders” by Haslyn Hunte and Adam Barry, three criteria has been established as must be present to identify substance dependence according to the DSS-IV criteria. First, is tolerance. For example, tolerance is described as a need for increased amounts of a substance to achieve intoxication or the desired effect. If a drug is continually used at the same dose, then, there is a diminished…

signs of illness or problems, i.e. loss of control increase in substance tolerance, and premature death (if untreated) associated with addiction. The disease model offers clinicians a logical understanding of the affect substances has on the brain that will eventually hijack the brain’s normal sequence of decision notification, i.e. dopamine craving pleasure through substance use and glutamate gives it permission to use substances despite consequences. The psychological rewiring…

Addiction or substance abuse can affect anyone, and it is important for not only the addict to understand, but also the family, friends, community and medical field as well. Millions of people suffer from addiction, from drinking, use of prescription drugs non-medically, substance abuse of illicit and over-the-counter medications. According to SAMHSA 's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 22.5 million people (8.5 percent of the U.S. population) aged 12 or older needed treatment for an…

In the same way that mental illness in general was once stigmatized and no longer is, substance addiction must also be released from the burden of social disgrace that has long been wrongly attached to it. We hope to restore dignity to all individuals who are afflicted with the painful cycle of substance abuse. In addition to working to eliminate the shame and guilt that many substance abusers endure, we feel that providing top notch services to clients is one of the best ways that…

drug related issues. While many people may look at these news stories or Facebook post and not think much of them or think it is only the person who is using the drugs that is the problem. As a person living in a society and a social worker there needs to be a great deal of attention paid to the recent spike in substance abuse and over doses. Some shocking numbers to show the spike in substance abuse and over doses are from the ASAM Of the 20.5 million Americans 12 or older that had a substance…

Substance abuse has become a major epidemic in our country and there is a dire need for immediate intervention. 20 million Americans suffer from a substance use disorder and hundreds pass away in silence each day (Addiction is a Chronic Illness, Not Character Flaw, 2016). The negative stigma behind drug addiction causes many addicts to deter from seeking help and treatment for fear of being judged for their disorder. The distinction of substance abuse from other medical issues also makes it…

According to Parker, G. (2014), evidence from human studies have shown that genetic factors play an important role in substance abuse and depression. According to Schafer, G. (2011), genetic traits of alcohol can be painful and traumatic during childhoods. Alcohol contributes to destruction of family, friends and communities. However Some family have suffered from various…

mental disorders which effect certain behaviors, such as addiction. This stigma could be attributed to a lack of understanding, or possibly a fear, of what can turn into very destructive behavior. Drug addiction can cause people to act in ways that are often dangerous to themselves and to society, leading them to a life of crime, driven by substance abuse. For many years, drug offenders have been charged with prison sentences as a form of rehabilitation, as well as a way to deter drug related…