Consultation Case Study

Introduction

The inability to delay gratification alongside psychological disorders is a predisposing factor for substance abuse. Moreover, with stress affecting an individual, he or she is quickly drawn to drugs in an attempt to get away from reality, nonetheless, the relief is usually temporary and after that, the user goes back to a miserable state leading to a vicious cycle of addiction and consequent excessive use of drugs and other addictive substance. Besides, the use of drugs over a long period increases vulnerability to patterns of behavioral symptoms that affect the quality of life of the user. Such individuals usually get subjected to suffering and functional impairments when mental disorders occur either in persistent, relapsing, remitting or in single episodes. However, many jurisdictions have Mental Health Acts and rehabilitation programs to bridge the inequality gap as drug abuse is prevalent among minority groups, there has been negligence of the larger populations. Consequently, this essay focuses on a 35-year-old Caucasian female recovering heroin user who has relapsed and is currently using heroin again, moreover, it provides an intervention plan and its rationale.

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Step 1: Hypothetical Scenario

In American, heroin-related addiction is on the rise in line with the increase in opioid painkiller addiction. Heroin can interchangeably be used with opioids since it is a member of the opioid drug class, though under prescriptions. The fact that there can be an interchangeable use of heroin with opioids has brought it back from obscurity. There are numerous dangers associated with the addiction to heroin, and as a result, any addict should go as soon as possible to try and seek treatment in a residential addiction treatment facility. Besides the treatment, it is also essential for such individuals to meet a psychologist for consultation purposes that would enable them to successfully transit from the process of addiction into their healthy way of living. It is also fortunate to learn that the addiction of heroin could easily get overcome through expert assistance, determination and hard work. It is for this matter that I would come up with a hypothetical question on how an individual addicted to heroin can successfully get transformation through consulting a psychologist who in this case would be me.

Mary Christine is a 35-year-old Caucasian female recovering heroin addict who has relapsed and is currently using heroin again. The victim had a troubled childhood and a brief history of mental health problems; in fact, she had attended over 60 appointments with doctors and other mental healthcare providers. Mary Christine suffered from depressive symptoms which were a precursor to depression, a mental health disorder that causes a loss of interest in things, poor quality of life and persistent depressive moods (anxiety, irritability, loss of appetite and low self-esteem). Depression has been on the rise in the past couple of decades, is a leading cause of mental health disability. Christine's depressive state caused altercations in her physiological, cognitive, and psychological functions of the body. Consequently, her thoughts, feelings, and opinions as well as his or her responses to the actual, implied or imagined the presence of others got significantly changed.

As a result of depression, Christine sunk into drug abuse, at first, she engaged in binge drinking but as her body was increasingly accustomed to stimulants, it began to demand more, she was resistant. Then on her 32nd birthday party, a friend introduced her to heroin, and after the first injection, she has gotten hooked till then. Luckily, Christine is from a Middle-Class background, and her parents were able to intervene and sent her to a rehabilitation center where Christine also received therapeutic sessions for her occasional depressive state. Nonetheless, she has been in and out of rehab, and her currents situation n is worrying as she relapsed and is not only currently an addict, but her physical health gets equally deteriorated.

The attribution of Christine's relapse is to her concealment as a heroin addict, a situation that was aggravated by her prowess in applying make-up. Immediately after being discharged from her first rehabilitation she got back to her "shooting" habits and for a while was able to disguise as a typical professional woman. She would use foundation and powder to cover her greying face and to offset the sweating that is common among drug users. Moreover, she would use blush to add flair to her skin and plenty of eye concealer and mascara to cover under-eye circles and blemishes as well as to camouflage the uneven skin tone.

Step 2: Conducting Aa Literature Review

Pharmacological Maintenance Treatments of Opiate Addiction

General Summary

Opioid maintenance treatment is a well-established form of treatment for heroin addiction that has a long history of use in the treatment of opioid dependence in adults.The pharmacological rationale of continuation treatment of addicts is seeks to reduce withdrawals and assuage the strengthening effects of street heroin, resulting in a decreases or termination of the consumption of heroin (Bell, 2014). Nonetheless, as heroin addicts are usually individuals with troubled pasts (deviant behaviors and criminal backgrounds), some forms of pharmacological treatment have instead been pragmatic owing to the one all out approach that in a way seems to force discipline on abnormal persons. Nonetheless, Opioid maintenance therapies can be relatively effective in repressing heroin consumption. Nonetheless, divergence from research-based interventions (administration of sub-optimal doses) resulted in less effective outcomes than forecasted by research.

Synthesis of how the article connects with our readings on consultation theories

The research relates to chemical dependency consultants specializing besides as it explores the efficacy of opioid maintenance treatment, a pharmacological based therapeutic approach for helping heroin addicts. Moreover, as it addresses the criminal pasts and the personality disorders prevalent among heroin users, it provides a rationale for the use of solution-focused consulting, a therapeutic approach construed on the principles and practices of solution-focused therapy. Through opioid maintenance, counselors seek to improve the future well being of their clients by reducing withdrawal symptoms.

Limitations of the article

To begin with, while the article elaborates on the efficacy of opioid maintenance treatment, it does not address Consulting with primary care physicians to advocate for clients with mental health needs as well as chemical dependency counselors who specialize in addiction. Secondly, the article does not address the efficacy of opioid maintenance treatment among patients who use illicit and ultra-potent synthetic opioids who overdoses may not respond to conventional medications.

Implications for counselors

The article provides counselors with insight on how people in opioid maintenance treatment prolong the supporting effects of these drugs allowing them to develop effective counterstrategies.

Implications to clients

Bell, (2014) emphasize the need for supporting structures, policies and guidelines needed for freedom from drug abuse as addicts are usually affected by psychological health, bodily health and social change issues that predispose their compulsion and obstruct successful recovery.

Effects Of Vocational Consultation On Relapse Rate And Hope Among Drug Dependents In Bojnurd, Iran

General summary

According to Hojjat et al., 2016, drug addiction is a mental, social and physical challenge whose organic nature affects the quality of life of the individual. Consequently, the study sought to evaluate the efficacy of occupational consultation (for teaching on problem-solving techniques) on hope and degeneration rate of long-suffering individuals under methadone maintenance health centers. The study found out that professional consultation has positive effects on the confidence of drug addicts but does not affect the relapse rate. The benefit of increasing these patients hope that it provides a basis for effective long-term treatment that follows up.

Synthesis of how the article connects with our readings on consultation theories

Consultation theories such as the Solution-Focused Consultation is towards addressing the clients and want they want to achieve without exploring the history and origin of problems. The same applies to vocational consultation as it focuses on improving the quality of life of the drug user to reduce the probability of relapse after therapeutic sessions are over.

Limitations of the article

While the study established that job consultation had little or no effect on the drug addict's job functions, the findings are not in alignment with the results of other studies which have examined different approaches to treating drug-dependent patients and their effects. Moreover, the main problem is that, while the article states that the duration of not using drugs after treatment gets extended, the probability of relapse into drug addiction is high, it does not pride a solution to prevent the occurrence.

Implications for counselors

The findings of the study allow consultants to develop alternative methods of treatment as the approach is only useful in the short term. In fact, according to Hojjat et al., (2016), the short-term impacts of vocational consultation just useful as a controlling approach and there is the need for consultants to observe the effects among participants for 6 to 12 months to obtain more precise results of treatment.

Implications for clients

The research describes drug addiction as a multi-faceted problem whose effects not only touch on the addict but also members of the society as well, consequently, it identifies the need for a comprehensive approach that goes beyond conventional medications to deal with addition. Moreover, it deals with the mid-term solution to drug abuse as it provides the patients with knowledge, skills, and attitudes to improve their lives. In so doing it is particularly helpful for marginalized communities with little access to formal employment as the former drug users can become useful members of the society.

Addiction Consultation Services - Linking Hospitalized Patients To Outpatient Addiction Treatment

Summary of the article

According to Trowbridge et al., (2017), many in patients have a lively substance use disorder (SUD); nonetheless, hospitalization does signify a period of substance use of interference. The research also found out that the use of addiction medication (opioid agonists) was effectual in hospitalized drug abusers; however, according to the research the withholding of hospitalized patients to post-discharge dependence treatment calls for greater innovation and program development.

Synthesis of how the article connects with our readings on consultation theories

The paper adds knowledge to readings on consultation theories as is a step by step approach to the treatment of drug abusers as it reveals that starting medication for substance use disorder during acute hospitalization is a practical approach to dealing with patients under addiction care. Moreover, the research emphasizes on the need for post-therapeutic approaches to further improve the well being of former drug abusers, nonetheless, for greater effectiveness of connection and retaining of hospitalized patients to post-discharge calls for further innovation.

Limitations of the article

The research found out that inpatient addiction consultation service was useful in the diagnosis and treatment of inpatients through the use of opioid agonists. Nonetheless, it does not provide some of the developments needed for the most favorable conne...