Research Study: the Abuse of Substance by Women

Introduction: Client Demographics

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In this research paper, my major concern will be about the abuse of substance by women based on the gender active forming part of the project by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project intends to develop tools that can be used to support the development and improvement of the treatment of the abuse of drugs. Many gender-responsive programs have put into considerations the needs of women in aspects of their model and delivery. In most cases, the women are the notorious gender found to have been trapped in the substance abuse. Also, the teenage girls and young women are the most affected people with substance abuse. It may, in most cases, be influenced by peer pressure or family issues. Many families have struggled for a long time with mothers who suffer from substance abuse and in other cases teenage girls addicted to the use of the substance. In this case, the research is going to be based on teenage girls and young women abuse of the substance.

Screening Information (Substance Abuse and Mental Health)

If not taken into considerations at the appropriate time, substance abuse can be associated with mental health issues in the victims. Occasionally, women and girls abusing substance often end up in psychiatric care units as a result of consuming substance that is more for their body systems to sustain. There has been much upcoming evidence on the both on the internet and published documents airing the consequences of adolescent girls and substance abuse. Many findings from these sources have shown that adolescent girls and young females are highly vulnerable to mental health problems associated with drug abuse. Although both male and female gender is bound to be affected by the dependence on the substance, the effects on the girls outweigh the effect that is usually seen on boys (Smolowitz, Honig & Reinisch, 2010). Teenage girls are also vulnerable to many unique physical, psychological and social risk factors for drug and alcohol abuse. Many of the girls found trapped in substance addiction end up in rehabilitation centers where they are helped with the drawback effects of the use of these drugs.

Initial Assessment

The initial evaluation of women suffering from substance abuse has been found to have unique findings. According to research in the United States, and other areas including Brazil and the United Kingdom, women seeking treatment are found to be younger, are not well educated and earn a lower income, and the chances are that they are unemployed. In a treatment sample in Brazil, no significant differences can be spotted between the men and women although the women appear to be more educated than the men. The lack of difference between the genders in Brazil is anticipated to be because of the hard times the women get in accessing treatment increasing the need to be cautious in generalizing the findings from various countries. Many parts around the world especially the parts that are currently undergoing economic reconstruction and difficulties have led the women to turn to activities that include drug trafficking for survival.

Personal History

The people suffering from substance abuse have recorded a unique history in their lives. From a survey conducted in different parts around the globe, some of the victims of drug addiction and mental health problems have been noted to have been influenced by family issues. Their families have been through difficult challenging moments that drove them to seek comfort in the use of the substance and eventually to get addicted. In the process of using excessive drugs, these individuals succumb to mental health issues as their body systems no longer have the immunity to sustain the excess substance in the body. In other cases, the persons under the influence of drug abuse find themselves dragged into it by peer influences. In the process of interaction with friends, a person may easily be lured to drugs. Women have been known to be the persons who can be easily swayed by peer factors to get involved in some characters they have never desired. The long-term uses of these substances have been proven to have adverse consequences on the life of the user that include associated mental effects.

Emotional/Behavioral Assessment

From a research from many different studies, substance abuse and mental health victims are always guilty of themselves even when they have committed no offense. From their looks, these persons are always disturbed emotionally, and they may not be comfortable being around other people. Some of them would not be noticed in public conferences as they will not do anything or contribute to let out their identity. They will be folded in fear and by looks; you may just realize that there is something they are hiding. Other people affected by drugs may appear to have weird behaviors. From history, most of the people misbehaving after abusing drugs are believed to come from well-off families where they are not questioned about their actions. They are always out of control, and they will do things according to their wish without considering whatever the outcome may be. They may not care about what other people may feel regarding their actions as they will not be acting on their sober minds. The only solution that can be proposed for them is immediate attention from experts who may begin by psychological guidance and counseling for both the emotional and behavioral assessment (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US), 2000).

Diagnostic Assessment

In the assessment, the main agenda is defining the nature of the problem that will allow a specialist to develop specific treatment and recommendations that can help a victim address particular problems. The process involves gathering information and involving the client in the process to understand the readiness of the victim towards the change. In the diagnosis, the specialist examined the clinical examination of the functioning and health of the client. It includes many tests and written oral exercises. In the diagnosis assessment, reviewing the background of the individual is very crucial. Many patients appeared to have had some family issues, history of trauma and domestic violence, marital issues and employment problems amongst others (Craig, 2005). A literature of the use of drugs and substance is also necessary to be considered. Most of the affected clients are found to have used the drug for the first time in their teenage with the first drug to have ever been used being alcohol. In other cases, although rare, the clients recorded a family history of problems with substance use. It is as well important to look into the history of the individual for mental health issues. Consider factors like the availability of family history with mental health problems or the history of the client with mental health complications.

Narrative Clinical Evaluation

After assessing the diagnosis of the client, the specialist is to define clinical measures that will assist the victim in solving the addiction problem. The clinical evaluation needs to consider the diagnosed issues of the patient from the family backgrounds of the history of mental and substance use. The diagnosis of most female clients reveals that thy have had major family issues that led to their use of drugs that eventually became an addiction. Married women recorded trauma that resulted from domestic violence where they were being buttered in their marriage. They then sort to drugs for comfort and help them forget their misery for hours. The clinical evaluations for such clients sort to help them overcome their initial problems that will eventually help them overcome the abuse of the substance. The treatment prescribed for them will cover their full recovery from the issues that led to their abuse of drugs to the end of their addiction (Kennedy, 2003).

Problem List

Substance dependence may be associated with a list of problems that may severely affect the client. One of the most common problems is the mental health effects that may arise as a result of the body system failure to accommodate the excess toxic substance that is being fed by the system. The physician has to develop a treatment plan for the client that will help them recover from their effects. Another problem may be memory lapses where the client may suffer from a short memory. They may be affected in a manner that they may not be able to recall the past or upcoming events. The consequence of the short memory can as well be severe as the client may forget important details in their diaries. Another associated problem with substance abuse is violence. People under the influence of drugs involve in violent acts without their normal conscious, and they may not be aware of their actions after they are done. These violent actions can lead to criminal cases that may not have been intent, and the client may have to face the law consequently (Rich, 2011).

Long and Short-Term Goals

This research study had both long and short term goals. The short term goals include reducing the chances of the victim of being adversely affected by the dependency on the substance the physician can prescribe measures and guide the victim through steps that would help the reduce the use of drugs that will eventually lead to withdrawal from the dependency. Another short-term goal can be helping the victims to stay away from crimes and exposure to crimes that may be as a result of lack of conscious minds. Long-term goals of the case may be to enhance total withdrawal from the drug or substance use. The physician may counsel the client on ways and habits that could be adapted to help withdrawal from the dependency of the drug. From the beginning of the diagnosis and clinical assessment, the primary aim of the case is to stop the client from misusing drugs and help them withdraw without any relapse. The body may react negatively, and the client may suffer from the abrupt withdrawal. The physician is to help them retract safely and refrain from the substance abuse. Another long-term objective is to come up with a new person from a drug abuser. The client can be transformed from a person abusing drugs to a disciplined member of the society.

Objectives for the Goals

The above-mentioned goals have particular objectives that led to the success of the goals. For the short term goals, one objective could be prescribing measures to reduce the abuse and dependency on the substance. Another mission is assisting the client to stay away from crimes caused by actions under the influence of drugs. For the long-term goals, one purpose is helping the client to withdraw safely from the abuse of the substance. Appropriate measures taken will help the patient to retract from the dependency without major side effects. Another objective is making the best out of a drug abuser. With this, the physician can transform the client from an abuser to a changed person with good characters.

Intervention for All Goals

The purpose of the agenda is to reduce the risks that are associated with the abuse of drugs. Interventions of these goals are as well important. The clinician is expected to declare the final treatment goal so as to focus on the single behavior objective. In the intervention, particular elements are to be considered. One is that the feedback is to be given to the individual concerning personal risk and impairment. The responsibility for change should be placed on the victim. The clinician should then give advice to the client concerning the change. Self-efficacy is then engendered in the addict.

Completed Client Treatment Plan

Clients who have decided to enter into treatment needs to be taken through engagement services that will orient them to the program. The orientation of these customers includes explaining to them the rules of and regulations into details that...