Substance Abuse Case Study

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Substance abuse remains a prominent issue affecting men, women and adolescences young as “age 11.” (William 2014) Substance abuse is an “excessive use of a potentially addictive substance, especially one that may modify body functions, such as alcohol and drugs. Also called chemical abuse.” (Houghton 2011) In the case of 17- year old Mr. Favel, he models the behavioral theory, which is based through conditioning with the interaction in the environment. Based on the environmental stimuli will shape our behaviors to certain situations.

Mr. Favel case reveals his feeling of abandonment with his biological parents due to their alcoholism that in turn Mr. Favel had to be placed in several of fosters homes at an early age of 5. Mr. Favel just finished grade 9 recently but has no intention of schooling because he put up long enough with the disrespect and rudeness of his teachers and the racial taunting from other students. Mr. Favel currently lives in an abandoned house after he ran away from his most recent foster parents home without giving them any notice. Mr. Favel use substances consent of glue, nicotine and alcohol. He usually drinks alone in insolation and self-medication because he was mainly trying to forget all the “garbage” (Favel) that was going on in his life. He would refer drinking to huffing but because of his age and lifestyle, glue was the only painkiller he could get his hands on. Because of this Mr. Favel feels to urge to participate in substance abuse to hide his past and to forget anything that has ever happened. These connections between the addiction and behavior is the classical conditioning from the triggers in his life about feeling abandoned and is drinking to not feel the pain or alone. Mr. Fav...

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...therapy.” (Bubby 2012) Yet, group therapy will probably not be the best choice, as Mr. Favel will probably feel uncomfortable with speaking with other peers because of racial taunting and rudeness that he experienced in school. In time, Mr. Favel might feel comfortable with speaking in a group with other peers but the best choice at this time is to have Mr. Favel start cognitive behavior therapy with a therapist to begin with then introduce group sessions when Mr. Favel is comfortable.

Overall, the case of George Favel is fairly tragic – an example of an individual whose life was undermined by his addiction, one which pursued him since childhood, and influence by the authority that surrounds him. In the end with aid from a youth worker to seek help, Mr. Favel will in time seek help for his addiction and be on the way to a new brighter future.

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