Substance abuse is a mental disorder that has numerous negative effects to everyone involved. When a person has an addiction they turn into someone different, their brain chemistry is changed and brain cells are lost. From a nursing standpoint there are many things we must consider when caring for a person who has an addiction.
Keywords: Substance abuse, Addiction, Effects
Substance Abuse
I am suddenly awakened in the middle if the night by my phone that is ringing with a desperate tone, I answer to hear the dreaded words, “I 'm in the back of a cop car and need you to come get me.” This is just part of what it’s like to live in the house of a substance abuser. In this situation it’s hard to remember that although many
…show more content…
Substance abusers seek this impairment for a variety of reasons such as to get away from reality or to escape their problems. In the process of getting this “high” their brain chemistry changes and they become addicted. “Addiction is the repeated compulsive use of a substance even after the person suffers from the physical, mental, and legal consequences” (Williams, 2011). Substance abuse causes many negative effects to the person who is addicted as well as their loved ones. Even though these effects are devastating, the person continues to use because their brain and body are reprogrammed to need the substance. When the person isn 't using the substance they begin to suffer from withdrawal symptoms. “Withdrawal is a physical response to the sudden cessation of a substance that has been used over a period of time; these symptoms are specific to the substance” (Williams, 2011). When a person is suffering from withdrawal symptoms they have mental and physical effects. These effects can range from sweating to seizures. Physical symptoms are usually the first step followed by mental symptoms, these two steps together can last up to a few weeks. (Melemis, 2016). I was recently able to observe at a substance abuse rehabilitation facility where I witnessed a client withdrawing. This client seemed to be agitated and anxious. Also he was very red in …show more content…
The patient may be able to sense if you have a negative opinion of them. Also, many patients with addiction may have ineffective coping, personal identity disturbance, and altered family coping along with many others. The patient will need support and access to resources. As nurses we must advocate for our patients, so in these situations we need to be actively doing this. The patient may need information about treatment and groups. During my observation at a rehabilitation facility, I saw firsthand that these patients need support. We need to provide the support and care that they need. (Observation, March 1,
Many of the problems associated with early sobriety do not stem directly from psychoactive substances. Instead they are associated with physical and psychological changes that occur after the substances have left the body. When a person regularly uses psychoactive drugs, the brain undergoes physical changes to cope with the presence of drugs in the body. When the drugs are removed from the body, the brain craves the drugs that it has become accustomed to and as the brain attempts to rebalance itself without the presence of psychoactive drugs the person often experiences feelings of confusion, pain, and discomfort. The symptoms that are experienced immediately after stopping drug use are called acute withdrawal. But often the symptoms do not stop at acute withdrawal. After the body makes initial adjustments to the absence of drugs, the changes that have occurred in the brain still need time to revert back to their original state. During this period, a variety of symptoms known as Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) begin to occur. In the book Uppers, Downers, All Arounders, published by CNS Productions, authors Darryl Inaba and William Cohen define PAWS as “a group of emotional and physical symptoms that appear after major withdrawal symptoms have abated” (Inaba & Cohen, 2011).
A nurse is required to exercise appropriate clinical judgment and respond safely and quickly in order to effectively care for a patient. Substance abuse among nurses is an issue that compromises the delivery of quality care and professional standards of nursing. Many nurses are not recognized as having a problem until a patient has been endangered (Clark and Farnsworth, 2006). It has been estimated that 10-...
From the individual perspective, the client was a victim of child abuse, which led to feelings of fear and sadness and a desire to avoid these emotions. Socially, she came from a family of alcoholics giving her easy availability. There was also the pressure of keeping up appearances due to her mother’s status in society. The initial individual consequences of the client’s alcohol use were reinforcing. She felt invincible, warm, and it helped her avoid the thoughts in her head. Everything was right with the world as long as she was intoxicated.
The consequences of substance abuse as a practicing nurse are endless. According to the Alabama Board of Nursing Administrative Code, the Board will take disciplinary action toward a nurse who is proven to be negligent from the use of alcohol or has been proven to be addicted to any habit-forming drug (2017). Either of these criteria render the nurse unsafe and or unreliable to practice as a nurse (Alabama Board of Nursing, 2017). Depending on the extent of the offense, the Board may discipline the transgressor in several ways including reprimand, fine, and suspending or revoking their license (Alabama Board of Nursing, 2017). Any nurse facing these charges also must endure the embarrassment of having their name permanently put on the Disciplinary Action Reports page of the Alabama Board of Nursing website for all of the public to review (Alabama Board of Nursing, 2017). Thus, if said nurse loses his or her job in the process, future employers will access this database for hires, leaving the nurse to be scrutinized by any possible employer. Not only do nurses risk their own credibility, they also risk the lives of their patients when under the influence. A study recorded by Cares shows that substance abuse rates were highest among nurses working in specialty fields (2016). The nurses working in the fields such as adult critical care and
Over the years, substance abuse in the United States has become a persistent issue affecting many individuals. In 2008, it was estimated that 17.8 million Americans over the age of 18 where substance dependent (Epstein, Burns, & Conlon, 2010). Many of these individuals being affected are nurses. Ponech (2000) stated that "approximately 10% of the nursing population has alcohol or drug abuse problems, and 6% has problems serious enough to interfere with their ability to practice" (as cited in Talbert, 2009, p.17). Studies show that nurses have a 50% higher rate of substance abuse compared to the rest of the public (Epstein et al., 2010). Among the many factors that contribute to the nurse’s issue of substance abuse, accessibility to drugs in the work environment has played a significant role. Substance abuse among nurses is an arising issue in need of attention, it is alarming to know that patient safety and care is in danger when a chemically impaired nurse is in the workplace.
These physiological changes result in withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, anxiety, toxic effects on nerve cells, and altered perception of alcohol’s effects. Any of those symptoms may increase the patient’s potential for relapse and vulnerability to brain damage. With a drinking pattern of repeated bingeing and abstaining, the imbalance occurring during withdrawal may intensify with each successive episode and may culminate in a state of persistent CNS hyperexcitability seen as a augmented withdrawal response.
Therefore, when I work with substance abusers I will show empathy, encourage and validate their successes and their feelings about any failures. In addiction, I will help the person learn from their failures and normalize the situation. Furthermore, I would attempt to ensure that the person had several coping strategies in place, to help when he or she finds themselves in a difficult situation. Moreover, I intend to ensure the client has all the tools he or she needs to succeed while getting to the root of their problem through counseling.
Substance addiction is becoming an epidemic. While some people can quit using a substance without any help, most people need help to their recovery. Narcotics anonymous is an important support group for our society. There are many different narcotic anonymous programs to join that have meetings throughout the week. The members of the support group all share one thing in common, they suffer from different types of chemical dependency. Members help each other because they have the same problems and worries that everyone in the room has. Though they may be struggling with different stages in their life, for the most part, they all relate to what each is going through. Just as AA, NA focuses on the 12-step program. The members of
Alcoholism is a mental illness that is very destructive not only to an individual that has it, but also to the people that surround him or her and the community. It is a “chronic disease, progressive, and often fatal”, according to James D. Torr, author of the book called Alcoholism (19). Alcohol, when consumed, causes the person to feel pleasure and other desired effects, because of the chemicals it contains. The continuation of consuming alcohol causes the brain and the body to develop tolerance or addiction which leads to alcohol dependence or alcoholism.
Tie to the audience: You would need to know what to do to support your friend should they seek help but first you need to know what all addiction entails, right?
The chances are that we all know or have loved ones with an addictions to either drugs or alcohol. Still today, one of the biggest challenges is being able to talk to that person about their addiction. Even though I personally have not had the opportunity to speak to a loved one or acquaintance about an addiction. Research shows when confronting a person with a problem; it takes preparation, patience, and being totally honest with that individual. Talking to someone with a dependency is something that most people avoid because people like myself would not want others mending in our lives; we, even, tend to believe that it is not our problem how much our f...
Working in the Behavioral Health Unit, I’ve had dealt with many patients who had the addiction to alcohol, benzos, pain killers, and others drugs.
Abuse can cause countless medical problems to the body. A person who is addicted will continue to stimulate themselves regardless if they are aware of the negative chain reactions. Once addicted, it becomes difficult to stop due to how the body has become dependent. Health will be harmed the more a stimulant is used. Health effects include: cardiovascular disease, strokes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, lung disease, mental disease, birth defects. Mental health is what keeps a person in the right mind to make better decisions and have better control in life. Drugs have the ability to change mood and behavior. If drugs have affected the brain already, the desire increases which changes mental health. Some may not realize that they have been affected their health negatively. “A person who abuses drugs may not realize they have a problem until pronounced effects of drug abuse are seen, often physically. While drug abuse effects on the body vary depending on the drug used, all drug abuse negatively impacts one 's health (Addictions Community). Since drugs create many health issues, treatment is not a simple task. Treatments are hard to obtain and addictions often go
In conclusion drug addiction is a very terrible and challenging problem. It affects individuals, families, and the people around them. It is important that drug addicts realize that they must want to stop and seek help for the problem. The drug addict needs the support of friends and family, so they can make it through this process. The process to recover from drug addiction can take a lifetime. There is hope for a drug addict who wants to change their life for the better.
The use of drugs is a controversial topic in society today. In general, addicts show a direct link between taking drugs and suffering from their effects. People abuse drugs for a wide variety of reasons. In most cases, the use of drugs will serve a type of purpose or will give some kind of reward. These reasons for use will differ with different kinds of drugs. Various reasons for using the substance can be pain relief, depression, anxiety and weariness, acceptance into a peer group, religion, and much more. Although reasons for using may vary for each individual, it is known by all that consequences of the abuse do exist. It is only further down the line when the effects of using can be seen.