SUBSTANCE ABUSE HISTORY Essay Example For Students

SUBSTANCE ABUSE HISTORY Essay A diagnostic summary was completed on 10/6/96; Jack Smith is a 41-year-old white male currently living in a small community in southern Ohio. Jack came into the agency involuntarily; his involvement with the agency is a requisite of probation for assault and domestic violence. He was arrested for assaulting his wife during an alcoholic blackout; he was placed on probation for one year on the condition he participates in substance abuse counseling. This is Jacks second involvement with this agency as a result of his alcohol abuse. His first encounter was in 1985, when he underwent after-care counseling with an agency counselor who no longer is employed at this facility. We will write a custom essay on SUBSTANCE ABUSE HISTORY specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The apparent symptoms of chemical dependency were: 1) Loss of Control Jack had made several attempts at controlling the amounts of alcohol he consumed, but those times when he was able to abstain from alcohol were when he substituted marijuana and/or other drugs. 2) Blackouts these began occurring almost daily as a result of his alcohol and marijuana use. 3) Family History of Alcohol/Drug Usage Jacks natural and adoptive parents, as well as three natural brothers and three natural sisters have used alcohol and/or drugs heavily. 4) Changes in Tolerance when Jack began drinking at age 15, he soon developed a high tolerance for beer; by age 18, he was drinking six-to nine beers per occasion, and had begun smoking marijuana on these occasions. Before he stopped using marijuana in 1985, he was smoking one-two marijuana joints daily through the week, and five-six joints daily on weekends, as well as drinking the equivalent of a 12-pack of beer daily, occasionally chasing it with whiske y during the week, and on weekend, consuming the standard 12-pack of beer in addition to half of a fifth of whiskey mixed with soft drinks. 5) Physiological Symptomology Jack was diagnosed with bleeding ulcers shortly after he began drinking at age 15; when he entered his second treatment program in 1985, he was diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis; currently, his flushed/tannish-looking skin and bloated appearance (edema) are indicative of further liver dysfunctions which can be attributed to his continued alcohol consumption. Bibliography: