...Substance Abuse Just like many disease or mental illness, substance abuse does not discriminate. Substance abuse can result from sociocultural, due to stress of environmental factors, social economics and unemployment’s. The use of substance abuse whether it is alcohol, prescription drugs, or other method it is a stress reliever for the abuser, helping them escape. The addiction to substance abuse makes it hard to function and work in the real world because the abuser becomes dependent and develop higher tolerance. Those suffering from substance abuse may have genetic been given through it through an addict mother, or suffering through a life crises of depression, stress and anxiety. Psychological Factors There is several reason one would try drugs that may turn into substance abuse, it could be the mere fact of stress and unemployment, abusing alcohol or substance abuse allows the person to be able to relieve the stress and feel at peace. Substance abuse can result from social economics and surrounds, whether it is something we see on television or dealing with peer pressures of friends, family and coworkers. The void drugs fill in your life will take part of you life making it hard to accomplish any tasks. Effects The effect of substance abuse can result in changes in the brain interfering with the ability to think clearly, exercise good judgment, controlling our behavior, and this results in poor work performance. You frequently call out of work, running late, struggles...
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... Causal Essay Substance abuse has been thought to be a big city problem. However alcohol abuse and illegal drugs such as marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, have made their way into our small rural communities. Rural America has become a refuge for drug makers, dealers and abusers. Substance abuse such as drugs, alcohol, and prescription drugs are a growing problem in rural communities due to stress, peer pressure and chronic pain. Studies have reported that individuals exposed to stress are more likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs or undergo relapse (National Institute on Drug Abuse, n.d.). It is well established that the effects of stress can damage people’s mental and physical health. Not everyone deals with stress in the same way, where as some people have an inability to deal with it effectively. One of the ways that the individual may attempt to manage their stress is by using alcohol or drugs. This type of self-medication can provide temporary relief, but is ultimately self-defeating. It can mean that the individual will have more stress in their life than ever, but they will have even less of an ability to handle it. Using drugs, as a short-term solution to the stress going on in their life is dangerous and can lead to addiction. Stress can be caused by the loss of job, divorce, death of a loved one or many other numerous situations. Stress is a major factor and is one of the leading causes of drug abuse. Teenagers and young adult face peer...
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...not unlike millions of others in the workforce that contend with the disease, how prevalent does the abuse of alcohol among police officers remain? It was 1975 when former law enforcement turned novelist, Joseph Wambaugh, shared The Choirboys with us. Wambaugh’s fictional tale of the shenanigans involving police officers spent a great deal of time discussing the use and abuse of alcohol by the police. Are cops are still turning up the bottle and at an alarming rate? From the Wambaugh’s tales of the after-shift meetings in MacArthur Park to today’s “stress-relief” briefings at various wing houses and sports bars across the country police officers are boozing it up and alcohol abuse among the profession has reached an all-time high. Recent studies indicate that one-quarter of all police officers in the U.S. are afflicted with the disease of alcoholism. Not surprisingly, studies have established a significant correlation between occupational stress and increased alcohol use by police officers today. Occupational stress, if untreated, can lead to negative changes in a law enforcer’s life, especially how they view themselves and the communities that they serve. This puts the officer at risk for becoming cynical, burned out, apathetic, abusing alcohol or drugs, and committing suicide. While we understand that job related stress does not result in the officer’s immediate pit stop at the...
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...student 2013 Issues That Plague Law Enforcement Personnel student In the criminal justice career path many problems can arise. Stress from the job can create problems in the work field as well as in the personal and social areas of one’s life. Job stress can also tie into fatigue and alcohol and/or drug abuse. Fatigue gives us tired cops and tired cops can be a bad thing in the criminal justice field. Alcohol and drug abuse plagues cops everywhere. There are many suggestions for programs and treatment ideas for these problems that plague our law enforcement officers. Job stress can’t be avoided in any job field. It especially can’t be avoided in the field of law enforcement. Job stress can come from many sources. Having to exercise prudent discretion all the time, the threat of using violence and having violence used against them, and isolation from the rest of society are the major causes. It can lead to negative attitudes, burnout, loss of enthusiasm and commitment (aka cynicism), increased apathy, divorce, substance abuse and health problems, and many other social, personal, and job-related problematic behaviors. Work place support, training officers to cope with the effects of stress, stress management, and stress training are things that law enforcement are currently doing to lessen job stress. Stress training includes diet info, biofeedback, exercise, relaxation, and meditation. I believe that all law enforcement personnel should have to undergo psychological...
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...US Navy where alcohol is concerned. The use of illegal drugs and substances also lends its hand to the dismissal of many officers on a yearly basis. As a junior officer in the service, we have the ability to combat the use and abuse of these substances amongst our peers in the wardroom. We can do this by being vigilant in looking for signs of abuse, making sure that everyone understands policies, and using the referent base of power to contest the use and abuse of substances and alcohol. Unfortunately, having a sit down with a buddy of yours in the wardroom can be awkward and possibly not work. Because of this,...
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...relaxation. Whatever the reason, there is a call for concern when harmless recreation becomes dangerous abuse. There are many causes for substance abuse disorders but what is crucial to determine is what the root cause is. What is the initiating cause of a casual chain of events that leads to a certain outcome? In other words, what is the very first thing that inhibits the substance abuse to develop? Substance abuse can be defined as the condition in which one or more substances leads to a clinically significant impairment or distress. However, who’s to say that that kind of distress...
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...Alcohol Use Disorder can be detrimental in a person's life. With constant use, alcohol can negatively affect a person’s home and social life. This disorder can be brought about due to either biological or environmental means. Though with help, those who suffer from Alcohol Use disorder can overcome this through behavioral changes or medications. DSM-V Description According to the DSM-V description, Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a substance abuse disorder. Alcohol Use Disorder is a pattern of Alcohol abuse that disrupts daily life, and although there are severe consequences that come with continued alcohol abuse, a person will continue to abuse alcohol. These people find it difficult to stop or even cut back the amount of alcohol they intake....
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...Military Versus Civilian Alcohol Dependency Military personnel are more likely to be alcohol dependent than civilians, which is due to the high stress and pressures of the military culture, lifestyle, combat, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Imagine what it feels like returning home after a 12 month deployment to the Middle East. What do you do when you feel there is nowhere to go? You go where you feel most comfortable--alcohol. There are many causes and factors for alcoholism. These factors influence many people to drink and contribute to a higher count of alcoholism in our society. Alcoholism is sometimes caused or influenced by genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors. This also includes how it affects your body and behavior. Some additional factors include age, family history, steady drinking over time, mental health and depression, social and cultural factors, and combining alcohol with medications or illegal drugs. (Emmite, et.al, Remedy’s health communities’ mental health; alcohol abuse, May 2001) One of the main causes of alcoholism is the genetic component. There are some scientists that suggest that there is a genetic component that plays a role in certain areas of alcoholism. Those areas are having an increased risk for alcoholism, having an increased tolerance, and having ongoing cravings for alcohol. Although the genes themselves have not been identified, there have been a number of studies. Some of these studies were...
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...number of college students and teens, who misuse prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons along with street drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy, heroin and steroids. Drugs and alcohol use on college campuses is universal. This has been an epidemic that has grown across the United States. According to Yusko,Buckman, White, and Pandina; alcohol and drug use in college is one of the more serious problems faced by colleges today .Another study stated that 90 percent of teens said they have used alcohol, over 50 percent have used marijuana, 17 percent used cocaine and 13 percent have used some form of hallucinogenic drug. Athletes are at risk to drug use because of the increased physical demand of athletics and heightens stress and time constraints placed upon them by fulfilling the dual role of being an athlete and student (Yusko, Buckman, White, Pandina, 2008). Peer pressure in itself is an epidemic and strongly impacts nonathletic individuals as well. The use of prescriptions drugs for nonmedical use is higher than are use of cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, ecstasy, and inhalants all combined. Prescription Opioids result in more drug abuse deaths than both cocaine and heroin combined (Katelyn Rozenbroek& Rothstein, 2011).There are a lot of factors that drive teens and college students to turn to drugs and alcohol. The highest rates of prescription drugs used non-medically occur among college students and other young adult’s ages 18 to 24 (Katelyn Rozenbroek& Rothstein, 2011)...
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...Substance Abuse to cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Military Veterans face many life changing stressors while away on active duty as well as when they return home. To cope with the stress, drugs and alcohol become a way to self-medicate and cover the unseen pain. Substance abuse, because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is a coping mechanism for some of the nation’s Veterans, but with proper medical attention, treatment is possible. PTSD can occur after a traumatic event, in which there are four types of symptoms: reliving the event or flashbacks, avoiding situations that may trigger memories, and feeling numb or detached from life (“United States Department of Veteran Affairs”, 2013). Many classifications of drugs are abused to help cope with the different symptoms of PTSD. Unfortunately, substance abuse has negative consequences and in return, increases the stressors experienced once home. Treatment and recovery options are available to make the coping a positive experience. There are several risks associated with serving this country, such as leaving home at a young age, training for combat, seeing explosions, witnessing innocent by standards injured and killed, and attacks by the enemy. Returning home is also stressful for many Veterans; mentally and physically life is different, personalities have changed, and the perspective on beliefs are not as they once had been. Some find themselves easily angered, irritated, and no longer finding joy in...
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...the safety of themselves and their families. Many people exposed to the attacks developed trouble coping with the repercussions and responses to the attacks. It was estimated that approximately 35% of the population directly exposed to this act of terrorism developed, or will develop, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Yehuda, 2002). An event such as the September 11th attack is a prime example of a major traumatic event in recent history that has left Americans and Canadians feeling threatened. Events, whether a large public occurrence such as the one identified above, or an individualistic personal episode, can result in the development of PTSD. PTSD is characterized by a variety of symptoms that last for at least one month, or longer, following a traumatic event (Brady 2004). It can be defined as the trauma itself and an individual’s response to that trauma. It effects the psychological, emotional, social, and physical states of the affected individual and can act as a pathway for other psychological disorders, the most common being major depressive disorder (MDD)(Van Ameringen, 2008). The purpose of this paper is to; examine PTSD and its causes, its ties to substance use/abuse in Canada, focusing on the Aboriginal population, and the reasons why traumatic...
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...result of drug abuse among the African American society is embarrassing and degrades our race as a whole. Drug and alcohol addiction has continuously been one of our society’s most complex and ongoing problems, which targets mostly the black community. Substance abuse is not appealing especially to African American because they are more dependent for care and treatment. In the African American society today major problems that affect our community are increasing in rates because of drug abusers. However, the inferior impact on our race that it causes and the consequences it creates. Cultural biases and the constant emphasis on typical American values and lifestyles may contribute to drug abuse within the African American community. The psychological well being of African Americans today is consistently disagreeing with the constant reminder of their place in society. The inferior place is of course the place in which many African Americans allow themselves to be put in. Experts on drug abuse disorders agree that poverty and other socioeconomic factors have a great impact on the rise of drug abuse in the African American community (Britt 8). These common mistaken ideas by experts have a great impact on the way African Americans view themselves. Rather than suggesting to that, the several socioeconomic factors are the cause of drug abuse from an outsider point of view. Experts should do their research from within the black community. Research in substance abuse often does not...
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...and a psychological paradigm. No one explanation seems to be better than another is. I will present views of the effects alcoholism has on society and an insight to the factors that serve to fuel the nature or nurture debate concerning alcohol abuse and alcoholism. STATISTICS: The abuse of alcohol alone is estimated at $144.1 billion dollars annually. Every man, woman and child in America pays nearly $1,000 a year to cover the costs of unnecessary health care, auto accidents, crime and loss of productivity resulting from alcohol abuse. Alcohol deaths account for approximately five percent of all deaths occurring in the United States. Alcohol is considered to be one of the most widely used drugs as it attacks the central nervous system. Two-thirds of all adults drink alcohol; one-third of those are under the age of eighteen. The term alcoholic is commonly used to refer to a person who is severely dependent on alcohol as a result of their drinking pattern. Not everyone with an alcohol problem becomes an alcoholic. If this is true then what differentiates the social drinker from the alcoholic? A novice explanation would be that social drinkers do not experience problems when they drink, however alcoholics develop a physical dependence on alcohol and lack control over how much they drink and what happens when they drink, resulting in social problems. Can it be this simple? Why doesn't a person...
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...the Study A man who troubles himself or belongings; or look for his own pleasure is more likely vices (Spooner, 2006). Students are the most common drinkers, smokers and drug takers than the laypeople which may be influenced bypeer pressure, cheap bars and the living freely away from home. (NHS Choices, 2014) Atkin,Hocking& Block (2006) said that youth who sees more television and magazine ads of beer, wine, and liquor usually drink more and expected that they will begin drinking just like social impact of advertising, advertising for alcoholic beverages, influences adolescents. Alcohol abuse has been associated to intimate partner violence (IPV).There were 440 participants recruited from STI (sexually transmitted infection) Clinic from St. Petersburg, Russia to collect some information on health standing, alcohol use and hostility involving sexual partners. 47.0% were classified as abusing alcohol and 7.2% participants committed IPV who mostly drinks on the streets or in parks (BMC Public Health 2011). In a current issue, Pathological Gambling was classified as “Impulse-Control Disorder” section. This could relate to illegal acts which would be forgery, fraud, theft or embezzlement to finance gambling (Petry, 2010). According to Poulin (2006), gambling is an activity in which there a two potentialbenefits and harms to peoples for the general action towards gambling should reducing harm. Studies have constituted a relationship between gambling and suicide and suicide attempts...
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...reasons. Some reasons are peer pressure, stress, boredom, bad friends, and a bad neighborhood.” (Global Publishing Inc.). There can be many reasons, but the most common causes for most teens to abuse drugs are because of the easy availability of the drug, an easy escape from the stress of every day life, and to escape the many pressures from friends and peers. One cause of drug use in teens is the availability. Teens come across drugs almost everyday in high school and middle school. Boston University studies say, “80% of high school students and 44% of middle school students have reported that they have personally seen drugs used by peers, possession of drugs, or the buying and selling of them.” (Boston University). Because of this alarmingly high popularity of drugs on school campuses it is not hard for a student to come across any sort of drug. All a student would have to do is find someone using drugs, and then they can get some also. The second main cause for drug use in teens is to escape from the stress of everyday life. Teens are usually stressed over a number of things. Some of the things are, getting accepted to college, worrying about maintaining a job, staying in relationships, and not least of all handling all the responsibilities their parents lay on them. Many recent studies have shown that teens developed more stress than adults (123 Help Me). In the underdeveloped mind of the average teen, with the constant weight of stress on their shoulders, drugs can seem like...
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