Case Study Analysis: Jamie's Substance Abuse, Ethical Considerations

This case study examines the situation of Jamie, a 15-year-old girl facing substance abuse issues stemming from a dysfunctional home environment. The analysis explores the impact of her living situation, including her attraction to marijuana and alcohol, and the role of parental negligence and teacher involvement. The paper delves into ethical considerations related to her case, highlighting the importance of professional codes of conduct and the need for empathy and support. Furthermore, it proposes a comprehensive treatment plan, including detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, and contingency management, to help Jamie overcome her addiction and address the underlying issues contributing to her substance use. The study emphasizes the need for early intervention, supportive environments, and the application of evidence-based therapeutic approaches to facilitate recovery and prevent future substance abuse.

Running head: CASE STUDY OF JAMIE
Case Study of Jamie
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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In present times, the issue of substance abuse is faced by the younger generations.
Parents are an important part in shaping the lives of children. The new trends show that the
growing distance between the teenagers and their parents has led to them being misguided.
The misguidance and the peer pressure has led to them resort to substance abuse. The intake
of these substances has led to adverse effects on the health of the children (Volkow 2014).
The major substances that pose threat on the health of the teenagers are marijuana, alcohol
and tobacco products. The role of parents is vital in controlling the behavior of the children.
They are the ones who have a direct impact on the lives of the individuals. Thus, it becomes
the duty of the parents to be vigilant on their activities that will decrease the chances of them
indulging in substance abuse (Heneghan et al. 2013). In this paper, the focus will be on a 15
year old teenager who has indulged into substances abuse due to the adverse situations faced
on the homes.
A 15 year old girl, Jamie who faces serious threats at home and feels unsafe. She feel
unsafe at home and decides to live at the home of her friend for nearly 2 months. The
reference to the adolescence home changed her course of life. She shared her place of
accommodation with three other women and a chosen lead tenant. The lead tenant was
responsible for all the activities that occurred in the room. In the accommodation it was a rule
for the tenants to earn their livelihood by themselves or either be engaged with educational
activities. The accommodation made followed strict rules regarding the use of legal and
illegal drugs. They were banned and any use of such drugs reported will lead to the
termination of accommodation. Despite the warnings, she is attracted to the marijuana and
drinking liquor with her other friends whom she often invites when the other tenants are
away.
It can be concluded after studying the case of Jamie that the restrictions imposed on
the teenager leads to the rebellious attitude and she resorts to the intake of banned drugs. The

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abandonment that she experienced at her home has led her forced her into these activities.
There it can be related that the parental care is important for every child and the lack of it can
lead to adverse effects on the physical as well as psychological health of the children (Stanger
et al. 2013). The negligence on part of the parents can cause emotional trauma and
breakdown. It can lead to the children turn emotionally sensitive and vulnerable. This is the
time when they can be affected by the opinion of their peers and resort to unlawful activities.
The lack of empathy from the parents made Jamie feel abandoned and that led to her leaving
her home. The company of her friends who came to accommodation made her prone to use
marijuana and drinking practices. The sensitive brain of Jamie found peace in using the
substances as they are known to decrease the power to reason and think. The lack of
attachment on art of Jamie to her parents is the main reason for the aloofness and her turning
to self-destructive activities.
After the parents, teachers are the essential individuals in shaping the life of a
children. They are the ones who spend a lot of time with children through their years of
growth and development. They should act as a link between the children and their parents to
mend the gap that exists between them. They can enhance the quality of relationships that a
child has with his immediate environment. Teachers should play an efficient role in teaching
by respecting the individual boundaries. In case of Jamie, teachers should have helped her in
the period when she was facing traumatic issues in her family. They should have asked her
the reason that led her to leave her home and stay at another place. It is the professional
responsibility of the teachers to assess the state of individual wellbeing. This shows that they
failed to discharge their duties properly and could not provide help to her. The courtesy and
dignity that is the core value of the teaching practices were not followed while dealing with
Jamie. Their function is not only to provide education but to maintain and develop a smooth
relationship with students. The case of Jamie shows that the teachers fail to properly

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discharge their duties and that shows that she fails to develop a trust bond with them. To treat
all the learners impartially and respect their integrity is one of the core ethics followed by
them. It is the main pillar the professionalism that they should exhibit. The condition that
Jamie experiences can be resolved if the teachers take initiative to discuss the reasons for her
present condition. The reasons when discussed clearly will lead them to understand and
provide the solutions accordingly. They should cooperate with her and suggest her the ways
to quit the habits of substance abuse (Winters et al. 2018). They hold a place of high regard in
the society that substantiates the fact that she will listen to their suggestions and apply them
for her betterment. Public accountability is a main attribute of teaching profession that
envisages in them the duty to correct the mistakes that are committed by her. An ideal teacher
should strive for the betterment of students and that increases their responsibility to bring
Jamie out of the intake of illegal substances. They are neither accepted by the society nor are
they helpful to her growth. They are hindering the development of her healthy mind and
leading her towards extreme conditions (Feit and Wodarski 2014). It will eventually lead to
her becoming addicted and socially unacceptable. This state can be improved only with
proper intervention and guidance by the teachers.
The use of marijuana and alcohol that Jamie developed in the early age have led to
different types of behavioral issues in her. The fluctuations in her mood and stress is the
effect of the substances used by her. These substances intervene in the functioning of her
psychological system leading to dysfunctional issues (Levy and Williams 2016). In this
section the focus will be to design a plan that will help Jamie to recover from the issues she is
experiencing in her life. The first step is to evaluate the situations that led her to indulge in
these activities. The intensity of the issue that is faced by her. The proper diagnosis of the
substance will lead to prescribe proper ways to help her in the process of recovery. The focus
should be on the factors and the drugs used by her to alienate herself from the painful and

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traumatic conditions faced by her. The purpose of the assessment plan is to formulate a plan
for treating the disorder. Treatment plan will aim to remove the substance abuse practices
inculcated in her. Rehabilitation centers are beneficial to remove the habits of substance
abuse as they consist of trained professionals who can help in the treatment. Jamie can avail
help from the rehabilitation center by the professionals who will suggest her ways to quit her
habit. Detoxification is the first step to help her quit her habits. It involves the flushing out of
the toxic substances from the body that cause the urge for the addictive substances. It will
then be followed by the therapy sessions that will help to cure the underdevelopment and
abnormalities faced by her. The therapies will help to decrease the impulsivities occurring in
her. It involves to properly understand the problems faced by Jamie and design the therapies
accordingly.
Cognitive behavioral therapy will help to solve the problem of Jamie by helping her to
develop skills that are necessary regulating her activities (Galanter, Kleber and Brady 2014).
It will encourage her to develop communication skills that will help her to convey her issues
to the therapists. It will increase her ability to solve the problems faced by her.
Family therapy will be helpful in solving Jamie’s problem as she suffers from these
issues due to the lack of involvement of her family. As the family has a long lasting effect on
her development and her addiction. The involvement of her parents will lead to improve her
condition. This will help to facilitate her rehabilitation and quitting the habit of substance
abuse.
Contingency management is the best model that can be used to manage the habits of
substance abuse. This the best technique to solve the problems amongst the teenagers. This
will help to solve the Jamie’s problem as it involves the technique of rewards. The fact of
getting rewarded by the authorities can incline her to quit the habit of smoking and drinking

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(Tanner-Smith, Wilson and Lipsey 2013). It will help to stabilize the activities of her brain
and create a soothing effect facilitating her process of recuperation.
Thus, it can be evaluated from the above discussion that family situations are the main
contributors in forcing the teenagers into substance abuse. The lack of guidance from family
and the insecure conditions at home can aggravate the problems. But with proper techniques
of treatment, guidance by teachers and therapies can help in the process of recu

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References
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