Analysis of Substance Use Disorder: Prescription Drug Abuse Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of substance use disorder, with a specific focus on the abuse of prescription drugs. It begins by defining substance use disorder and highlighting the commonly abused prescription drugs, including opioids and CNS depressants and stimulants. The report then details the signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse, emphasizing the challenges in diagnosis due to overlapping symptoms. It also explores various treatment options, such as detoxification and cognitive-behavioral therapy, while discussing the crucial role of nursing diagnosis and care plans in managing patients. The report further outlines common nursing diagnoses, including denial, risk of injury, and powerlessness, along with corresponding interventions and goals for patient recovery. The conclusion reiterates the rising concern of prescription drug abuse and the importance of medical practitioners and nurses in addressing this critical health issue.

Running head: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 1
Substance abuse disorder
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Abstract.
Substance use disorder is a condition that develops due to over usage or drug abuse.
The sickness affects the patient's behaviour and also damages their brain cells. Substance
abuse disorder leads to a lack of control over the victim's body; they are unable to control
themselves, making it a medical condition. The use of drugs at first starts with experimental
amounts and grows gradually and starts to use these drugs more frequently. This frequent
usage turns into dependency and later addiction. At this stage, the user is unable to do without
the medication.

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Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................3
Commonly abused prescription drugs....................................................................................3
Signs of prescription drug abuse............................................................................................4
Treatment options for drug addiction.....................................................................................5
Nursing diagnosis...................................................................................................................5
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................8

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Introduction.
Drug addiction can arise from prescription medication. In this case, a patient abuses a
prescribed drug for a very long time to the extent of getting some withdrawal syndrome when
they stop using the medication. Some of the commonly abused prescription drugs are;
Opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants. In these texts, we focus
on the abuse of prescription drugs, its diagnosis, and available treatment therapies.
Commonly abused prescription drugs.
People tend to use prescription drugs their pleasure by taking the wrong dosages or
even consider other people's prescribed meds just for the fun of it. It is estimated that at least
20% of youth have used medicine for another purpose other than the prescribed one (Santos,
et al 2016). The leading prescription drug that is abused being opioids. Opioids can either be
natural or synthetic. An example of a natural opioid is heroin. Synthetic opioids like
morphine and codeine are also a leading cause of death due to overdose. A study carried out
in the US shows that up to 128 people per day die in America due to overdose of opioids.
80% of this number consisting of youths (Anderson et al 2016). This has been a big crisis for
public health practitioners. Not only has this affected the users of the drug but also their
families through financial loss in treatment and payment of fines due to criminal activity.
This crisis is a result of high rates of prescription of this medication due to its fast effects.
Here in Australia, misuse of opioid drugs has been on the rise since 2016. This can be
attributed to the increase in the illegal production of drugs.
The second most abused prescription drug category is that of CNS depressants and
stimulants. These drugs are used in the hospital to treat patients with anxiety and sleep
disorder. CNSs include sedatives tranquilizers and hypnotics. These drugs are highly
addictive; doctors who prescribe for this type of medication advise for guidance at the end of

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 5
the dosage to help in managing withdrawal syndrome. Statistics taken around the world show
that 11% of patients who take CNS become dependent and require professional guidance
(Ladwig et al 2019). CNS stimulants are used for doping for professional sportspersons. They
are used to stimulate muscles and reduce the rate of getting tired of those doing tarring sports
like football and basketball.
On the other hand, depressants are drugs that slow down the heart rate and activities
on the brain. They are used in psychiatric facilities to treat several conditions. Sedatives,
hypnotics, and tranquilizers are the most commonly used and abused.
Signs of prescription drug abuse
There are several signs and symptoms show a patient is suffering from abuse of
sedatives or other hard prescription drugs. Some signs are common for all drug users; this
makes it even more challenging to ascertain the abuse of prescription drugs without running
several tests (Mangueira & Lopes 2016). Some of the common symptoms include; secrecy
and some abnormal behaviour, a decrease in social productivity and work rate, uncontrolled
anger and mood swings, and depression, especially when they are unable to purchase the
drug. In other cases, drug users may mix prescription drugs with other substances to enhance
their effect.
The one thing that stands out when a patient is suffering from abuse of prescription
meds is the severe effects that they bring when discontinued. For instance, Benzodiazepines
and morphine are known to cause death when they are stopped without the care of medical
experts. If the patient initially took the meds for treatment purposes, then ended up an addict,
discontinuation of sedatives may bring back the initial condition (Saatchi, & Taghavi Larijani
2019). For instance, a patient who has been taking sedatives to suppress sleep disorder may
find themselves with the problem once they stop using the meds. Some of the withdrawal
syndromes related to opioids and CNS are; seizure, hallucinations, insomnia, memory loss,

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 6
and increased blood pressure. This symptom varies from mild to severe, depending on the
level of dependency of the patient.
Treatment options for drug addiction.
There are several treatments for people with substance use disorder. The first
treatment that doctors often go for is a detox that gives the drug time to exit the system. It is
mostly used in rehab to help people who are struggling with addiction. After removing the
toxins, the patient is put on a treatment program depending on the level in which the drug had
affected them (Escalada‐Hernández & Marín‐Fernández 2016). After the treatment
psychological guidance is given to the patient to help them to stay off the drugs after being
discharged. The hospital or the facility that the patient is may recommend for further
therapies if need be.
The most common therapy is cognitive-Behavioral therapy. This therapy is mostly
used for patients who are suffering from addiction as a result of CNS depressants. The
treatment is all about changing the way a patient perceives things, their expectations, and
behaviours. The patient is also taught on ways in which to cope with life hacks.
Nursing diagnosis.
Nurses come across patients who are suffering from substance abuse and intoxication
due to overdose. It may be difficult to tell sometimes as the patients do not like disclosing
substance abuse. Diagnosing substance abuse for nurses requires a thorough examination.
This includes a visit to a psychiatrist and a substance abuse counsellor (Gonçalves, et al
2019). The significant role of nurses on substance abuse patients is to create a care plan and
diagnose for potential ailments or effects due to the patient’s treatment.
The first significant problem related to drug abuse patients in denial. This may be due
to their character. Drug addicts may have some issues it comes to handling new situations.
Changes in the patient’s drugs may also be a cause of denial. Patients who experience

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deprivation tend to reject the fact that they need some medical attention. They do not admit to
the urgency of their condition and often use manipulation to responsibilities. This problem is
mostly related to patients with a mental (Craske, et al 2017). After they are given some
sedatives, this patient finds it very difficult to stop taking the medications. Nurses can draw
several diagnoses from a patient who has denial—the most significant being the risk of
injuries to themselves and others. The nurse in charge ca advise the patient's family members
to seek some advice on how to deal with the withdrawal effects of the drug. In addition to
that, nurses can encourage their clients to identify areas that are affected by use of drugs and
try to change the situation (Johnson et al 2017). By doing this, the nurse will be helping the
client to cope with the aftermath of the drug dependency. Due to the seriousness of the
consequences that come as a result of drug withdrawal, the nurse should also create a care
plan and set goals for the recovery of the patient (Acevedo-Nuevo et al 2018). Nursing care
plans help the nurse to monitor the progress of every patient that they are responsible for. For
example, the primary goal for a substance abuse patient should be abstinence from the drug
and coping with the withdrawal to the end.
Imbalance in nutrition is also a potential diagnosis. The patient in question may be
unable to provide the right diet for themselves or may experience loss of appetite due to drug
use. This can only be mended if the patient stays in the hospital to get the right diet up to
recovery. By understanding the situation of the patient, nurses can put them on a proper diet
for some time to increase their rate of recovery (Grossmann et al 2017). Additionally, the
nurses set limits and put efforts to grant good care to the patients regardless of their situations
by ensuring that they maintain verbal communication between patients. This helps reduce
anxiety when the nurses are around.
Substance abuse patients have a high probability of feeling some sort of
powerlessness (Saxon et al 2016). They think that they lack control over the situation. Nurses

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have a responsibility to ensure that the patient admits their inability to control drug use as a
medical condition. This ensures that the patient has a large part to play in their recovery.
Low self-esteem is a primary reason for patients to start using drugs. Patients
suffering from drug abuse disorder have a negative perception of their worth. This feeling
may be as a result of social stigma due to substance abuse. This problem can be solved by
giving the patient some psychological guidance. The fact that (Crego Baernholdt & Merwin
2017). This loss of self-esteem creates chaos in their family, and this may make the situation
even worse. The nurses who are responsible for patients suffering from this kind of problem
are obliged to speak to the patients and give them some moral support. They can also help
them join groups for people who have recovered from substance abuse. This would help them
to feel that they are not alone in the battle out of drug abuse. Nurses can also create a
relationship with the patient so that the patients can feel free to share their problems with the
nurses.
Professional nurses are expected to work with other disciplines to help patients with
symptomatic care and treatment. Additionally, they are required to also give some help to the
immediate family of the patient. During the treatment of the patient, nurses expect some
results at the end of this treatment (Doenges, et al 2017). For patients with drug abuse
disorder, nurses expect their clients to be able to express themselves and to say what they are
feeling to their various specialists. This is a massive step to recovery as doctors can diagnose
for their problems so that they experience.
A follow up of how the adaptive measures that the patient decided to take are working
out. These measures help the patients to cope with the problems that come their way without
going back to drug usage (de Sousa et al 2020). This includes actions like constant
counselling and joining groups of substance abuse recoverees (Urden, et al 2018). Caregivers

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 9
will also take a keen look at the patient to make sure that they do not sustain any injuries
from drug-related falls or fights. If there are any, the patient receives the proper treatment.
Conclusion.
Abuse of prescription drugs has been on the rise in Australia; the reason for this is not
entirely known but may be due to the increased prescription of opioids and sedatives.
Medical practitioners are faced with a severe problem to stop the mass usage of these drugs.
The rate at which these drugs take effect makes them favourites for acute drug abusers.
Although these drugs have some treatments, their withdrawal syndrome requires some
serious medical attention as they can cause death. The mast commonly abused being opioids
and central nervous system depressants and stimulants.
Nurses are required to take seriously the diagnosis of patients that suffer from
substance abuse disorder. They are also needed to do some follow up on the patient to make
sure that they do not fall back into the trap of drugs again.

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