HF89 46 - Substance Use & Misuse: Effects, Legal Issues & Case Study

This assignment provides a comprehensive overview of substance use and misuse, starting with the identification of four major substance groups and examples for each. It defines key terms such as substance use, misuse, abuse, dependency, addiction, and compulsion, clarifying their distinctions. The assignment includes a case study of an individual named Mick, analyzing the physical and psychological effects of substance use on him, including weight loss, irritability, psychosis, and related mental health conditions. It further explores the concept of dual diagnosis, the negative impacts of addiction on smaller communities, and examines how Mick's neighbors exhibit prejudice and stereotyping. The assignment also touches upon current legislation related to non-prescribed substances and its impact on societal attitudes, and categorizes various substances legally, outlining the consequences of arrest and legal penalties for substance-related offenses. The document concludes with a list of references used for the analysis. Desklib offers a wealth of similar assignments and study tools for students.

UNIT NAME: SUBSTANCE USE & MISUSE: AN INTRODUCTION
1. Identify the four major groups of substances and provide two examples for each
Ans. the four main groups of substance are as mentioned below:
 Depressants for example alcohol.
 Hallucinogens for example LSD.
 Stimulants for example cocaine.
 Opium associated painkillers for example heroin (Luoma, J.B and et. al.,
2019).
2. Define the following terms which are in common use.
a) Substance use: The substance use is generally a type of pattern of harmful
of any of the substance for the purpose of changing the mood. In this, it can
either be alcohol, inhalants or solvents, an illegal drug or even it can be coffee
also (Dhumal et. al., 2021).
b) Substance misuse: The substance misuse is generally a use of alcohol or
any other substance such as medication which is taken in a way that it is not
meant to be used or it can be harmful to the human body (Resko et. al.,
2018).
c) Substance abuse: The substance abuse is generally defined as if an
individual is taking an excessive amount of substance such as drinking too
much of alcohol, excessive use of drugs or medications where it’s use is
inappropriate.
d) Dependency: The term dependency is generally an addition towards drugs or
it can be alcohol. Its continuous abuse can create various adverse actions in
human body causing various issues (Salas-Wright et. al., 2018).
e) Addiction: The concept of addiction is generally a chronic medical illness
containing complex interactions within brain, genetics, or people’s
experiences of life (Lea et. al., 2020).
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f) Compulsion: In terms of addiction process, the word compulsion is much
slighter. It can illustrate an intense urge to do something which can lead
towards a specific behavior (Ornell et. al., 2018).
3. Read the case study and answer the following two questions:
Mick is 27 years old and lives next door to you. You are told by another neighbour
that he injects heroin and you notice that he always has a runny nose, dilated pupils
and he is often irritable and short tempered. When you first moved in he was polite
and even charming to you and asked you if you had any pain killers that he could
have. When you said that you didn’t, he became angry and threatened you. When he
passed you in the street last week, he told you that the police are out to get him and
not to tell them where he lives. He usually seems very anxious and often panics but
this was worse than usual.
You know that his sister Helen visits every week and you mention to her that you are
worried about Mick. She says that she is too as he has told her that he has stomach
cramps, muscle spasms, chills despite it being summer, a pounding heart, high
blood pressure and is running a slight temperature. Mick has stolen money from
Helen’s purse in the past and now she finds it hard to trust him. She doesn’t bring
her children round any more as she doesn’t think that he’s a good influence on them.
He isn’t eating well and has lost a lot of weight. Mick’s parents won’t have anything
to do with him anymore since he was diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and told
Helen that they are ashamed of him.
The other neighbours in your street avoid Mick and tell their children to keep away
from him. They blame him for any graffiti or burglaries in the area. He rarely has
anyone visit his flat other than Helen.
3. i) Explain the physical effects of substance use on Mick.
Ans. As per the above case scenario, the physical effects of substance use on
Mick are that he has lost his body weight a lot as he is not eating a healthy food.
He is also getting angry on small things. Another physical effect in his case is
dilated pupils, short tempered and many more (James and Jordan, 2018).
ii) Explain the psychological effects of substance use on Mick.
Ans. In the case scenario of Mick, the psychological effects are in his case is
having psychosis. As psychosis is quite rare but it can occur under various specific
conditions. It can occur when an individual is having some stress along with usage of
heroin drug abuse. As per above case study, Mick is having stress and along with
this he uses heroin injections, ultimately causes the mental health conditions (King
et. al., 2020).
4. In his medical records, Mick is classed as having a ‘dual diagnosis’. What does
this mean?
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5. Using examples from the case study as well as general observations, what are
the effects of addiction on smaller communities?
Ans. There is a negative impact over smaller communities as abuse of drug is
significantly accompanied by a devastating the social influence upon the life of
community. The abuse of drug can make a negative impact on the education, family
as well as it can contribute towards crime, violence, financial issues, housing issues
and homelessness also (Knopf, 2020).
6. Identify two examples of how Mick’s neighbours are
a) prejudiced
b) stereotyping him
7. Where might these attitudes and assumptions originate from?
8. Describe one piece of current legislation relating to the use of non-prescribed
substances and explain the impact this piece of legislation might have on
attitudes and assumptions in wider society.
9. Complete the following table identifying the legal categorisation for each
substance and listing the legal process for substance-related offences.
Substance
Legal
categorisatio
n
Consequence of arrest and legal
penalties
Alcohol
Amphetamine
Cocaine
Magic mushrooms
(Psilocybin)
Tobacco
Cannabis
Heroin
Tranquilisers
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(Benzodiazepines)
REFERENCES:
Books and Journals:
Dhumal, T and et. al., 2021. Patient satisfaction with substance use disorder
rehabilitation services: A Qualitative Study. The Journal of Behavioral Health
Services & Research, 48(2), pp.213-239.
James, K. and Jordan, A., 2018. The opioid crisis in black communities. Journal of
Law, Medicine & Ethics, 46(2), pp.404-421.
King, C and et. al., 2020. Targeted intervention to increase awareness of opioid
overprescribing significantly reduces narcotic prescribing within an academic
orthopaedic practice. Journal of Surgical Education, 77(2), pp.413-421.
Knopf, A., 2020. Primary drug prevention—stopping use before it starts—under
budget threat. The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 36(4),
pp.3-4.
Lea, T and et. al., 2020. Perceived outcomes of psychedelic microdosing as self-
managed therapies for mental and substance use
disorders. Psychopharmacology, 237(5), pp.1521-1532.
Luoma, J.B and et. al., 2019. Substance use and shame: A systematic and meta-
analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 70, pp.1-12.
Ornell, F and et. al., 2018. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in substance use
disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Drug and Alcohol
Dependence, 193, pp.91-103.
Resko, S.M and et. al., 2018. Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among women
seeking treatment for substance use and trauma symptoms. Health & Social
Work, 43(2), pp.76-83.
Salas-Wright, C.P and et. al., 2018. Substance use disorders among immigrants in
the United States: A research update. Addictive behaviors, 76, pp.169-173.
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