Substance Abuse History

Cases of drug abuse, as well as severe withdrawal symptoms which follow an attempt of quitting, have been an experience to many of the drug users. However, to find that person who reveals his/her abuse willingly is a bit hard. Most people enjoy keeping it as a secret. Steve Clinton is one of the few people who have managed to request for the evaluation about their addiction. Steve joined the assessment intake at the age of 41 years. However, before he took the initiative of accepting the evaluation, he reported that he had tried to quit drugs for one week. Meanwhile, unfavorable withdrawal symptoms turned down his efforts. The history of his substance abuse follows 20 years of alcohol use, 15 years of marijuana use as well as ten years of cocaine use. Afterward, when we were conducting the assessment we were able to get more information relating to his drug abuse. First, we realized that though Steve abused cocaine for ten years, he never got any complication with his health. Moreover, he tried to quit it for one month and still lived a normal life until when it got over him in the 9th year of use.

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Also, Steve was able to explain that alcohol was his main substance of abuse. Though he never knew anything relating to alcohol until the age of 21 years, he explained his routine of using it for the past 20 years. He would consume at least 1500ml of alcohol per day and still use marijuana. At first, he used only marijuana of approximately 1.5 to 2 grams per day. At the age of 21 years, it is when he started to substitute marijuana for alcohol. Afterward, he would use less cocaine but more alcohol.

Steve substance abuse was becoming inevitable by the age of 35. It is the time he realized that he could not operate anything or even carry out any task without using alcohol. He was physically relaying of cocaine and alcohol at the age of 38. He also realized that his alcohol abuse never resulted to any side effect. On the contrary, when he tried to quit it for a day he would undergo serious symptoms of withdrawal. Furthermore, Steve reported no case of the medical problem relating to tremor or any other complications. Moreover, he regularly visited his medical assistant for a checkup but nothing negative would be identified.

Psychological functioning

While assessing the client, we were able to understand if he was experiencing any problem relating to thinking and ways of doing things. Steve conversation was aggressive and above average. He never acted any different from a normal man. After being asked if he had experienced any psychological problem in the past, Steve denied and also added that his life has never been a challenge to either him, the family and also friends. Also, Steve explained that neither of the substance he abused forced him to be emotional or even attempt to harm anybody. On the contrary, Steve revealed the fact that sometimes back he would experience problems of remembering and thinking especially at the times he was using both cocaine and marijuana. Though, he said that it never got him into any scene; it made him happy and hence he was able to relate well with other people. However, looking at how he presented himself as well as the dressing mode, one could easily tell that none of the drugs altered Steves way of living. His way of observing people as well as choosing to participate in the assessment adds him credit.

Educational/Vocational/Financial

Steve revealed that he had studied up to undergraduate level. He has attained a bachelor degree in accounting. Since the age of 22, he was working with a financial bank within his state until he was 32. His alcohol abuse started taking his concentration. Moreover, the management could not put up with drunkard personnel and hence he got fired. Steve reported that he could not concentrate much without alcohol. Moreover, the management required him to work for at least 6 hours of which he needed to drink. Currently, Steve stays jobless, but he receives some money from his children who are working outside country. To avoid loneliness, Steve has a group of friends who also abuse drugs. They keep each other company as well as supplying drugs to other groups around the community. More importantly, Steve gets all that he needs, and also his children pay for his mortgage. Therefore, all he does is to abuse drugs and try to maintain his friends since they keep him going.

Legal history

Steve has currently not been reported to have committed any crime. However, while at high school level he was arrested after they were caught abusing drugs in the class. Since he was a minor at the time, charges were dropped with some payments. Afterward, he was convicted of drug trafficking while pursuing his degree at the college. Steve explained how they used to supply drugs to all drug users around the school. Moreover, he says that they used to recruit new members to their crew for the purpose of using them in drug supply. In the recruiting procedure, he explained by saying that all individual would first be taught on how to use drugs. They assumed that having the idea of the drug assists one in trafficking them; it helps in convincing the buyers and also in the skills of quantifying.

At the age of 35, Steve says that he was introduced in weapon trafficking with the promise of getting protection while doing his business. Afterward, he was arrested and served a period of 3 months as well as a fine of $ 0.2 million. However, Steve confirmed that all the incidences he had with the law were as a result of drugs. When in sober mind he would carry out all his operations effectively. It was very hard to quit alcohol as well as cocaine and hence he chose to quit trafficking weapons as well as drugs. Moreover, his family promised to provide and cater for him. Hence, he has no reason of engaging in any illegal activities.

Social history

Steve grew up in a family of four, him, the father, mother, and his older sister. His father was working in an electric firm while her mother was working as a back manager. However, he enjoyed how her mother carried out her tasks, and hence he generated his interest in studying a business related course from her. Also, he would spend most of his time with her mother who would explain the importance of being a good time manager. Shockingly, none of his family used any of the drugs. They all spoke ill of drugs and often urged Steve not ever to use them. Due to curiosity and the need to understand why his family disregarded drugs, Steve started befriending drug users after joining high school. To him, walking with drug users was one method of completing his research on drugs. Steve explains that he never used drugs though he would hang out with drug addicts. All he wanted to know is the disadvantage of using drugs for the purpose of judging/criticizing his families conclusion.

After spending time with drug users and observing how they lived, Steve says that he never saw any negative trait that can be related to drug using. Moreover, all the drug users he encountered with were humble, and they could easily engage in violence unless forced to. Later on, Steve reveals that the conclusion motivated him to engage in drugs for the purpose of living a stress-free life.

When Steve completed high school, he could no longer stay with the family. He went to a college institution that was far away from his home. He went there and made other friends who were also drug users. In the second year while in college, his family was involved in a fatal accident that killed all of them. He says that the incidence came to him as a shock and hence to forget all about it, he would consume alcohol like daily. However, at the last year of his studies, he got engaged to a girl who never used any drug. She tried to change her, but it was not possible. She loved him and hence chose to stick with him. After college, they got married, and they were blessed with one baby boy and three baby girls.

Due to the effort of their mother, Steve says that no one among his children engaged in any drug use. After their mother had died due to liver problems, the older daughter got a job outside the country and took the other siblings. Steve says that they all grown up and each is doing well. However, he is happy since all that he has comes from his children. Though Steve and his children never meet often, he says that the care he receives is more enough.

Physical history

However, Steve has never experienced any problem with the drugs he abuses. At the age of 21 years, he was examined with the traumatic disorder, but it was related to the accident of his family. During the assessment period, Steve was examined with all diseases to understand if he was telling the truth relating to his medical records. It was thus proved that Steve has never contracted any diseases not with the drug influence or as a result of drug abuse. It was clear that Steve has never needed physically harmed by marijuana, cocaine or even alcohol.

Treatment history

Steve reveals the fact that he has never been hospitalized with issues relating to drugs. However, the prolonged use of alcohol as well as cocaine has slowly been retarding her memory. He could hardly remember anything, especially when out of the drugs. After leaving jail, he had a first attempt to stop using drugs, the outcomes gave him a shock and hence he returned to his normal consumption of alcohol. On the other hand, he frequently used a syringe to inject cocaine direct to his blood stream. As a result, his skin was starting to get weak and hence he could not use it anymore. Though he never went through any skin treatment, he was experiencing some challenges due to joint pain. Steve reports that he could not perform well without drugs and hence he had to use them.

Assessment

Steve was thus evaluated following his interest to change. He knew he was undergoing a hard time using drugs that gave him nothing in return. Moreover, he realized the drug abuse may become a problem since he was growing old. Therefore, he never wanted to become a bother to his children as he wanted them to live happily. He volunteered to engage in the assessment process which would prepare him for the treatment plan.

The assessment procedure was divided into different sections since he urged to be taken slowly through the whole process. First, the assessment group identified the withdrawal symptoms that the client was experiencing. They all showed as a result of addiction; he had tried to quit drug for one week and also when he was jailed for weapon trafficking. The outcomes of his attempt were not so good. On the other hand, when he went back to using drugs the consumption rate doubled. It was a risk to his health though he argues that he has never undergone any medical care with matters relating to drug. More importantly, Steve wanted to do something out of himself. He knew his children would be happy to be related to a decent father and then he decided to do it for them. Steve realized the reason his parents never engaged in any substance abuse. He had experience and he asking for help was the last thing that would change all his life.

Treatment plan

The plan to help Steve was based on his assessment results; how he answered questions as well as her intentions of quitting drug abuse. The outcome of assessing him also motivated him to reveal the act of anxiety and the fear of changing. He knew if the treatment were not done wisely, he would be forced to go back to the same drugs. Meanwhile, alcohol was his main drug, and he never wanted to be identified with it though he used it.

However, Steve revealed the fact he wanted to have the courage to fight anxiety as well as depression. Moreover, he wanted to review his lifestyle and the fact that he was living a work-free life. To fulfill his promises to her, Ste...