Question by : Alexia entered the inpatient treatment program where you are a chemical dependency counselor. She stated that?
Alexia entered the inpatient treatment program where you are a chemical dependency counselor. She stated that she needs help for drug addiction and possibly alcoholism. She is a 32-year-old, divorced, Caucasian woman, employed as an administrative assistant at a local human services program. She lives with her 11-year-old daughter, Christine, in an apartment located near her job. Although she makes a relatively low salary, Alexia has managed to support herself and her daughter without financial support from Christine’s father. Alexia was married briefly to Christine’s father when she was 20, but left him after he became physically and sexually abusive toward her. He was also an alcoholic. Until recently, she had almost no contact with him for many years. Her widowed mother is a strong support for Alexia and Christine, as are two cousins, Denise and Moira. Alexia reports growing up in a “normal middle class family” and states that her childhood was “good” despite her father’s occasional drinking binges. She is the youngest of five children and the only girl. Alexia reports having little pleasure in life and feeling tired and “dragging” all of the time. She tells you that her difficulty in standing up for herself with her boss at work is a constant stress orShe reports to having tried AA two years ago, but wasn’t able to stay sober for more than six months. She began drinking regularly (several times a week) around the age of 13. She recalls having felt depressed around the same time that she began drinking heavily, although she states she has very few clear memories of that time in her life. Alexia’s drinking became progressively worse over the years, although she did not begin to see it as a problem until after she began using crack cocaine, at around age 28. She reports feeling depressed over much of her adult life; however, her depression got much worse after she began using crack daily. She feels hopeless about her ability to put her life together, and is doubtful that she can achieve sobriety. alexis was recently raped by her drug dealer and his friend, which resulted in a broken jaw and one month’s absence from work. she tell you that she “only got what she deserved” for being in the wrong place with the wrong people at the wrong time. her ex-husband is trying to gain custody of her daughter now that he has been sober for two years. alexis hopes to get sober so she can fight this custody battle, and “be the mother her daughter deserves”.1) i want to know what is actually happening in this client’s life. 2) what must be addressed to improve the situation. 3) how would you asses this client and why. 4)what diagnosis would you give this client and what criteria are you basing this diagnosis on. 5) what treatment options would you recommend for this client and why? 6) what is your working hypothesis about this client’s problems with alcohol and drug issues
Edit

Best answer:

Answer by nickipettis
in no particular order

i suspect she was physically abused in childhood and sexually abused in puberty, 13 and later.
she has worked hard to not remember that.

I have NO idea how she can afford alcohol and drugs and support herself and her daughter on a “relatively low salary.” you should investigate whether she has been prostituting herself for drug money, or paying for her drugs with sex.

Anyone who says “they only got what they deserved” is being emotionally abused, even if there are no other factors. her drug dealer is keeping her dependent not just on drugs, but is lowering her self worth.

She may have started using drugs more seriously at 28?, when her daughter was 7 or 8. this may have triggered memories of her own abuse.

i think the first thing that has to be addressed is that she doesn’t think she CAN get sober.
If she doesn’t think she can get sober, then she certainly can not.

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Question by Shabu Shabu: Do I have to be in Drug Counselling my whole life?
45 years ago my dad let me take a sip of his beer. About 8 years ago the government found out.

I have been in Court-Ordered Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous classes ever since. I’ve never tried drugs, and have not had beer since that incident in the 1960’s! I’m a coffee drinker and a book worm. Alcohol makes you stupid and I never drank it.

These classes are really annoying. I have to take 24 hours of classes a week. Three for each, three times a week, and half-time on weekends. Everything I do, I am accused of “relapsing” and getting put back in a hospital or jail! My “sponsor” is a crack-head and thinks anytime I do ANYTHING it’s because of my “addiction” or my “disease”.

A “disease” I got as a kid, that sadly, there is no cure for. No pill to cure.

I am also forced to do 2-4 prayers to Jesus at every meeting. Even though I am not Christian. I was told “Your higher power can be anything you want. Even an ashtray if you want, but Jesus is the highest Power!”

This is all really distressing me and my life to where I’m starting to seriously think about drinking! Will I have to take these classes forever?? Or can I somehow get my life back? Shouldn’t my dad be responsible for giving me alcohol? It’s not my fault! I don’t feel diseased. But they say that’s the denial of the illness talking….

Any advice? Thank you…

Best answer:

Answer by Mollie
Is this a joke? There is no place on earth the government would require someone to pray to Jesus.

Answer by D
Mollie, it’s no joke. Court programs routinely require people to attend AA/NA meetings, which are self-described “spiritual, not religious” despite being based on Christian ritual, prayer, and dogma.
Larger cities have been fought by enough attorneys that they automatically acquiesce on the issue.

When gently pushed on the issue, my little town allowed me secular alternatives.

Tiffany, I’ve been in a court ordered program, but my irresponsibility is what put me there. Man was I mad, and initially struggled in outrage over the matter. It only made matters more difficult.

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Question by Sarah: How does Crack Cocaine use affect Diabetes, specifically?
Hi – I’m a Type 1 – insulin dependant – diabetic (have had it for 23 years, since I was 5 yrs old), and I am / have been in drug treatment / “rehabilitation” for crack cocaine and heroin addiction for the past 10 years. Every 3 months, when it is mandatory to see an actual Doctor, rather than just a key-worker, for a so-called “medical review”, when I tell the ‘Doctor-Of-The-Day’, (dubbed so because my treatment centre is SOOO good and consistent that I get to see a new and totally unfamiliar Doctor each and every time!), that I am diabetic, I am ALWAYS, without fail, met with the cliche, car-mechanic style sharp intake of breath, followed by, “Oooo! Well then you REALLY need to be careful of what you’re doing then, in that case!”…. But NEVER an explanation as to WHY, EXACTLY, I, especially, i.e., more than other, NON-diabetic clients need to be SO careful! I have asked, more than once, why diabetics in particular need to be so much more especially careful when using drugs, as a result of the condition, but the Doctors (don’t know why I insist on using a capital D for Doctor, like they’re all God-like or something?!?! but that’s besides the point here isn’t it?, SO…), The ALL the doctors I’ve so far put this question to just fob me off with, “Well, you’re key-worker can/will answer that for you if you ask them another time; I’m simply here to review your prescription and unfortunately don’t have the time to discuss other, non-drug-related matters, at this time.” I.e., I don’t really know, so I’ll use my apparent/imagined importance to avoid the question altogether.”!!!!!!! I think it’s obviously needless for me to say here that my key-workers are just as baffled / ignorant on the subject as I and all the so-called ‘professional’ doctors are, so I still don’t have an answer! I understand diabetes, and I studied Biomedical Science at degree level for one year, so I’m not STUPID and I DO understand how the human body works better than most, so I tried to find the answer for myself using information that is available online – However – Trying to find info’ that explains or describes how crack and/or heroin use / addiction affects a diabetic user, specifically, with regard to their diabetes only, I’ve found is near enough impossible! Everywhere you go, for info’ on “effects of crack cocaine and heroin on diabetes/diabetics” supplies only generic info’ on the drugs’ common (side) effects with NOTHING specific pertaining to how exactly diabetes does, or potentially could, affect or complicate the drugs’/body’s usual interaction / metabolism of the drugs in question. Can someone with REAL knowledge on this subject please tell me why a diabetic addict/user is so much more at risk than a non-diabetic addict/user?!?! I would really appreciate REAL, solid, scientific info’ on this subject rather than simple conjecture, theory and suggestion/personal opinion! Many thanks, Sairra x X x

Best answer:

Answer by Mr. Peachy®
You’ll never catch me capitalizing doctor unless it’s a salutation like “Dr.”, for example. There are a few doctors worthy of respect, but I suspect they won’t be found in a treatment center. At any rate, I have learned (the hard way) that drugs… all drugs, tend to interfere with the metabolism in one way or another. Many of them can either increase insulin resistance or cause excess release of cortisol which causes the liver to release stored glycogen as glucose into the blood. As a type one, the last thing you want is insulin resistance (my particular situation as a type two). It would, in effect, make you “double diabetic” meaning you would have to increase your insulin dose for the same amount of carb intake. Trust me, you don’t want to go there. As to specifically which drugs cause what, I don’t really know as I have investigated myself (a former meth and alcohol user) and found very little specific information on the subject. What I can tell you is this. Since getting off of all drugs (that includes the diabetes drug, Metformin), and learning a lot on nutrition, my life has improved significantly. I would never consider going back. Sorry I couldn’t have been more help, but there just isn’t a lot of stuff available out there. Perhaps this might be an opportunity for you to continue your Biomedical Science education and become an educator on the subject. The more I learn about what drugs do to me, the less I want them in my body. And that includes legal, and especially prescription, drugs

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Question by : Alexia entered the inpatient treatment program where you are a chemical dependency counselor. She stated that?
Alexia entered the inpatient treatment program where you are a chemical dependency counselor. She stated that she needs help for drug addiction and possibly alcoholism. She is a 32-year-old, divorced, Caucasian woman, employed as an administrative assistant at a local human services program. She lives with her 11-year-old daughter, Christine, in an apartment located near her job. Although she makes a relatively low salary, Alexia has managed to support herself and her daughter without financial support from Christine’s father. Alexia was married briefly to Christine’s father when she was 20, but left him after he became physically and sexually abusive toward her. He was also an alcoholic. Until recently, she had almost no contact with him for many years. Her widowed mother is a strong support for Alexia and Christine, as are two cousins, Denise and Moira. Alexia reports growing up in a “normal middle class family” and states that her childhood was “good” despite her father’s occasional drinking binges. She is the youngest of five children and the only girl. Alexia reports having little pleasure in life and feeling tired and “dragging” all of the time. She tells you that her difficulty in standing up for herself with her boss at work is a constant stress orShe reports to having tried AA two years ago, but wasn’t able to stay sober for more than six months. She began drinking regularly (several times a week) around the age of 13. She recalls having felt depressed around the same time that she began drinking heavily, although she states she has very few clear memories of that time in her life. Alexia’s drinking became progressively worse over the years, although she did not begin to see it as a problem until after she began using crack cocaine, at around age 28. She reports feeling depressed over much of her adult life; however, her depression got much worse after she began using crack daily. She feels hopeless about her ability to put her life together, and is doubtful that she can achieve sobriety. alexis was recently raped by her drug dealer and his friend, which resulted in a broken jaw and one month’s absence from work. she tell you that she “only got what she deserved” for being in the wrong place with the wrong people at the wrong time. her ex-husband is trying to gain custody of her daughter now that he has been sober for two years. alexis hopes to get sober so she can fight this custody battle, and “be the mother her daughter deserves”.1) i want to know what is actually happening in this client’s life. 2) what must be addressed to improve the situation. 3) how would you asses this client and why. 4)what diagnosis would you give this client and what criteria are you basing this diagnosis on. 5) what treatment options would you recommend for this client and why? 6) what is your working hypothesis about this client’s problems with alcohol and drug issues
Edit

Best answer:

Answer by nickipettis
in no particular order

i suspect she was physically abused in childhood and sexually abused in puberty, 13 and later.
she has worked hard to not remember that.

I have NO idea how she can afford alcohol and drugs and support herself and her daughter on a “relatively low salary.” you should investigate whether she has been prostituting herself for drug money, or paying for her drugs with sex.

Anyone who says “they only got what they deserved” is being emotionally abused, even if there are no other factors. her drug dealer is keeping her dependent not just on drugs, but is lowering her self worth.

She may have started using drugs more seriously at 28?, when her daughter was 7 or 8. this may have triggered memories of her own abuse.

i think the first thing that has to be addressed is that she doesn’t think she CAN get sober.
If she doesn’t think she can get sober, then she certainly can not.

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