Consider whether or not you believe that Sam’s death could have been prevented? If so, how?

Learning Goal: I’m working on a psychology question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.Let’s consider: Alcohol has become a big problem on many campuses today as well as within many homes.Our text asks, “How many people do you know who regularly use some kind of drug?” (p. 244). Think about that question. Many of us take prescription medications. Many of us drink caffeine on a daily basis.Should that be considered? Be sure to read pages 244-268 in your text for this week’s discussion. Notice the Sam Spady Story in Box 9.1 on page 252. Click on the highlighted link in order to read more about her case.
Consider whether or not you believe that Sam’s death could have been prevented? If so, how?
Let’s discuss: In your initial post discuss some of these questions:What is the difference in substance abuse and substance use?
What is substance intoxication? If a person comes home after a long week at work, has two or three drinks containing alcohol such as a margarita and falls asleep on the couch, does that person have a mental disorder? (See page 245).
How do we know when someone is “using” versus “abusing” alcohol or drugs?
Have you ever engaged in binge drinking or other risky behavior that you feel free to discuss?
Do you think substance abuse has more to do with biological, personal, familial, or other factors? Why?
In addition to using your textbook, find an article on this week’s topic of substance use and abuse, and cite the facts you find in support of your answer.
respond to two peers
While often used interchangeably, the terms substance use and abuse mark their distinction through the extent of consumption of addictive or intoxicating matter they entail. Substance abuse could be as simple as the everyday consumption of caffeine or downing a glass of wine, but it could very well evolve into substance abuse when the consumption crosses the medically and legally defined threshold of safety. On the other hand, substance intoxication refers to behavioral and psychological changes that are prompted by the usage of a particular substance; these could manifest in a variety of ways, from disorientation to aggression and so on. A person who has the habit of frequenting a couple of drinks after a long week of work might not necessarily have a mental disorder since the presence of substance abuse disorder demands an interference in everyday life functions and recurring problems. However, said person is definitely on the way to developing a gradual but enduring tolerance for alcohol, which could translate into greater and more frequent consumption as well as a harder time cutting back on usage. From observation, we can tell whether a person is using or abusing alcohol by ascertaining their dependence on it. Alcohol usage is recreational and spaced, while abuse is marked by a string of problematic acts and behaviors associated with obtaining the addictive substance as well as denial regarding the adverse consequences of its excessive consumption. Personally, I haven’t engaged in risky behavior related to substance use. However, I have seen a few acquaintances do so, one of whom had to face hospitalization due to irresponsible drug usage. I believe biological, persona, and familial factors all come together to determine the instance and probability of substance abuse. However, I would allot a slightly greater weightage to biological and personal factors since gender and personality traits have strongly been associated with the risk of substance abuse. Men have been deemed more likely to abuse alcohol than women, and the same goes for individuals that possess anxious facets of personality (Prendergast, 1994). However, at the same time, a family history of substance abuse is strongly linked with its development in subsequent generations (Grant, 2020).
peer 2
afternoon Dr. Fleming
and fellow classmates,
During my high school years, I
experienced a lot of my friends dying. Some of them were car accidents and most
of them were related to drug and alcohol overdoses. I lost one of my best
friends in high school due to a drug overdose. Ryan was gay but did not
disclose it to his family due to them not being accepting of his sexual
orientation. Ryan and I would go to parties and I would notice he would take it
to the extreme and never wanted the partying to end. Ryan was the life party
and loved attention and was full of life. I began noticing that before the
party he would pregame at the house and that consisted of him drinking and doing
illegal drugs before we got to the party or the club and this is an example of
substance use ((Kearney & Trull, 2015). I noticed that his partying was taking over
his life and it suddenly became his life. The partying began interfering with
his work, he was either calling out of work or not showing up or showing up
late, due to him being intoxicated from the night before. After Ryan lost his
job that is when things began to turn for the worst because of several reasons,
first of all his body was dependent on the alcohol and drugs and demanded them,
so he turned too prostitution to fulfill his habits. When Ryan was not able to
get a hold of the heroin he would experience cold and hot flashes, sweat
profusely and his body would shake, he would have no appetite along with
experiencing diarrhea and vomiting with
stomach pains. According to our textbook these are signs of substance abuse
(Kearney & Trull, 2015). Ryan battled with his addiction for 6 years, before
he experienced an overdose.
Samantha’s story was extremely sad.
In my opinion I do think that her death could have been prevented had she not
fallen asleep, A person who is heavily intoxicated should not be left alone and
should be kept in an upright position rather than in a chair. If they are
vomiting you are to roll them on their side to prevent choking (NIMH, 2018). I
think that it is important to educate and inform the high school students of
alcohol and drug overdose and the signs and symptoms that they should look out
for before entering in college.
I can recall many nights when my
friends and I would go out and club hop and there were times where I could not
even remember how I got home and this is a prime example of substance
intoxication. In my opinion I do not consider an individual to have a mental
disorder just because they choose to have a few alcoholic drinks after a long
week at work. The person has not become dependent on the alcohol and is able to
function without the alcohol, they were just looking for a stress reliever at
that moment and time and wanted to let off some pressure.
Word Count: 577
References:
Kearney, C. A., & Trull, T. J.
(2018). Abnormal psychology & life: A dimensional approach. Cengage
Learning.
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. Understanding the dangers of
alcohol overdose. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Retrieved February 23, 2022, from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-dangers-of-alcohol-overdose
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