Discussion – Vulnerability in Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Discussion – Vulnerability in Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Illicit substance use and alcohol dependence are issues of major public health significance that impact the lives of people and societies. To overcome these challenges, it is necessary to analyze the multidimensionality of the vulnerability experienced by drug addicts and alcoholics. This paper aims to establish the demographics of this vulnerable group and examine the various risks of physiology, psychology, sociology, spirituality, and development.

Demographics of Drug Addicts and Alcoholics

Drug addiction and alcoholism affect society in different ways, though certain trends can be observed. Gender is an influential factor, and substance use disorders commonly begin in adolescence or early adulthood. The earliest onset of use is found to relate to relatively higher long-term complications and addiction problems. It is commonly realized that male individuals have a higher propensity for substance use than female individuals. However, recent statistics show that the gap between male and female substance use is closing (Fonseca et al., 2021). Specific issues on women involve differences in substance use, hormonal variables, and medical complications. Socio-economic status is also important, as people from the lower end of the economy are more susceptible to vice (Fonseca et al., 2021). These conditions include poverty, inadequate access to health care, housing insecurity, and education and job absence. Ethnicity also plays a role in substance use, as the prevalence and effects of substance use differ across ethnic groups.

Physiological factors

The physiological effects of drug addiction and alcoholism are far-reaching and adverse. Alcohol and substance use cause several complications to the health of the users in the long run. For instance, alcoholism is associated with liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatitis. Likewise, drug dependency, especially with opioids and stimulants, produces cardiovascular issues, including hypertension, heart disease, and stroke (Patel & Gossman, 2023). Respiratory diseases are also prevalent and include chronic bronchitis and emphysema with substances that contain smoking. It affects the immune system function, rendering the body susceptible to contracting diseases and infections. Poor nutrition is another related effect because substance abuse affects the normal pattern and metabolism of diets during consumption, thus leading to malnutrition and other complications. Furthermore, the neurological impacts of addiction are radical all the way through. Chronic substance use changes the way the brain operates since it influences neurotransmitter systems and structures in the brain.

Psychological Factors

Mental issues also have a strong correlation with the development of substance use disorders. It is common for people with substance use disorders to experience mental health problems. Psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders often accompany substance abuse. These mental issues are often associated with substance use and can also be mediated by substance use (Bethesda, 2020). Another critical psychosocial factor is the history of trauma and abuse; a large number of addicts have experienced major emotional or physical trauma that can explain their drug use. These include childhood or other forms of abuse, experiences of domestic violence, or other traumatic events. However, cognitive impairments caused by prolonged substance consumption complicate this mental picture. These impairments compromise one’s rationality, reason, and self-restraint to seek help and adhere to recovery measures.

Sociocultural Factors

Cultural and social processes rank first among the factors that define the processes of substance use and dependence. Family aspects are critical; people who grew up in hostile families where parents used substances, neglected children, or had conflicts are at a higher risk of using substances. Chaotic and unsupportive family environments pave the way for addiction since substance use becomes a part of the family dynamics or a coping mechanism for the family’s issues (Alhammad et al., 2022). Peer pressure is another factor, as forming groups and following the trends can lead to substance use both at the beginning and during its continuous usage. Economic and social factors such as high levels of unemployment and the poor standard of education and health services provided mean that substance use is likely to become a way of coping with the economic pressures or use as a way of escaping the performances associated with poor economic status.

Spiritual Factors

Spiritual aspects also play roles in addiction and recovery processes due to the variety of factors in such processes. Several substance-dependent people reported having no purpose, which is a crucial state leading them to take substances in a bid to overcome emptiness and have direction. This spiritual emptiness can be one of the causes of developing and maintaining an addiction. As for mentality and beliefs, beliefs in spirituality can be rather helpful in the process of recovery (Grant Weinandy & Grubbs, 2021). Religious organizations, prayer, and faith can help a person have hope, meaning in life, and social support.

Developmental Factors

Regardless of age and gender, the development context is vital in explaining the risk of substance use disorders. The onset of substance use most frequently occurs during adolescence and early adulthood, meaning the two are sometimes critical periods in an individual’s development. The risk of using substances at a young age is that development is affected, and several aspects of the child’s life may be affected, for instance, school performance, interpersonal relationships, and emotional well-being (Alhammad et al., 2022). It has been stated that the early onset of substance use leads to an increased probability of developing severe problems of addiction and negative lifelong consequences. Developmental issues during these age years prevent an individual from attaining developmental tasks and complicate the course of addiction and the pursuit of recovery.

Conclusively, illicit substance and alcohol dependency can best be described as complex problems that cut across the totality of an individual’s being. Minimizing nurses’ exposure to these issues requires using a biopsychosocial, spiritual, and developmental framework for addressing them competently. Through the analysis of such factors, public health professionals can arrive at enhanced approaches to help members of the community affected by the vice and enhance the general health standards of society.

References

Alhammad, M., Aljedani, R., Alsaleh, M., Atyia, N., Alsmakh, M., Alfaraj, A., Alkhunaizi, A., Alwabari, J., & Alzaidi, M. (2022). Family, Individual, and Other Risk Factors Contributing to Risk of Substance Abuse in Young Adults: A Narrative Review. Cureus, 14(12). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.32316

Bethesda. (2020). Common Comorbidities with Substance Use Disorders Research Report. In PubMed. National Institutes on Drug Abuse (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK571451/

Fonseca, F., Robles-Martínez, M., Tirado-Muñoz, J., Alías-Ferri, M., Mestre-Pintó, J.-I., Coratu, A. M., & Torrens, M. (2021). A Gender Perspective of Addictive Disorders. Current Addiction Reports, 8(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-021-00357-9

Grant Weinandy, J. T., & Grubbs, J. B. (2021). Religious and spiritual beliefs and attitudes towards addiction and addiction treatment: A scoping review. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 14, 100393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100393

Patel, R., & Gossman, W. (2023, July 13). Alcoholic Liver Disease. Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546632/

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Topic drug addicts/alcoholics

Review the appropriate rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
Read the chapter that most deals with the vulnerable population group that you plan to interview in Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community.

Review peer-reviewed articles in OCLS(new tab) related to the vulnerable population that you have chosen. OCLS resources are preferred sources and can be accessed through IWU Resources(new tab). Wikipedia is not permitted, as it is not a peer-reviewed, scholarly source.
Prepare to discuss the following prompts:
Describe the demographics of your chosen vulnerable population.
Identify risk factors that impact this population from a holistic perspective, including each of the following:
Physiological factors
Psychological factors
Sociocultural factors
Spiritual factors
Developmental factors

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