One of the numerous problems that society faces nowadays is the problem with substance abuse. “An estimated 19. 7 million Americans aged 12 or older were current illicit drug users, and this represents 8. 1 percent of the population in the country” (slide 4). “Substance abuse is a major public health problem in the United States and is estimated to be a factor in 41 percent of highway fatality accidents” (McPhee, Papadakis, & Tierney 16). It has become a growing concern to everyone because more and more young people are exposed to illicit drugs and have become addicted to these.
Substance abuse does not only affect the user but it also affects the people around him or her and the relationships that the user has with these people. The most abused drugs include marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, pain relievers, stimulants, ecstasy, tobacco, and alcohol. These substances affect a person’s behavior, health, and state of mind. Not only can the abuse lead to more serious diseases, it can also become a cause of death to the user. The presenter, Dr. Bohlin, related his first-hand experience with substance abuse, particularly with alcohol abuse.
He mentioned how his abuse affected his relationships with his loved ones and friends. Because he became more and more addicted and dependent on alcohol, he distanced himself from the people closest to him. He also stated that he had an increased tendency to abuse alcohol since his father was also an alcoholic, which meant that there was a genetic factor involved in his case. The case study presentation was a good way of reminding the presenter, Dr. Bohlin, about the negative effects of his substance abuse to himself and to others.
It was also good hearing a presentation from someone who has had experience of the topic being discussed because this would help make the presentation be more personal to the presenter and the audience. Coming from someone with a first hand experience of substance abuse, the presentation became much more authentic and realistic. It helped the audience understand the case study and the topic better. Personally, I find the presentation very informative. While I am aware of the problems regarding substance abuse, I was not aware of its extent in terms of the cost and the number of lives it takes annually.
I can relate to the presentation because I am also experiencing substance abuse, specifically tobacco use or cigarette smoking. I am aware that this is unhealthy and does nothing positive for my health but I continue to smoke to release stress and tension. Although I am aware that it increases my risk to develop lung problems including lung cancer, I am unable to discontinue my use of cigarettes. As a future health care professional, I am aware that this does not set a good example to the public. This contrasts my work, as I promote good health and wellness to the public.
As a dental student and a dental professional in the future, I believe that I will be able to contribute my skills to help combat the problem regarding substance abuse. Patients can be screened for substance abuse and abuse can be detected even through their appearance. If they present to the clinic with signs of abuse, have a history of broken appointments, or have dramatic complaints to have access to prescription medications (Newman & Bolton 2), the dental team should be concerned with these patients.
However, it is also important to rule out other illnesses or diseases that might have the same types of signs and symptoms with substance abuse. Proper and correct diagnosis is essential for a patient’s overall health and improvement. This can also decrease the chances of having conflicts with the patients if they are incorrectly diagnosed and are assumed to be abusing illicit substances when in fact they are really not. “As a dental team we can provide education, early intervention and effective motivation for the patient to seek help before abuse becomes dependency” (Newman & Bolton 1).
Aside from the users themselves, health professionals are also the ones who can treat these patients and help them recover from their dependencies. Their ability to diagnose the problem is one way of helping the patients recognize their dependency and abuse of the substance. However, it is their knowledge that can treat these patients. They are the ones who will most likely know what to do to help the patients gradually withdraw from their substance abuse. Health professionals would also know from a patient’s appearance if the patient is experiencing substance abuse problems.
They can provide education, which can prevent people from the use and abuse of illicit substances. They can also educate current users regarding the negative effects of substance abuse to one’s health and personal life. Health care professionals play an important role in the recovery process of users because sometimes, they are the only ones whom users believe and trust with regard to their problem. The presentation of Dr. Bohlin should be seen and heard by all health care professionals because of their impact in the issue of substance abuse.
With the presentation, they will be able to know the most abused substances and its epidemiology. They would also know and therefore recognize the signs and symptoms of a person who is dependent on illicit substances. This will help detect and diagnose the person’s problem and will be easier for the professionals to provide help and treatment to the patient. Treatment is not as easy and the presentation was able to relate this to the audience. Recovering and withdrawing from dependency is hard and has different effects on the users depending on the type of substance.
Knowing what to expect and what to do will greatly help the recovery process of the patients and their loved ones. Substance abuse and its treatment is never easy, which is why numerous people fail to completely recover and choose to continue their dependency even if they know the consequences. No matter how capable and how educated health care professionals are when it comes to this issue, the success of recovering still lies on the user. Wanting to get better and to receive treatment should come from the patient.
If the clinician is the best in the world in terms of substance abuse but the patient is not willing to cooperate with the treatment, the user will most likely fail as a patient. It is important to have enough self-discipline to know when to stop, recognize that the abuse is destroying one’s life, and seek help from professionals. Education may be the best tool in preventing the increase of the number of people who use and abuse illicit substances. If people become aware of its negative effects, they would probably stop and think before deciding to use the substance.
Education will also help young people choose not to engage themselves from activities that increases their chances of using and abusing these substances.
Works Cited
Dr. Bohlin. Substance abuse. McPhee, Stephen J. , Papadakis, Maxine A. , & Tierney, Lawrence M. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2008. Ohio: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. Newman, Carolyn C. & Bolton, L. W. “Substance abuse and the dental patient… What’s the connection? ” BNET. January-February 2003. 18 May 2009 <http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0MKX/is_1_72/ai_98314354/pg_2/? tag=content;col1>