Co-occurring Disorders
Psychiatric syndromes that concurrent with chemical abuse
Many mental disorders have their roots in childhood and adolescence. This is even made worse by substance abuse. Despite the massive media coverage and awareness, substance abuse remain to be a major concern. With the increasing availability and experimentation, use of club drugs keep increasing every day and the age bracket becomes younger and younger. Research has also shown that teenage drug users have a higher prevalence to substance use disorders (Ward & Russell, 2007). These disorders are not the only challenges that face adolescent drug users but also pregnancy, high rates of suicides and violence.
Anxiety disorders include posttraumatic stress disorder, social phobia, and generalized disorder. These are most common substance abuse disorders. Most users hardly believe that this condition would be because of using drugs since it is widely believed that drugs and alcohol assist in stress relief. However, studies have shown that teenagers who have not experimented with drugs have an even greater chance of suffering from anxiety conditions (Ward & Russell, 2007). This is because since most teenagers experiment while the none experimenting will be left out by his peers and jeered as well. This problem may be counteracted using serotonin, which may as well help with the substance abuse problem.
Depression is also another disorder associated with teenage drug abuse. They are usually at risk of developing depression disorder or dysthymia. Physicians usually have a tough time determining which came first. Adult abusers usually develop this condition sooner than teenage users. It is also treated using serotonin or anti depressants (Gobrial, & Raghavan, 2012). Third is the attention-deficient/hyperactivity disorder. This condition is dreaded since its treatment involves a drug that could also be abused. However, the drug use then could be regulated to decrease the risks of developing a SUD (Hesse, 2010).
The bipolar disorder is a condition that would be very difficult to diagnose in children and young adults. The symptoms are diagnosed using their sleep patterns and their mood swings. Treatment comprises of both medication and psychotherapy (Hesse, 2010). Finally is the conduct disorder. This condition is also very difficult to treat and usually requires vigorous long-term treatment. This complication usually occurs with a patient that has both depression and bipolar disorder.
Combined impact of substance abuse and psychiatric syndromes
Research has shown that an association exists between a number of psychiatric disorders and substance abuse disorders (Archibald, 2007). The relation is complicated and varies with the substance being abused and the disorder in question. A theory of addiction is that addiction can destroy the circuits of the brain that depict secondary psychiatric symptoms during withdrawal. Another problem occurs since addiction and psychiatry disorder though being different issues that need to be addressed individual may only show symptoms of just a psychiatric disorder. Finally is the recurring drug administration may lead to abnormalities that may cause certain psychiatric disorder.
Adolescent's lives change when diagnosed with the DSM-IV-TR
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (also known as the DSM-IV-TR) is usually a group of disorders that are chronic and are associated with abnormalities of the brain (Abed, 2010). This may result to delusions and hallucinations and may often be referred to as psychosis. An adolescent’s life can change dramatically if diagnosed with this disorder. They may start developing disorganized speech issues and thinking. They are usually unable to deliver a point due the rumbling from one subject to another. This destroys their social life. Another is the disorganized behavior that is not expected from an individual from a certain age. They are unable to maintain self-hygiene and other behaviors that are not normal. The catatonic is the final change that can take place to schizophrenia. This behavior can also be noted in other mental disorders (Archibald, 2007). Unfortunately, it can ultimately lead to physical disability thus changing the entire life of the patient.
References
Abed, H., (2010) What factors affect the lifestyle choices of people with schizophrenia?:
Mental Health Review Journal, 15(2):21 – 27
Archibald M. E (2007), Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in substance abuse
treatment provision, treatment needs and utilization, in Jennie Jacobs Kronenfeld
(ed.) Inequalities and Disparities in Health Care and Health: Concerns of
Patients, Providers and Insurers (Research in the Sociology of Health Care,
Volume 25), Emerald Group Publishing Limited:171-200
Gobrial, & Raghavan., (2012) Prevalence of anxiety disorder in children and young
people with intellectual disabilities and autism: Advances in Mental Health and
Intellectual Disabilities, 6(3):130 – 140
Hesse, M., (2010) Psychoeducation for personality disorders as an add-on to substance
abuse treatment versus attention placebo: a controlled trial: Drugs and Alcohol
Today, 10(1):25 – 32
Ward A., & Russell A., (2007) Mental health services for adults with autism spectrum
disorders: Advances in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities,1(4)23 – 26
