Rebecca G

RE: Unit 1: Discussion Questions

For this writer’s case study, she will be examining and conducting an action research plan for a forty-two-year-old causation male who is currently residing in a sober home. Three months ago, his probation officer told him that he needed to move back into a sober home due to dirty urines. Jeff has been an addict since he was prescribed opioid pain meds after being injured in Afghanistan when the Humvee, he was riding hit a roadside bomb.  This was eight years ago. 

Jeff suffers from PTSD as well as opioid addiction. He has been in and out of long-term rehabs and several IOP programs.  Three years ago, Jeff was arrested while transporting 2.5 Kilos of heroin.  The has a federal case against him and did 11 months in prison. This has put a damper on Jeffs ability to have custody of his two teenage daughters. Jeffs father is an alcoholic and left his mother when Jeff was 13 years old.  This have caused some adverse childhood experiences that Jeff needs to deal with as well.  The only family he has is his mother whom he is close to, but she will not allow him to reside with her.  She has custody of his two girls which he visits with every few months and keeps in contact with through texts and phone calls. 

Jeff suffers from depression and anxiety daily to the point he is unable to keep a job.  He was living with a long-term a girlfriend who kicked him out when she discovered that he was stealing from her and her family.  She still keeps in tough with him but will no longer enable his behaviors or accept responsibility for him financially.  This has sent Jeff back to using even more.  

Jeff has told his clinician that he is ready to make changes and is willing to put in the work for a better future for himself and his children. He has a small support of his mother and his ex-girlfriend but other than that he has no friends.  He lost his friends due to drug use and his arrest for transporting drugs. Identifying why a Jeff has turned to drugs will help his mom and children so that family that his and their needs can better be met.  When action researchers identify factors that are hindering the client’s well-being, they are more likely to develop a plan that will have a beneficial outcome.  In this case study, the factors hindering Jeff’s addiction is PTST, depression and anxiety.  Jeff is a good candidate for action research due to his willingness to make changes and find a way to live without addiction.

References

Davis, M. I., Jason, L. A., & Ferrari, a. J. (2005). A Collaborative Action Approach to Researching Substance Abuse Recovery. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 31(4), DOI: 10.1081/ADA-200068110.

SAMHSA. (2020, March). Substance Use Disorder Treatment for. Retrieved from https://store.samhsa.gov/product/TIP-42-Substance-…

SAMHSA. (n.d.). Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disorders

Tricia P

RE: Unit 1: Discussion Questions

This writer case study will focus on Renee a 52yr old African American women who is recently divorced and current lives alone.  Her father is deceased, and her mother is still living and resides with family members.  Renee has 7 siblings, four brothers, two of which are deceased.  She also has three sisters.  Renee’s mom is a recovering alcoholic, and her father was a social drinker. Renee has an adult son and two grandsons. Renee states that she has engaged in substance abuse with her siblings in the past.  Renee reports that she has a history of mental health and has been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder.  She also stated that she suffers from anxiety and depression.  She admits that she has entered several mental health and substance abuse facilities over the years.  She also has various health conditions: diabetes, high blood pressure and is severally overweight.  

Renee feels as that she could have success in recovery if she could work on some of the underlying stressors in her life. Renee states that she was molested at the age of seven to ten by a family friend.  She also states that her mom abused her as a child, she felt abandoned by her father, feeling as though he left her alone to be abused by her mom. She admits to trying to commit suicide at as teenager. Renee states she excelled in school but was very withdrawn and found it hard to make friends.  She states that she began to dink and use drugs socially during her high school years to fit in with the crowd.  She feels as though this is when her active addiction began. Renee relationships has consisted of physical and mental abuse.  She states that due to her addiction she has been raped several times in her life.  She has sought out help in the past for abuse.  

Renee states that although she has had several years of sobriety and went on to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degree in counseling.  She still finds herself drawn onto unhealthy relationships and has a lot of self-doubt. She is currently not taking any psychotropic medications or attending support groups.  

Renee would benefit from action research due to awareness of current situations in her life.  Stringer and Aragon states that “people who are actively engaged in the on-the-ground challenges of any social context have deep levels of understanding about their own situation and therefore might be seen as “experts” and should be directly involved in addressing those challenges.” (Stringer and Aragon 2021) 

During our research we will be exploring several areas of Renee’s life.  She would like to address if medication has been beneficial, what makes her still want to engage in unhealthy relationships.  The benefits of healthy relationships, self-esteem, and other models of treatment she has not explored may be helpful.