Introduction
People with troubled pasts often conceal their adverse experiences out of the fear of social stigma. Their health issues are often being taken into consideration without addressing the entire complex of existing comorbidities, especially mental ones (Atkins, 2021). Substance use disorders, in particular, present a challenging topic for analysis, as their role in one’s wellbeing was severely neglected in the past (Atkins, 2021). Gerard, a 57-year-old male miner with a history of mental health issues and substance abuse, presents a slew of issues that cause a rapid decline in the quality of his life. This essay will discuss the case study of Gerard, including his mental health, addictions, factors affecting them, and the role of the healthcare system in the patient’s wellbeing.
Mental Health and Addiction Interaction
This case presents several mental health issues at once, each one worsening the impact of others. Gerard is an alcoholic who has issues with opioids, depression, aggressive behavior, gambling, and chronic pains. This volatile combination of health problems has caused him to rapidly transform into a problem for both healthcare services and his relatives. Comorbidities such as major depressive disorder or anxiety disorder are common among long-term users (Hayes et al., 2020). It is vital to view a person as a whole when addressing such complex cases.
The situation for Gerard only gets worse when considering his history of mental health issues prior to opioid issues. Mood swings from depression are most likely were treated by substances, which gave the patient short periods of hyper mood, after which he slipped back into depression (Atkins, 2021). His alcohol abuse alongside symptoms of depression and apparent aggression incidents reveal core behavioral flaws and a complete lack of assessments. Moreover, Gerard’s refusal to seek help further fuels his risks for addictive behavior in a self-sustained circle of mental health issues. The eventual increase in tolerance to substances caused Gerard to try new drugs, and the circle went on.
The Faults of Healthcare Services
It is also worth noting the adverse effects of the current approach to pain management by the healthcare system. There are several potential reasons for Gerard’s worsened situation that can be linked with his visits to doctors. First of all, his irritability and increased aggression could have been caused by inappropriate drug prescriptions (Atkins, 2021). Alcohol or drug withdrawal can appear as severe depression or anxiety, causing a healthcare facility to treat a patient inappropriately, especially when such information is withheld from a doctor (Atkins, 2021). In case Gerard has used a substance without notifying his doctors or nurses regarding this fact, some drugs that could have been prescribed to him without this knowledge had the potential to become dangerous or even lethal to the patient (Atkins, 2021). It is apparent that there is insufficient control over substance use and prescribed medications. Gerard’s issues later in life might partially stem from these factors.
Adverse Factors and Stigmas
Gerard’s life has been going out of control for years after his initial trauma that sparked his opioid addiction. His current state is fueled by several adverse perceptions of his ability to function. First of all, he has lost the ability to work and was forced to retire, which puts a significant stigma on his chronic pain in his point of view. Pain management strategies do not take into account this factor, often focusing solely on resolving a single health problem (Gross et al., 2018). As a complication stemming from the loss of his financial autonomy, Gerard has developed another addiction – gambling. Relatives have failed to prevent this continuing deterioration due to symptoms of opioid addiction that caused a rift in the family.
The problem Gerard has is self-sustaining through many channels simultaneously. Hayes et al. (2020) state that “opioid dose escalation is common due to insufficient pain relief or tolerance” (p. 2). At the same time, mental health issues stemming from increasing addiction, such as aggression, make it nearly impossible for a patient to start the de-escalation process without significant outside assistance (Hayes et al., 2020). Substance use disorder requires attention, unlike any other mental health problem, as healthcare personnel alone is not as efficient as strong familial bonds.
Gerard’s interactions with society are apparently marked with hostility and frustration.
Since Gerard’s status as an addict is now known to the healthcare system, he is being denied the most efficient treatment for his chronic pains. People who are perceived as addicts by society are often met with stigma and unfair bias (Volkow et al., 2021). However, it is possible to partially relieve this unfairness by changing these adverse perceptions through less harmful terms that describe their health states (Volkow et al., 2021). Patients who are called alcoholics, addicts, and abusers are less likely to see help, as they fear that they would provoke negative reactions from society, further causing their rapid mental health decline (Volkow et al., 2021). Destigmatization is a challenging process, although it is a necessary step in alleviating the suffering of individuals with such disorders.
In my experience, people who experience issues with substance use will often refuse any help, considering themselves to be in control. Despite their claims, the damage such behavior does to their health may be unbeknownst to these individuals. It is vital to educate them on the full spectrum of potential health complications. Another viable tactic is to create a social support group consisting of their relatives who should be able to help a person with substance use disorder. Recognition of one’s mental health issues is easier to deal with when it is met with understanding and openness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the decline of mental health of Gerard could have been adequately addressed prior to the appearance of his new symptoms that came from insurmountable stress alongside work-related physical strain. In this case, the complex set of mental disorders that was worsened by chronic pains led Gerard to a path of gradual self-destruction. However, such situations are preventable through immediate response to the first signs of addiction by doctors and the destigmatization of healthcare interventions against substance use disorders. Stigmas from addictions and mental health issues often prevent patients from seeking help or continuing treatment with adequate adherence.
It is apparent that the patient has shown a continuously worsening state of mind and body, yet he remained able to acquire his pain medications without sufficient control or appropriate considerations for drug interactions. Gerard’s past history presents clear indicators of the patient’s potential for self-destructive behavior, which was worsened by his inability to achieve satisfaction at work, stressful life, and substance use history. Stacking comorbidities cause treatments to become unmanageable and patients’ lives to become unbearable. Eventually, Gerard did seek help, yet the majority of people who suffer from such circumstances continue their existence unknown to the healthcare services that they should seek.
References
Atkins, C. (2021). Co-occurring disorders: Integrated assessment and treatment of substance use and mental disorders (2nd ed.). PESI Publishing.
Gross, J. L., Perate, A. R., & Elkassabany, N. M. (2019). Pain management in trauma in the age of the opioid crisis. Anesthesiology Clinics, 37(1), 79-91.
Hayes, C. J., Krebs, E. E., Hudson, T., Brown, J., Li, C., & Martin, B. C. (2020). Impact of opioid dose escalation on the development of substance use disorders, accidents, self‐inflicted injuries, opioid overdoses and alcohol and non‐opioid drug‐related overdoses: A retrospective cohort study. Addiction, 115(6), 1098-1112.
Volkow, N. D., Gordon, J. A., & Koob, G. F. (2021). Choosing appropriate language to reduce the stigma around mental illness and substance use disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology, 46(13), 2230-2232.