Bill is a 19-year-old male with an 8-year-old history of heavy drinking, whose alcohol abuse requires specific treatment and professional counseling. Sue et al. (2016) recommend the biopsychosocial model as a good approach to understanding the patient’s behavior, covering the existing biological, psychological, and social factors. The chosen model helps recognize the complexity of the problem, learn the reasons for his psychological disturbance, and define the most if it is possible to manage external and internal influences.
Biological factors like genetics and the damaged central nervous system explain Bill’s behavior. His father died at an early age because of serious alcohol dependence. Bill also drinks a lot to pass out, and his need for alcohol emerges when he is anxious. The combination of several mental disorders leads to nervous breakdowns. Psychological factors include personality, emotions, coping skills, and cognition. His family history is depressing because of his father’s and grandfather’s deaths and constant reminders from his mother and older sister that he is a black sheep in the family. The lack of male support might provoke poor emotional control, disruptive thinking (anxiety) affects his cognition, and no professional support explains his wrong beliefs and ineffective attachments. Finally, social factors play an important role in Bill’s life because his friends and family determine who Bill is in most cases. The man does not have serious love relationships, and his friends drink alcohol regularly. He visits local bars not to listen to reproaches at home.
The ways how Bill establishes the relationships cannot solve his alcohol dependence and find other alternatives. People should address professional help if they cannot find support from friends and family members, which is Bill’s case. Applying the biopsychosocial model is a unique chance to understand that most mental health disorders do not have one particular trigger but depend on various factors and contributions, including biology, society, and psychology.
Reference
Sue, D., Sue, D. W., Sue, S., & Sue, D. M. (2016). Understanding abnormal behavior (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.