Chemical Dependency
Jesse Bruce Pinkman is one of the most important characters in the popular TV series, 'Breaking Bad'. He plays the deuteragonist (2nd most important character) in the series, partnering with Walter White in his methamphetamine drug ring. Pinkman acts as a dealer and manufacturer of methamphetamine, and is also a methamphetamine user. Jesse was also a former student in White's chemistry class.
According to the program script, Pinkman was born September 14, 1984, into a middle income family in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While still in high school, he began using and dealing methamphetamine. After being thrown out of the house for his continued drug use, he moved into his Aunt Ginny's place, and looked after her until she died of lung cancer. After her death the ownership of the house fell to his parents who allowed him to continue staying there. The rift between Pinkman and his family continues throughout most of the series; this is apparently because of his drug use and the accompanying lifestyle. Jesse's character is modified throughout the series, from a laid back funnyman who provides comic relief in the early episodes, to a disturbed and sad shadow of his former self (Pinkman, n.d).
Assessment
Substance abuse examination is an assessment of patients who satisfy two conditions. The first condition is that the individual's drug screening results are positive, and signal possible substance abuse. The second condition is that the individual's answers to a brief assessment test indicate a variety of additional factors. These include: impaired control, a craving to use drugs, lack of social support, evidence that they are afflicted by 'other' psychosocial conditions; and the likelihood that these factors will render a brief intervention unsuccessful. Data collected via the assessment will give pointers to the type of problem the individual faces; it will also assist in determination of a suitable treatment plan.
Assessment:
Studies problems linked to use and/or abuse of drugs, such as clinical, social, financial, and behavioral factors
Provides information for official diagnosis of a likely problem
Determines the extent of, or severity of the diagnosed problem - mild, intermediate, or severe
Enables identification of suitable care level.
Provides a guide to the treatment plan, such as type of referral(s) needed and/or necessity for specialized care
Establishes a baseline in terms of the patient's status for later evaluation and comparison
Assessment Guidelines
Important Factors in Screening and Assessment
Information accuracy
Data continuity
Sharing of information
Necessity to rescreen and reassess
Scheduling of screening and assessment
When is an official diagnosis necessary?
Drug testing
Issues to Address in the Above Exercise
History of substance use and abuse
The need for detoxification
Physical health status
The willingness to commence treatment
Possible dual diagnosis
Trauma history
Psychopathy and possible danger for recidivism and violence
From the information provided, it is possible to observe that Pinkman suffers simultaneously from different addiction disorders. These may include severe depression as well as an eating disorder (ED) linked to substance abuse. Anxiety and mood disorders occur at relatively increased rates among individuals who have substance abuse disorders (SUDs). Major depression has also been identified as the most common co-occurring Axis I psychiatric disorder. Co-morbid major depression is linked to chronic and extended substance abuse disorders (Worley et al., 2012).
Various aetiological factors that could have led to co-occurring substance abuse disorders in Jesse Pinkman's scenario can be best understood from a biopsychosocial viewpoint. The theories of aetiological co-morbidity include: behavioral and addiction models; biological factors such as genetic risk; personality factors such as chronic dysregulation; novelty seeking; increased impulsivity; and possible co-occurring psychopathology, in addition to environmental influences. Biological aetiological models point to disorders in neurotransmitter function. These include serotonin, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine, and the final endogenous opiate systems in both substance abuse disorders (SUDs) and eating disorders (EDs). The common physical symptoms among these disorders and the relation between the increased effects of substances that are biologically reinforced and food deprivation are some of the evidences of this biological model. In terms of genetic risk factors, research has shown that genetic heritabilities for eating disorders and substance abuse disorders are independent. Additionally, co-morbidity is likely to be influenced by both genetics and the environment. Some individuals are more susceptible to dependency because their genetic makeup raises their sensitivity to drugs. Several types of substance use and dependence appear to be genetically predisposed or influenced by the environment; in several cases, the substance abuse can be a mix of both. Various twin studies suggest that there is a huge genetic factor in alcohol abuse and dependency (Gregorowski, Seedat & Jordaan, 2013).
The addiction aetiological...
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