The two clients described in the case have different stories; however, both of them present signs of addiction. Kyra, a 24-year-old female, presents obvious sins of alcohol misuse and subtle symptoms of sleeping medication misuse. First, the client felt dizzy, and her stomach was upset after taking antidepressants. Such symptoms can appear when taking such medications with alcohol.
Second, the inability to fall asleep without alcohol or a sleeping pill is a definite sign of addiction (Legg, 2016). Third, the client initially takes large doses of alcohol, which is a sign of increased tolerance (Legg, 2016). Finally, the client spends much time in solitude, which is a sign of social changes caused by alcohol misuse (Legg, 2016). Considering the fact, alcohol addicts prefer secrecy, it may mean that she takes more sleeping pills than the reported “couple times a week.” However, the matter needs further examination.
The second case is not as straightforward as Kyra’s, as the symptoms are more subtle. Timothy is 29 and is a private first class with two trips to Afghanistan. According to Coker, Stefanovics, and Rosenheck (2016), military veterans often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, which may lead to substance abuse. Since Timothy had a stressful job and injured his ankle after a bomb explosion, he is at high risk of substance abuse. The primary symptom is that he uses addictive substances to deal with his problems (Legg, 2016). Moreover, the client had a history of abuse of painkillers, which may hint at the fact that he may still be using the medication. However, further investigation is required to make a final decision because the information after the first intake is insufficient.
Reference
Coker, K. L., Stefanovics, E., & Rosenheck, R. (2016). Correlates of improvement in substance abuse among dually diagnosed veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder in specialized intensive VA treatment. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 8(1), 41- 48.
Legg, T. (2016). What are the symptoms of addiction? Medical News Today. Web.