Problem:
The use of substances is widespread in our everyday lives; there may be no better example than the use of alcohol, since it is normalized and used to unwind after a long day, cope as needed, and even to celebrate the momentous occasions of our lives. Unfortunately, the normalized consumption of alcohol may be contributing to a high number of individuals affected by alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder is the most common among all substance use disorders, with a lifetime prevalence of 29.1% among adults in the United States (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). When diagnosing alcohol use disorder, it is important to consider cultural factors that may affect the assessment of diagnostic criteria, differentiate between similar diagnoses, consider comorbidities, as well as consider the efficacy of telehealth diagnostic practices, and any risk or protective factors that may apply.
Environmental risk factors apply to the development of alcohol abuse disorder, including disproportionate incarceration rates and poverty, with a lack of access to necessary medications for substance-related issues (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Other environmental factors that place individuals at risk include unemployment and low educational attainment; as a result, protective and preventive interventions may take the form of increasing educational attainment and reducing unemployment.
Several cultural considerations affect the development of alcohol abuse disorder, one example is the genetic variations that exist among Chinese, Japanese, and Korean individuals, which affect the way alcohol is metabolized, leading to unwanted symptoms and a reduced probability of future alcohol abuse (American Psychiatric Association, 2022).
The prevalence of alcohol use and its normativity make it important to differentiate it from other instances of alcohol use, for example, the nonpathological use of alcohol. While an individual may have daily alcohol use, it is important to assess if the individual meets the criteria for alcohol use disorder, with the pathological difference being the use of alcohol in heavy doses with repeated and significant distress or impaired functioning (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). In addition to the differentiation of other disorders, it is also necessary to consider common practices in mental health, such as telehealth services when diagnosing alcohol use disorder, and pay close attention to physical symptoms of the disorder that may not be able to be observed over video.
Alcohol use disorder has many comorbidities that are frequently observed, including most depressive disorders and anxiety disorders, as well as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and antisocial disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Alcohol use disorder is truly a multifaceted condition that can be developed under different applicable models that include environmental, biological, and behavioral components. As discussed, there are environmental factors that can contribute to the onset of alcohol use disorder, such as low education and disproportionate incarceration rates. Additionally, genetic factors such as the ability to metabolize alcohol can also be indicators of the development of the disorder. Lastly, a behavioral model can be applied in cases in which the behavior of alcohol abuse is used to dull the symptoms of mental health issues or other substance abuse disorders, or as a substitute for other addictive substances when they are not available.
Respond to at least two of your colleagues (one assigned to each of the other two disorders) on two different days and compare your assigned disorder to your colleague's assigned disorder. Discuss comorbidity between your assigned disorder and the other disorders.
Cite at least one scholarly resource in each of your substantive reply posts. Each substantive reply post should be a minimum of 250 words. Need Assignment Help?
References:
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Publishing.