Critical Reflective Journal

Week 2

In the second week, I was introduced to types of drugs as well as their impacts adversely on the body. I got to know that there are three divisions of drugs based on which they seriously affect human beings' bodies. They include depressants that work in decreasing the central nervous system’s functioning, hallucinogens that impact the senses of persons as well as alter the manner people hear, observe, feel, smell, or taste things (Health gov, 2022). The third one is stimulants which operate to quicken up the central nervous system’s function. I have also come across drug laws prevalent within Australia which is classified as legal and illegal drugs. Legal drugs comprise nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, and prescribed and over-the-counter drugs. On the other hand, illegal drugs comprise amphetamines, heroin, ecstasy, and cannabis or marijuana. These drugs have been banned within Australia as they can endanger people's lives and health as their ingredients and power are not regulated within the country (Health gov, 2022). Hence, I feel it is necessary for Australia to abide by the principles of case management as this fulfills the needs of AOD disorder clients by ensuring advocacy and community-oriented care. The best interests of clients are promoted by case managers and they also provide education to service providers on non-treatment regarding substance abuse issues.

Week 3

Through this weekly reading, I have come across the subject matter of trauma and its negative influence on the body and mind in people dealing with addictive behaviors and addiction. I have been able to grasp knowledge that psychological trauma has been a basic evaluating factor for increasing the chances of addictive disorders' development. Severe mental health issues like trauma can also be recognized as adverse life situations or events that acquire the ability to result in the development of a major stress amount to the person overwhelming his or her capability to tackle and leave the individual in fear with regards to factors like insanity, annihilation, and death (Konkolÿ Thege et al., 2017). Although, I have got evidence from a few studies that people suffering from trauma have a higher chance to develop particular addictive illnesses as compared to the common population a white perspective is yet to be obtained regarding this specific subject area. I think the main factors that need to be taken into consideration when outcomes are interpreted for participants dealing with trauma and substance use disorders include the actual time period based on which addictive behaviors could create a negative impact on trauma exposure. I find there are possible chances that vulnerability or exposure to certain addictive behaviors can maximize true psychological traumatization only in a particular time interval. This particular purpose indicates an extended gap in time between addictive behavior assessment and traumatization which can underestimate several adverse impacts (María-Ríos & Morrow, 2020). Studies have also highlighted and supported the fact that alcohol substance combination and marijuana misuse can be directly linked with proximal traumatization which is temporal in characteristics yet not with beginning trauma history.

Week 4

Following this week's readings, I have been able to develop an understanding of the role played by genetics and the brain within additive behaviors and substance addiction among youth. I found evidence that near about forty to seventy percent of genetic factors are present with regards to creating individual differences in aspects where there are challenges for addiction. This is because several genes have more chances to get engaged in addiction development and out of them some particular gene variants can be recognized as either protecting or predisposing against addiction (Department of Health & Human Services, 2016). Also, I have come across the fact that genes engaged to strengthen the relations between the formation of drug memories and neurons have mainly been linked with addiction challenges. Similar to various chronic health diseases the complex interplay between the environment and genes of the individual influence substance use illnesses. With regards to the brain, I have across through the article analysis that several neurochemical studies showcase rapid and large increases within dopamine and these are found connected with drug abuse and utilization reinforcing impacts. At the same time, it is evident to me that after the abuse of chronic drugs as well as its withdrawal, the functioning of brain dopamine is highly minimized. Thereby, these minimizations are linked with frontal regions’ dysfunctioning comprising cingulated gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex. I can even understand that the alterations taking place within the functioning of brain dopamine have more chances of leading to minimized sensitivity to certain natural reinforcers (Volkow et al., 2020). This has been because the reinforcing natural reinforcers’ effects are also mediated by dopamine specifically when frontal cortical function disruption takes place in the form of salience attribution and inhibitory control.

Week 5

In this week, I have gained little knowledge in my youthhood regarding young people's utilization of drugs and alcohol usage. Specifically, I have evaluated that the presence of substance use illnesses within the adolescent stage of individuals necessitates potential treatments. I find young adults are specifically inclined to measure social, psychological, and physical drug utilization impacts. Potential harm is caused through these impacts to the growing functional and brain capacity along with poor reproductive, sexual, mental, and physical health violence and reduced educational attainment. To mitigate and resolve these adverse impacts, I have come across some significant interventions that are individualized in characteristics and comprise mentoring and counseling. Specifically, I find cognitive behavior therapy or CBT technique in combination with mindfulness and motivational interviewing (MI) working effectively to create a sustained environment within depression and anxiety functioning and copying skills with minimized substance utilization. I feel the extra aspect in relation to MI and CBT techniques to standard case management care as well as brief motivational interviews in procedure can lead to potential minimizations within cannabis use and depression with sustained maximization in socialization and motivation (Martin et al., 2020). Besides this, I have identified family-oriented interventions such as family therapy and family counseling which would be equally beneficial for adult young people dealing with alcohol and substance use disorders. When the systematic review was conducted in relation to family-oriented interventions for alcohol-oriented and alcohol misuse harm within Aboriginal community people it was revealed that family-oriented strategies and interventions can result in creating positive impacts within family functioning and individual functioning as well as minimize alcohol consumption and coping behaviors.

Week 6

Through this weekly session, I have come across pornography as well as its impact on teenage or adolescent sexuality. The concept of pornography is obtained as a reflection in relation to the sexual-oriented subject matter for sexual arousal’s purpose. I have identified through this article analysis that it is derived in different forms with the application of video games, books, videos, and magazines. I can relate to the relation of significant hazards and challenges with regard to puberty and pornography development and its severe impact on emotional, behavioral, and cognitive reactions. I find that adolescents have to pass through the stages of sexual maturity further comprising masturbation experimentation, sexual interest, fantasies, sex hormones, and bodily alterations. I believe pornography is generally viewed by individuals before getting involved in multiplied sexual activity as well and this utilized is basically connected with masturbation. I think at a younger age, sexual initiation can be connected to adverse results within adulthood and it has been evident from the study that sexual development is mainly accelerated by pornography (Adarsh & Sahoo, 2023). I can even find media utilization through the Internet usually acts as an effective role model function along with offering normative counsel. When pornographic imagination is done through Internet media applications, an exception can be identified as safe sex. The male audience’s desires are predominantly reflected through observing frequent pornography videos.

Week 7

I find that contemporary drug policy in Australia is featured by increased concerns between order responses and purity of law that arise the sovereign powers meet as well as responsibilizing initiative for further re-moralizing people. It also holds them accountable and responsible specifically for their well-being, security, and safety. In this specific article, I find when interview data was drawn from several young adult people who are linked with drug utilisation as well as professionals operating within the field of illicit drug usage Australian drug policies conditions have been evaluated and its failure within Queensland. Throughout the analysis, I have been able to understand how imaginary policies of drug interaction with service deliver drugs drug, professional practice and drug consumption. Within Australia, harm minimization drug evolve out as a socially comprehensive policy to deal with challenges and any particular factor linked users’ exclusion or pathologisation making it neutralized as well as reducing coercion (Pereira et al., 2020). I understood that major importance is given to voluntary participation and as a repercussion criminal justice is minimally deployed in the form of a conduit for enabling therapeutic or treatment practices instead of a measure to incapacitating or punishment. The inter agency case management provides clients a particular contact point with the social services and health systems. Unsystematic reference procedure is being replaced by the case management with a well framed and single service (Cook, 2015). I think and believe that this strategy helps in delivery continuity among clients as case managers’ obtain obligations to the systems members along with their clients with whom anytime they would make an interaction.

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