Substance Counselor Interview Paper

Interview:

I interviewed Whitney who is a mental and substance counselor at the Independent Center in Lincoln, Ne. Specifically, she oversees intensive outpatient working with adolescents ages 16-18 in seeing clients, coordinating group sessions, and teaching lectures. During her undergraduate career, she was involved in an addiction research lab as a research assistant, which started her interested in addictions. While in her graduate program she received her internship with the facility working with adults. After she graduated a position opened for her to apply. She discussed the different levels of treatment, her typical work day, and her experience working with different populations and their specific drug choice. The program has distinctive

Contrary to popular belief that marijuana is not addictive, it is. Smoking is the most common form but dabbing has become more popular as it is more potent. However, this population is experimenting with other drugs such as pain killers or inhalants. Some of the withdrawal symptoms from marijuana are anxiety, irritability, and headaches. All which can make it difficult to stay off the drug. She can determine when the individual is going through withdrawals or has relapsed from drug tests and she is able to work with them based on their stage. The adolescents are court mandated to attend rehab and complement of treatment is necessary to have the minor file sealed. Some of the challenges she faces with this population is their maturity level. As when she worked with adults they had the willingness to comply and end treatment successfully. Part of the reasons is that adults have more adverse consequences such as trying to save their marriage or trying to be sober for their children. The cost of treatment for adults are mostly out-of-pocket, so they are more determined about the recovery process. The addictions for adults is usually alcohol but cases of meth as well. The opioids epidemic has not targeted Nebraska, yet. Another challenge with working with the individual is that most come from families with drug addictions. During family sessions, most will not attend and are not active in their child’s treatment.

Having presented on side effects of marijuana I know marijuana has adverse consequences. For example, it effects the brain system being disoriented. More specifically in those who start at a younger age it impairs the maturation process interfering with physical and mental maturation process and impeded emotional development. Using marijuana and driving can alter sense of time and space that impairs overall coordination and motor functioning to track other vehicles is difficult because it requires judging time, distance, and the speed of other cars. Addictions can lead to adolescents to skip school and grades drop and creates a disturbance in