Substance Abusers with Underlying Mental Illness in Adolescent Peer Review

Introduction

The presence of mental illnesses in relation to substance abuse does not necessarily mean that one represents the other. But there are risk factors that links these two together where the evidence of substance use are committed by people who are fighting a mental illness such as depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and social anxiety. These mental illness can bring enormous stress to the person if it interferes with living their daily lives. The social stigma and unsatisfying performance issue that the mentally ill person have to endure are considered to be a burden to the society. Due to these pressures, a mentally ill person are more likely to turn to substance use and become addicted.

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, drug abuse start in early adolescent ages from 12 to 13, in some cases. Substances that are typically used are alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, marijuana and prescription drugs. Studies proved that if substance use continue until late adolescence without treatment, there will be a considerable possibility that the substance abuse will continue until later in life.

Gender, race, and geographic location can play a role on when children begin abusing drugs. Male are more likely to use and abuse drugs and report their usage compared to female substance users (Boyd et al., 2008).

Is it possible that an abuse to substances can cause mental illness? There are instances that a person’s drug use can create a chemical imbalance in the brain and can cause mental illness. The reason for this can be heredity. Genetic can play a role in

Volkow (2014) strongly believed that people use drugs because they want to feel better.

Method

Participants

All of the participants will be adolescents from age 10 to 20 years old with history of substance abuse and currently living in a treatment facility. Adolescents will be divided into three groups based on their ages. Early adolescence are ages 10 to 14 years old. Middle adolescence are ages 15 to 17 years old. Late adolescence are from 18 to 20 years old. Participants will be recruited with the assistance of two non-profit organization in Los Angeles, California for troubled teens and community mental health. Participant’s parents under the ages of 18 will be notified and will sign a consent form along with the participant. Participants that are over the age of 18 will only need to sign a consent form for themselves.

Materials

Materials use is a survey type paper that has a lists of drugs on the front that are separated in four categories which are stimulants (cocaine, meth, nicotine, and blank underline), depressant (alcohol, marijuana, and blank underline), opioids (heroin, morphine, and blank underline) and psychedelics or hallucinogens (LSD, PCP, and blank underline). Blank underline will be considered as a freelance location where they can write drugs that they have taken that are not listed. On the back of the paper are mental illness that a participant has been diagnosed.

Procedure

The setting will be based on the participant’s availability after treatment classes. They will be tested based on initiation rates which means the onset age of first use, the frequency of drug use and the amount of drugs taken. Each subject will then be interviewed based on whether they have mental illness or they don’t. If they claim that they are diagnosed with the mental illness,  Substance Abusers with Underlying Mental Illness in Adolescent Peer Review

Results

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The Effects of Deployment on Depression

Military spouses who experience deployments may suffer with a wide range of different emotions leading to anxiety and depression. Previous research has examined how military spouses deal with Pre-deployment and Deployment. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of deployment on military spouses’ anxiety and depression. The theoretical framework used for this study are articles of military spouse’s depression. The research question focuses on deployment cycles and whether spouse’s depression is affected as a result of before or during the stages of deployment. If so, are military spouses receiving the necessary help such as mental health appointments and support groups.

            In 2018, the United States military consisted of 2,101,134 military personnel and 2,627,805 family members (Military Demographics Profile, 2018). Among those active duty service members, 32.9% were married with children and 15.8% are married without children (Military Demographics Profile, 2018). Of the 966,604 military spouses, nearly one-quarter (22.9%) of spouses are 26 to 30 years, while 22.1% are 31 to 35 years, 19.5% are 41 years or older, 19.0 percent are 25 years or younger, and 16.5 % are 36 to 40 years (Military Demographics Profile, 2018).

The United States Armed Forces is very much different from civilian world as far as their own unique culture that is defined as being very structured and organized. It starts with a 6 to 13-week boot camp process that will help the service member develop maturely, gain discipline, and understand the capabilities of becoming a servicemember (Smith, 2017). Growing into their new identity, they are taught the core values of the military. Most spouses remember seeing their spouse for the first time after basic training and instantly recognizing change in their demeanor.

 

The Effects of Deployment on Spouse Anxiety and Depression

As the service member grows into their new identity and culture, the spouse learns to adapt to their new role as well.

The Effects of Deployment on Depression

Military spouses are forced to adjust with unique situations such as geographic separation, unpredictable training cycles, frequent relocation, spouse deployments and secondary effects of the lifestyle, such as frequent job rotations. (Researchers Determine Factors in Military Spouse Depression, 2019). When a service member is deploying, spouses often feel a wide range of emotions by the unexpected news (Military OneSource, 2019). Spouses may experience fear, anger, loneliness, joy, relief and anticipation (Military OneSource, 2019). Deployments can create deployment stress in military spouses and can lead to depression and anxiety due to service member high chances of deploying in a combat zone. (Leroux, kum, Dabney, & Wells, 2016).

During deployments, spouses find themselves functioning from a two married household to be coming one parent household, having all the family duties and responsibilities being carried out by one. (Leroux, kum, Dabney, &Wells, 2016). Taking on the load of responsibilities, spouses struggle to find employment because of the drastic changes (Lam, 2019). There are different phases to a deployment that are distinct and often times, spouses may react differently to each phase. (Leroux, kum, Dabney, &Wells, 2016).  Spouses who are aware of the upcoming deployment in advance have a better chance of coping with the knowledge of departure dates, which can help alleviate stress (Leroux, kum, Dabney, &Wells, 2016). Due to anxiety and depression, spouses often get into arguments as a result deploying and the stressful lifestyle

(Leroux, kum, Dabney, &Wells, 2016). A lack of communication is what also leads to high divorce rates because of the stress it has on the spouse (Leroux, Kum, Dabney, &Wells, 2016).

 

There are depressive symptoms among military spouses that include feeling irritable with everything and everyone, causing extreme anger issues toward situations. One week after service member leaves, spouses find themselves feeling hopeless and helpless which can lead to social isolation. (Kerr, 2018). Depression may also lead to a loss of interest in favorite hobbies or activities that were once pleasing which can result in fatigue or even a lack on energy. Drastic changes in appetite can correspond with weight gain or loss (Kerr, 2018). Lastly, spouses who avoiding seeking help for their mood and behavior may have suicidal thoughts and or behaviors as a result of stressors relating to the deployment cycle. (Verdeli, e.g. Fam et al., 2011).

The validity of the instrument proposed in this study is that military spouses who complete a Pre-Deployment checklist are more likely to have a stress-free deployment experience than spouses during deployment.

 

 

 

 

The Effects of Deployment on Spouse Anxiety and Depression

 

Method

Participants

Participants were all active duty military spouses stationed at Nellis, AFB. To qualify for experiment, service members of the spouses must be currently in their in their deployment window. This means that the service member would have to be eligible to deploy at any given time. Younger adults = (30 women, 0 men, Mage 19.5 years, age range: 18–22 years) we recruited via website on Nellis, AFB spouses page.  Older adults (10 women, 0 men, Mage = 76.1 years, age range: 68–84 years) were recruited in the commissary at Nellis, AFB. Participants ethnicity ranged from African America, White, and Latino women.  Participants all volunteered for this experiment study. The total number of participants for this experiment were split into two groups were 50. To participate in the experiment, each participant was given a consent form to sign stating that no one will be harmed during this survey experiment. The purpose of this experiment is to examine the relationship that deployment has with spouses who may develop anxiety, depression, coping, and perceived stress as a result. Substance Abusers with Underlying Mental Illness in Adolescent Peer Review

Materials

Materials used to conduct the survey study was Apple iPad devices. A television monitor was used to display resource slides for learning how to prepare for Deployment. Each device was linked to a computer data base that calculate all scores at the end of the experiment. A spouse deployment resource task list and the emotional cycles of deployment stages tip guide to help with transiting thorough the time frame. The component spouses survey question came from the national military website (OneSource, 2016). Other Materials used were spouses Military privilege card, which allows them access to base and the experimental room. The card was also used to confirm their spouse’s deployment status and assignment notice.

Procedure Subsection

The 2-hour experiment was conducted in a research study building on base. The experimental room had a total of 50 desk with a television monitor front center of the room. The individual conducting the research was a behavioral health specialist. Assisting the specialist were 3 behavioral technicians. Two technicians were assigned to each group while the other the technician waited to monitor the television. The group of experimenters watched the television monitor slide about testimonials on a stress-free transiting deployment with spouses. After slide presentation was completed, the group of 50 were randomly assigned to one of two groups of 25. Participants were asked to pretend that their spouse received orders to deploy and is leaving in three weeks. Group A: Participants were asked to complete a Pre-Deployment check list upon service member’s departure. Group B: Participants were asked to plan how they normally would plan after receiving news of deployment.

The participants were given one 1 hour the complete their manipulated task by using the iPad devices provided for the experiment. After the task was completed, participants were given a one question online survey about the experiment using Military One Source. The survey question asks to what extend does military deployment relate to depressive symptoms in spouses? Based on the final data received the positive state: M = 45. The Negative state: M = 5.

 

The Effects of Deployment on Spouse Anxiety and Depression

Result

Based on the research and materials, my hypotheses on Military spouses who complete a Pre-Deployment checklist are more likely to have a stress-free deployment experience than spouses who do not complete a check list. To better support my hypothesis, study shows that having a Pre-Deployment check list relief a lot of responsibilities and task that a spouse would have to take on alone.  (Leroux, Kum, Dabney, &Wells, 2016).  Participants stated that having the check list allowed them to plan for the deployment in and worry less about being left behind, to with loads of responsibilities. Spouses who had kids state that the check list even allowed them to having a parenting structure set up while the service member is gone. Spouses with no children state that the legal section of the check list allowed them to have documents have all assets in order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Effects of Deployment on Spouse Anxiety and Depression

                 Discussion

            The finding for the proposed study found that while spouses take on an extremely big task while the service member is deployed, the check list offer many resources to help with the spouses needs as well. Some limitations on my search that weakened studies were only a small fraction on the participants who are spouses were measured, not the entire Armed Forces. As expected, the analysis of my hypothesis reveals that spouses are less likely to be affected by stress Pre-Deployment than during deployment. As states in my previous findings, the effects of deployment stress are being left function as a two-parent house. Functioning this way leave less time for the spouse to take care of self. A lack of self-care can leave to poor habits that the spouse may develop such as a lack on energy. (Leroux, Kum, Dabney, &Wells, 2016). The check list also includes communication techniques that bout parties can use to gain a stronger marriage during the difficult time which can reduce the risk on divorce in the military due to deployment stress. (Leroux, Kum, Dabney, &Wells, 2016). Further examination of the data also hinted at spouses being able to better cope with the temporary absences.

Finding that also support my results are logistics of an upcoming deployment results in a spouse learn out to control their emotions a period where they may be emotionally disorganized and destabilized (Verdeli, e.g. Fam et al., 2011). Spouse who learn to work through issues with their deploying service member post-deployment represent main challenge skills that may often become a struggle during deployment (Verdeli, e.g. Fam et al., 2011). While service members are away, spouses gain their independence they have built up the entire time of the deployment. My research finding explain the importance of teamwork and support (Verdeli, e.g. Fam et al., 2011).

Nonetheless, it is unlikely that my findings were not as strong given that maybe one of the participants had a bad day, which could make my hypothesis invalid. Maybe a spouse assumed they are able to cope with depression due to deploy and later develop anxiety or depression. It is very common for spouse emotions to change at least a week after deployment (Military One Source, 2019).  As it relates to communication, divorce often relates to more than absence from a deployment. Couple may have many reasons outside on deployment as a result of divorce. Change to help reduce anxiety and depression among spouses will happen overnight. Spouses must learn to always keep the line of communication open (Military One Source, 2019).

Suggestion for helping spouses reduce anxiety and depression is to seek a support group. Each base has a different support group. If you have a religion preference, the base Chaplin is always available for support, even in the comfort of your home. Each base also has a Facebook spouses page where you share different resource amongst the group. Reaching out to others who are in the same situation as you are will help with the coping process (Military One Source, 2019). Substance Abusers with Underlying Mental Illness in Adolescent Peer Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Effects of Deployment on Spouse Anxiety and Depression

References    

2018 Military Demographics Profile. (2018). Military OneSource. https://www.militaryonesource.mil/data-research-and-statistics/military-community-demographics/2018-demographics-profile

. (2019, February 21). Military spouses experience high stress and unemployment, report says. Usatoday. https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/02/21/military-spouses-experience-high-stress-and-unemployment-report-says/2947768002/

Military OneSource. (2019, November 5). Managing Your Emotions When Your Spouse Is Deployed. https://www.militaryonesource.mil/family-relationships/spouse/military-life-for-spouses/managing-your-emotions-when-your-spouse-is-deployed

Researchers determine factors in military spouse depression. (2019). Www.Army.Mil. https://www.army.mil/article/217900/researchers_determine_factors_in_military_spouse_depression

Smith, S. (2017, November 1). Military Boot Camp At a Glance. Military.Com. https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/military-basic-training-boot-camp.html

The Case for Treating Depression in Military Spouses. (2011, August 1). PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3164322/