Psychological Factors in Pain

Psychological Factors in Pain

Over the years, It has been shown through traditional medicine forms and anecdotal knowledge that the mind and the body are linked inextricably. When a person has a chronic illness, the chances of experiencing psychological distress increase. A patient living with a long-term condition can experience negative impacts on social development, relationships with family members, and age-related and education-related developmental tasks that affect self-esteem, resilience, and identity, as well as their future dreams and hopes. A human being is typically characterized as having a mind and a brain, referred to as dualism. Dualism refers to the perception that the mind and the body co-exist but as separate entities. The Cartesian or Descartes dualism asserts that physical and mental substances interact in a two-way. Descartes argues that it is at the pineal ground that the body and mind interact. Thus, this dualism proposes that the mind controls the body, but the body can also influence the mind, such as when people act out of compassion. This paper discusses drug addiction as a condition that affects the mind and has adverse effects on the body. The paper will discuss how the findings in the different sections can be applied in the workplace for better patient outcomes.

Impact of Chronic Illness On An Individual And Their Families

Addiction is considered a chronic brain disease that focuses on brain neurology and the outward manifestation of problems in behavior and poor choices. An addict is viewed as being chronically ill, and the behavior such a person manifests testifies to the same. Addiction affects the brain’s reward system, memory, motivation, and related circuitry to such a level as to alter a person’s motivation so that the addictive behaviors replace the self-care, healthy behaviors.

The quality of life of family members and patients can be minimized significantly in terms of social problems, psychological distress, and physical effects. It is not clear whether the issues that affect the family members of addicts are unique to those who have a specific disease or whether family members are impacted much the same way, the patient’s condition notwithstanding. The family members’ quality of life is essential to understand because it allows for the right strategies to meet their needs. Additionally, family members play a crucial role in the recovery of an addict; hence, providing the former with appropriate support is critical. Some of the areas that may be affected in a family include family activities such as holidays, personal relationships, time commitments, social life, financial aspects, and emotional diagnosis.

Why Addiction Is Considered A Chronic Illness

Several factors are involved in drug addiction, and many features are similar to chronic illnesses. One such factor is that addiction tends to run in the family in a similar way that chronic diseases are hereditary. Additionally, the course and onset are influenced by behavior and environmental conditions and the ability to respond to the right treatment, which may involve lifestyle modification in the long term. Human studies on addiction implicate both genetic and environmental influences as well as the interactions between the two. Though genetics play a significant role, the impact of one’s environment is a critical factor for both addiction and chronic illnesses. Genes may also protect a person from chronic diseases. Hence, as with all complex conditions, protective factors and environmental risks interact with genetics in determining the disease course and outcome (Straub, 2014).

Preserving Relationships During And After Treatment Of A Substance Use Disorder

At the onset of addiction, there is likely to be a significant loss of trust between the addict and family or friends. There are also many deceptions, hurt feelings, and broken promises. Therefore, it is essential to have a basis for the recovery process before commencing mending broken relationships. A healthy relationship allows the patient and the loved ones to establish boundaries to ensure everyone feels safe. Trust is the foundation for respectful vulnerability and allows for the relationship to thrive. Suppose a drug addict in recovery fails to trust their close relative/partner; in that case, the sobriety progress may be hidden, and the patient may feel they cannot be vulnerable regarding their sobriety (Melemis, 2015).

A healthy, honest relationship can encourage persons to support and inspire the recovery patient to communicate on the latter’s substance abuse. A family member or partner can also include boundaries as these would discourage relapses post-recovery. A positive relationship with a close one can enable a recovering patient to thrive even as they develop healthy social circles and create healthy connections.

The Long-Term Treatment Process For An Individual With A Substance Use Disorder

According to Van Wormer and Davis (2016), Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment is delivered mostly in free-standing programs that vary in their setting, such as outpatient, residential, or hospital. They also vary in care delivery, such as monthly or daily visits, the treatment component range offered, and the planned care duration. As a patient progresses in treatment and starts to meet the treatment goals, the patient is transferred to a less intensive program, such as an outpatient program, that promotes the patient’s self-management. Typical treatment progress of a patient with severe SUD may start in a medical plan that lasts 3-7 days to allow for withdrawal, followed by intensive rehabilitation that lasts 1-3 months in a residential program. This can then be followed with continued care for 2-5 days per week for several months in an intensive outpatient program and lastly in an outpatient program that meets monthly. Recovering supporting housing should also be provided for recovering addicts who live in non-conducive environments that could trigger relapses.

The recovery process is supported by social networks and relationships. In most cases, these are made up of family members who champion the recovery process of their loved one. Family members may face a myriad of challenges that may increase the families’ grief, fear, isolation, anger, shame, guilt, and stress. Resilience is an essential concept during recovery and afterward as well. Peers and friends need to offer support to the recovering patient. The support provided and the services ought to be flexible because what works for one individual may not necessarily work for another. For example, recovering coaching differs with age, the nature of peers, and the nature of social support. Supporting a person in recovery calls for addiction and mental health services to address diversity in service delivery; be respectful and responsive to the linguistic, cultural, practices, and health beliefs; seek to minimize health disparities in outcomes and access.

Application of Concepts

At the workplace, the most appropriate care for chronic disease will be to take the chronic disease management approach (CDM) as first described by Wagner et al. (1996). The CDM is a patient-centered care model that includes education for the physician and the patient, care plans backed by evidence-based research, and expert care availability. Ninety percent of adults with addiction are out-of-treatment because of a fragmented treatment system and individual barriers. However, D’aunno’s et al. (1997) proposed stronger links between clinicians and care systems, such as referral arrangements that are more formal, collocated services, and case management, potentially increasing the entry and completion of addiction treatment.

The risk of relapsing is significantly reduced by specialty treatment for substance dependence. Psychosocial and medical services can aid in the prevention of relapse and also minimize the barriers to therapy. However, patients face personal and system barriers to accessing these services as well as access to addiction specialty treatment. Such barriers include motivation, bureaucracy, privacy issues, personal disorganization, and insurance problem. By having integrative linkages at the workplace, these barriers can be disintegrated to align these services. The stronger the linkages, the higher the probability of patients obtaining the needed services. Service delivery on-site is the most robust linkage mechanism.

To conceptualize further than the structural solution, the workplace will need to integrate case management that is professionally delivered as a critical CDM component and a resource that enables the health system as described in the model first created by Andersen (1995). The resource will allow the patient to increase their personal perception of need, such as attention to psychosocial and medical needs and substance dependence treatment, and use these to improve the health services’ utilization, which will, in turn, improve patients’ health status. Drug use is set to decrease when treatment includes matching the identified needs with comprehensive services. Hence, the goal of the CDM will match services to the needs and include interventions that are addiction-specific to individuals. The elements will be chosen based on the appropriateness, proven efficacy, compatibility with the healthcare facility’s theories, and constraints in the primary care setting. The components will be supported by individual theoretical frameworks, namely the medication neuronal receptor involvement theories on drug dependence; case management by enhancing receipt of needed services and therapeutic alliance; behavior change theories on motivational interviewing; primary care relapse prevention; detoxification management that prevents substance use for withdrawal symptoms relief; and needs and health assessment.

References

Andersen, R. M. (1995). Revisiting the behavioral model and access to medical care: does it matter?. Journal of health and social behavior, 1-10.

D’Aunno, T. A., Egertson, J. A., Fox, D. M., & Leshner, A. I. (1997). Treating drug abusers effectively. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Publishers, 311-51.

Melemis, S. M. (2015). Focus: addiction: relapse prevention and the five rules of recovery. The Yale journal of biology and medicine, 88(3), 325.

Straub, R. O. (2014). Health psychology:​​ A biopsychosocial approach​(4​ th​ ed.).

Van Wormer, K., & Davis, D. R. (2016). Addiction treatment. Cengage Learning.

Wagner, E. H., Austin, B. T., & Von Korff, M. (1996). Organizing care for patients with chronic illness. The Milbank Quarterly, 511-544.

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Psychological Factors in Pain

In a five-page expository essay, you will explore the mind–body connection in chronic illness. In your paper, you will address the following issues:
Start with an explanation of how the mind and body interact in a chronic illness. Use the principles of health psychology discussed to date in the course and analyze how these principles would apply to a chronic illness. Be sure to include a discussion of the relationship between psychological factors and wellness, along with all factors

of the mind body connection as demonstrated in the Unit 3 Learning Activity. Illustrate this connection with at least three specific examples. Continue to incorporate these principles as you address the following questions:

1. What impact does chronic illness have on an individual and their families?
2. Using the information in your textbook about chronic illness, explain at least two reasons why addiction is considered a chronic illness.
3. How do you preserve relationships during and after treatment of a substance use disorder? Include at least two ways. Take into account the perspective of addiction as a chronic illness as you answer this question.
4. Describe the long-term treatment process for the individual with a substance use disorder. What are the support systems needed to remain in active recovery?
5. In closing, discuss how you will use the concepts in this paper in your personal and professional life.

Include reference to your textbook and at least two additional scholarly resources. Information regarding APA formatting is at the Writing Center. APA formatting dictates how your paper should appear on each page.

Each Paper should include: