Opiods discussion 1
Arthur is a forty-year-old white male who has been married for 16 years and is the father of three children. He lives in his own home in a middle-class suburb; he has lived in the same house for 12 years. He has been steadily employed as a union carpenter with the same construction firm for five years. During the last 10 years, Arthur has used heroin on weekends, occasionally injecting during the week; but during the previous five years, mid-week use has not occurred.
Bob is a twenty-six-year-old white male who lives alone; he is a college graduate with a degree in psychology. Following separation from his wife and child three years ago, he has worked sporadically in part-time jobs. Dealing drugs has become his major source of income. He has used heroin at least three to four times per week since beginning use 30 months previously, and has had many periods of daily use lasting for as long as two weeks.
From a clinical perspective, how do you respond to each of these individuals? Does the differential frequency of use impact the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction? What are your recommendations for treatment?