I need help diagnosis this case for my abnormal psychology review.
Mr. B is a 20-year-old male college student who was recently arrested for possession of marijuana, which was detected when he was stopped for un¬safe driving. He was charged with driving while intoxicated with cannabis, and his license was suspended. Mr. B is the oldest of three children and con¬tinues to live at home while attending college. His mother is a successful at¬torney and his father is a school administrator. He has smoked cigarettes since age 16 and currently smokes one pack a day. He drinks five drinks on occasion and has been smoking marijuana several times a week for 1 year. His usual pattern of use is to go on weekend binges, starting to smoke on Friday evenings and then again early in the day on Saturday continuing into the evening. He has had two car accidents that occurred while he was intox-icated with marijuana. During recent months, he has sometimes smoked marijuana on school nights. On the mornings after he uses marijuana, Mr. B tends to sleep in and cut class. Although he has always been a good student, his grades have begun to go down and he is not meeting his academic poten¬tial; his recreational and social interests are also limited.
Mr. B's parents detected his use of marijuana 6 months earlier, and since that time Mr. B has been in a constant struggle with his parents about his perceived "right" to smoke marijuana. When his parents first discovered his marijuana use, they insisted that he seek professional help for what they perceived to be a drug problem. Although they even threatened to call his college dean, Mr. B refused help and began to discuss quitting school. He did cut down on his use somewhat, however, and when pressed by his par¬ents, would abstain for several weeks at a time. His parents also stopped giving him permission to drive a family car and were concerned about his in¬fluence on his younger siblings. Neither parent has any history of sub¬stance-related problems, with the exception of his mother's recovery from tobacco addiction, which began 3 years earlier. A maternal uncle was an al¬coholic.
Mr. B admits that since he began smoking marijuana, his previously good and trusting relationship with his parents has soured. He has taken to hiding his use, has lied to them, and has felt increasingly negative about himself, especially as his grades have suffered and his general interests have narrowed. On one occasion, he tried cocaine and, on another, LSD, but found both experiences unpleasant. It was not until his arrest for possession that he decided that drug use was ruining his relationship with his parents and could interfere with his desire to become an attorney. He has also be¬come gradually aware that marijuana may be affecting his motivation and schoolwork.
Mr. B was first introduced to marijuana by his girlfriend, who uses it every day and whose mother also uses marijuana. Mr. B smokes both alone and with friends; however, he would sometimes not use marijuana for weeks at a time during summer holidays and when pressed by his parents. He introduced his 17-year-old brother to marijuana, but his brother felt paranoid on that occasion and has not tried it since.
Mr. B achieved normal milestones and performed well in high school. He wanted to live away from home during college, but his parents resisted the idea because of financial pressures and a tendency to be overprotective.
Upon examination, Mr. B is a neatly dressed young man with a sarcas¬tic manner. He appears torn between embarrassment and anger at being forced to seek help. He states that, although he has not used marijuana since he was caught, he still has doubts about its harmfulness. He says that he finds marijuana pleasurable and relaxing and that, if he could find a way not to get caught, he would like to continue using it. He believes that mari¬juana has helped him feel better about not achieving the high goals he had set for himself and not fulfilling the expectations his parents have for him. Mr. B shows no evidence of thought disorder. He reports that he has been unhappy at times but that this feeling has never been lasting. He has no sleeping or eating problems, suicidal ideation, history of panic attacks or agoraphobia, cognitive deficits, or learning disability.
Mr B reminds me of many drunks I have known.
I think this young man needs to be evaluated by a drug and alcohol counselor.Then a psychiatrist once sober from his multi substance abuse needs evaluation for underlying mental illness or trams he might have sustained and is self medicating.I would also like to meet his family,see if he works,saved money.He is on a downward spiral and isolating ,I have many questions blessings to him.I hope he doesn't,t hurt himself or someone else .
I think this young man needs to be evaluated by a drug and alcohol counselor.Then a psychiatrist once sober from his multi substance abuse needs evaluation for underlying mental illness or trama he might have sustained and is self medicating.I would also like to meet his family,see if he works,saved money.He is on a downward spiral and isolating ,I have many questions blessings to him.I hope he doesn't,t hurt himself or someone else .
Based on the information provided, Mr. B's behaviors and symptoms suggest that he may be experiencing a substance use disorder, specifically cannabis use disorder. Here's how to arrive at this diagnosis:
1. Identify the presence of substance use: Mr. B has been smoking marijuana several times a week for a year and engages in weekend binges. He has had two car accidents while intoxicated with marijuana and sometimes smokes on school nights. These patterns indicate regular and problematic use.
2. Assess for impaired functioning: Mr. B's grades have begun to decline, and he is not meeting his academic potential. His recreational and social interests have also become limited. He tends to sleep in and skip classes after using marijuana. These indicate that his substance use is negatively impacting his daily functioning.
3. Consider negative consequences and conflicts: Mr. B's parents have expressed concern about his marijuana use and even threatened to involve his college dean. He has experienced conflicts with his parents, lied to them, and feels increasingly negative about himself. These conflicts and negative emotions are often associated with substance use disorders.
4. Evaluate attempts to cut down or control use: Mr. B has made some attempts to cut down on his marijuana use, abstaining for several weeks at times. However, he still expresses a desire to continue using marijuana if he could avoid getting caught. Inability to control or stop using despite negative consequences is a characteristic of substance use disorders.
5. Explore associated symptoms: Mr. B does not report any significant co-occurring symptoms such as thought disorders, sleep or eating problems, cognitive deficits, learning disabilities, panic attacks, or suicidal ideation. This suggests that his symptoms are primarily related to substance abuse rather than another mental health condition.
Based on the information provided, Mr. B meets several criteria for cannabis use disorder, including recurrent use despite negative consequences, impaired functioning, unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop use, and conflicts with family. It would be advisable for Mr. B to seek professional help from a mental health or substance abuse professional for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.