Asm12 Carry Out Comprehensive Substance Misuse Assessmen
ASM 12 Recognise indications of substance misuse and refer individuals to specialists
There are a wide range of substances that can be misused. These come under the categories of the following:
Illegal Drugs – Heroin, Crack/Cocaine, Cannabis, Amphetamines,
Prescription Drugs – This list can be quite exhaustive, but mainly contains all the tablets prescribed by the GP with regards to depression, sleeping tablets e.g. Tamazepan, Diazepam, and Valium
Legal Highs – Alcohol, various drugs such as Khat,
Over the Counter drugs – Co-codamol etc
Every individual is unique and even though many will show or feel similar sensations with regards to how a substance makes them feel, it is not always good to assume that the traits that they show will always be the most obvious. Over a period of time, substance misuser’s will adopt a technique of hiding the most obvious traits that give warning signs of substance misuse so as a professional need to be very observant and continuously engage with regular training courses to keep up to date with the latest drug trends and effects they have on the body and how they alter the mood.
Many clients will show some obvious traits of substance misuse which will include gouching, which is the effect of the hit from Heroin/Methadone (Heroin substitute). Gouching is when the client will be quite alert at the beginning of a group session, but within 10 – 15 minutes they will start to appear as they are falling asleep. They may start to bow their head and if you call them they immediately wake up. Another of the physical signs of substance misuse of a client with a Heroin addiction would be the eyes rolling or the plain struggle to keep them open.
I have found that clients with a Crack or Cocaine addiction tend to be the other scale as these drugs are stimulants. I have had clients high from a binge from the night before who have attended group sessions and been very talkative, eyes quite wide with an obvious redness of the
There are a wide range of substances that can be misused. These come under the categories of the following:
Illegal Drugs – Heroin, Crack/Cocaine, Cannabis, Amphetamines,
Prescription Drugs – This list can be quite exhaustive, but mainly contains all the tablets prescribed by the GP with regards to depression, sleeping tablets e.g. Tamazepan, Diazepam, and Valium
Legal Highs – Alcohol, various drugs such as Khat,
Over the Counter drugs – Co-codamol etc
Every individual is unique and even though many will show or feel similar sensations with regards to how a substance makes them feel, it is not always good to assume that the traits that they show will always be the most obvious. Over a period of time, substance misuser’s will adopt a technique of hiding the most obvious traits that give warning signs of substance misuse so as a professional need to be very observant and continuously engage with regular training courses to keep up to date with the latest drug trends and effects they have on the body and how they alter the mood.
Many clients will show some obvious traits of substance misuse which will include gouching, which is the effect of the hit from Heroin/Methadone (Heroin substitute). Gouching is when the client will be quite alert at the beginning of a group session, but within 10 – 15 minutes they will start to appear as they are falling asleep. They may start to bow their head and if you call them they immediately wake up. Another of the physical signs of substance misuse of a client with a Heroin addiction would be the eyes rolling or the plain struggle to keep them open.
I have found that clients with a Crack or Cocaine addiction tend to be the other scale as these drugs are stimulants. I have had clients high from a binge from the night before who have attended group sessions and been very talkative, eyes quite wide with an obvious redness of the