Prescribed Drugs Abuse

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Prescription Drug Abuse Interventions: Focus on Elvis Presley Alenka Ferrel, Jessica Garoutte, & Cristina Rainwater PSY 480 March 5, 2012 Dr. Tara Thompson Prescription Drug Abuse Interventions: Focus on Elvis Presley Prescription drug abuse is not currently classified by the DSM-IV-TR, for it focuses on a pattern of drug abuse which bypasses personality patterns and focuses on common characteristics between clients, rather than a specific drug (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). Prescription drug abuse is a wide-spread and exceedingly common problem in present day America. This essay will examine the case study of cultural icon Elvis Presley and his struggle with prescription drugs which eventually took his life. Biological, psychological, and social factors which contributed to his addiction will be examined, as well as interventions which may have been helpful had they been available or had Elvis decided to seek help. The examination of the case study, along with the contributing factors and possible interventions, should be considered for anyone going through problems with similar addictions. The Case of Elvis Presley Elvis Presley was one of the most well-known and famous individual’s of all time. After his death, Elvis was made into a cultural icon and coined the “King of Rock n’ Roll.” However, fame and fortune did not lead him down a productive and positive life path, but rather to a life of depression, alienation, and prescription drug addiction. Elvis passed away in a bathroom, presumably due to a drug overdose, in 1977 at the age of 42 (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). On January 8, 1935, after the still birth of his twin brother, Elvis was born the only child of Gladys and Vernon Presley. Vernon ran into some trouble with the law and spent a few years in prison when Elvis was young. Consequently, Elvis and his father had a very
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