This week’s case study was a tricky one, requiring you to consider elements of substance use, systemic stress, motivational interviewing, and Maslow’s hierarchy. Let’s break it down together.
This week's client will benefit from a comprehensive approach that sees her substance use within a broader context of isolation, loss of motivation, and financial stress. That being said, the National Institute of Health defines heavy drinking (for folks assigned female at birth) as “consuming 4 or more [standard drinks] on any day or 8 or more drinks per week.” (Read more about the guidelines here: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking)
There isn’t one set number that definitively indicates when someone’s alcohol consumption is problematic. This is dependent upon their unique physiology and whether their quality of life is suffering in connection with drinking. However, this client is well above the heavy drinking estimate and seems to indicate an Alcohol Use Disorder.
At its core, this question required to you understand each step of Maslow’s Hierarchy and prioritize your intervention to one. It also required you to understand that Maslow’s Hierarchy is somewhat similar to a stage model in that you can’t meet an upper-level need without fulfilling the basic ones. So, although your client is craving self-actualization (“life doesn’t have much zest anymore”) and belonging (“she used to feel respected by people around her”) the answer to the question is actually physiological needs. This is the first level of the pyramid, and for this client, it is currently being threatened by risky health behaviors.
The motivational interviewing component of this question was a bit of a trick. While this is probably the most common intervention for substance use counseling, the question really wanted to assess your understanding of Maslow’s model.
How did you do on this practice question? Was anything tricky for you?