More than 110,000 social worker are employed in the drug misuse and mental health division. Social workers of all levels can manage the effects of drug misuse, regardless of their context. Segal, et. al. Social workers (2019) are an integral part of the fight against addiction and drug misuse. Social workers are among the most experienced professionals to deal with people with AOD (alcohol and other drugs) issues. A social worker must understand the difficulties in order to be able to help clients who have AOD problems. It is crucial for social workers to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of AOD in order to help clients. Lundgren, et. al. Lundgren et al. (2018) state that social workers need to have advanced education to help patients. This is due to the large influence of drug and alcohol-related problems on families and communities, as well as the many people living in different regions. It is essential to train social workers in how to interact effectively with people with AOD to prevent or treat it.
A theory of addiction that is supported by the Brain Disease Model of Addiction (BDMA) is called “The Brain Disease Model of Addiction”. According to the BDMA, addictive behaviors alter the brain’s natural function. It increases the chance of relapse as well as causes a shift in reward mechanisms (the brain becomes more susceptible to addictive or rewarding behavior), negative consequences, stress and decreased functioning (Heather, et al. (2018)). Sociocultural perspectives are the second approach to drug abuse. This hypothesis states that brains do not have a hardwired structure. Instead, our brains adapt and evolve to social norms. Becoa Iglesias (2018) suggests alcoholism is influenced by the social environment. Environment can influence brain function and lead to addiction.