Cultural Appropriation and Substance Use Disorder: A Case Report

Abstract

A 16 year old Caucasian male presented for initial mental health visit at an outpatient community psychiatry clinic. Two years prior, he found his father dead after overdosing on heroin. Since this time, he has been involved in numerous altercations with peers. He began using high doses of alprazolam daily after his father’s death. He adopted an urban culture and changed his body language, style of clothing and vernacular. His behavioral changes and substance use after his father’s death is due to psychological, sociological and biological factors, which are explored in this case report. Psychosocial factors include peer and parental mimicry along with attachment styles and biological causes include epigenetics relationship to post traumatic stress disorder responses.