Exam | SWTP

A 55-year-old male has been meeting with a social worker to address his alcohol dependence. Over the past few weeks he has cut down on his drinking. He arrives at his scheduled appointment sweating. He states he has been vomiting and he has a noticeable tremor in his hands. How should the social worker respond?

When people decrease or stop using substances, they will experience withdrawal symptoms if they were dependent on those substances. Withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous, but unless there's an obvious medical emergency, it is up to the client to determine if he wants to seek medical attention.

Call 911, even if the client refuses to consent, as the client is likely detoxing and may experience seizures or possibly death.

Although withdrawal can become life-threatening, the client is not exhibiting any signs of a medical emergency, so the social worker cannot break the client's confidentiality.

Encourage the client to withstand the uncomfortable symptoms for a few days as they will likely pass after the painful process of detox.

The tremor, the sweating, and the vomiting could be symptoms of a serious medical issue, so it could be dangerous simply to encourage the client to tough it out.

Talk to the client about the possible dangers of alcohol withdrawal and allow the client to make his own decision about whether or not to seek medical help.

Unless there's a medical emergency, the proper course is to explain the possible risks to the client and discuss whether or not he wants to seek medical treatment.

Encourage the client to decrease his alcohol intake more slowly as he is less likely to suffer such serious withdrawal symptoms.

The client may interpret this advice as encouragement to drink, which may cause more problems for him.

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