Intimate Partner Violence and Late-Onset of Substance Use Disorder: A Case- -Report of Getting Free and Staying Stuck
Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrated by men is a highly prevalent public health problem. IPV has long been asso- ciated to substance use disorder (SUD) in young women, namely alcohol-related problems. However, evidence on this link regarding late-adulthood onset is scarce. In this paper,...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sociedade Portuguesa de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Revista Portuguesa de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.revistapsiquiatria.pt/index.php/sppsm/article/view/318 |
| Summary: | Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrated by men is a highly prevalent public health problem. IPV has long been asso- ciated to substance use disorder (SUD) in young women, namely alcohol-related problems. However, evidence on this link regarding late-adulthood onset is scarce. In this paper, we report the case of a 52-year-old female patient voluntarily seeking medical help for first‐time heroin use. She had previously been married into a thirty‐year‐long abusive relation- ship, following unintended teenage pregnancy. At 49 years-old, as the patient signs for divorce and puts an end to the abusive relationship, high-risk behaviors and SUD follow. Although a bidirectional association between IVP and SUD is described in young women, further investigation is needed to elucidate on how IPV-related trauma may impact on older women. It is paramount to promote specialized mental health care among this vulnerable population.
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| ISSN: | 2184-5522 2184-5417 |