Question

at a support meeting for parents of a teenager with polysubstance dependency, a parent states, \each time my son tries to quit taking drugs, he gets so depressed that im afraid he will commit suicide.\ the nurses response should be based on which information?

addiction is a chronic, incurable disease.
tolerance to the effects of drugs causes feelings of depression.
feelings of depression frequently lead to drug abuse and addiction.
careful monitoring should be provided during withdrawal from the drugs.

Explanation:

Analyze the clinical scenario and safety risks

The parent describes a teenager with polysubstance dependency who experiences severe depression and suicidal ideation during drug cessation attempts. Withdrawal from multiple substances (especially central nervous system depressants, stimulants, or alcohol) carries significant physiological and psychological risks, including acute depressive episodes and high suicide risk.

Evaluate the response options

• Option 1 ("Addiction is a chronic, incurable disease") is overly pessimistic and does not address the immediate safety concern of suicide during withdrawal.
• Option 2 ("Tolerance to the effects of drugs causes feelings of depression") misattributes the acute withdrawal-induced depression to tolerance.
• Option 3 ("Feelings of depression frequently lead to drug abuse and addiction") describes a potential pre-existing vulnerability but does not address the acute risk during cessation.
• Option 4 ("Careful monitoring should be provided during withdrawal from the drugs") directly addresses the clinical priority of ensuring safety and monitoring for self-harm during the high-risk withdrawal phase.

Answer:

• Addiction is a chronic, incurable disease.
• Tolerance to the effects of drugs causes feelings of depression.
• Feelings of depression frequently lead to drug abuse and addiction.
• Careful monitoring should be provided during withdrawal from the drugs. (Correct answer)