Advantages Of Systematic Intervention : Behavioral Couple Therapy

Many participants engaged the group with stories of overcoming addiction or being sexually molested by family members as reasons behind their addiction. However all of their stories were compelling and empowering to the group of individuals who have seemed to endure some of the same sentiments as their fellow group mate. It appeared as if the individuals in the group even though that were court ordered appeared to be extremely engaged and very involved during the meetings. It seemed as though most who attended found peace and solice from the group during the NA meetings. As it stated by Krentzman, Robinson, Moore, et.al (2010), client’s state that their top two reasons for attending NA meetings were to promote recovery/ sobriety and to find support acceptance and friendships. One thing that I learned from the NA group that just as in AA, family support deems to be an important function on the perseverance of an addict and that the participation and involvement of family is detrimental in the treatment process for the addicts. In several of our readings many of the passages discussed the effects of family systems support as it pertains to substance abusers chemical addiction. The passages described the family system as being a detrimental part of the treatment process as well as for the treatment of the family as well. According to past studies, family involvement has aided clients in

The key philosophies of the field, wellness, prevention and resilience, were discussed alongside of the main concepts important to marriage and family as well as addiction counseling. In regard to a specific hypothetical case, it was illustrated how marriage and family counselors may work in collaboration with addiction counselors in order to provide beneficial services to clients. Finally, assumptions were made concerning efficient collaboration between professionals within a team and human services agencies.

Brief Family Therapy. (1999). In Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 34. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US). Retrieved from Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 34.: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64953/#A59962

The prevalence of alcohol abuse/substance abuse is on the rise today. One of the biggest challenges facing our society today is dealing with the effects of alcohol/substance abuse in families. One can ascertain that alcohol/substance abuse can destroy not only an individual, but a whole family and even a whole community in general. This is a dangerous phenomenon that has made its way into many homes, leaving families shattered, hurt and left with nothing but anger.

Programs that aid in the recovery of family members of addicts are also very different from those that help with domestic violence. The 12-step program worked by family members in Al-Anon is almost identical to those worked by alcoholics in AA, including acknowledging the fact that they are “powerless over alcohol,” placing a reliance on a higher power to “restore [them] to sanity,” (Al-Anon, 2008; p.44). This approach can make a person who has been abused feel even less in control of their life. This idea also serves to further reinforce the excuse of substance use that might be made by their abuser.

Relapse prevention is a comprehensive plan accounts for social interactions, emotional triggers and the development of positive coping mechanisms (Alcoholic and Drug Addict Relapse Prevention Suggestions, 2015). From the social interaction’s aspect, patients with substance abuse should interact with people who are able to recognize their issues and offer moral support in a daily basis. Loss of a loved one, change in employment, health issues, changes in financial situation, and change in marital status are considered as emotional triggers. The patient

One thing to understand when dealing with addictions within the family system is that there are many different types of families from nuclear, single parent, same sex etc.., and the effects that addiction has varies within these different family system. There is no one way of creating or approaching a set treatment plan. Therefore it is imperative that the addiction counselor or worker complete a thorough assessments and evaluations of the family in order to create a individualize therapy, recovery and continued after treatment care. Through initial assessments information that may be key to a successful treatment plan for the addict can be ascertained. Issues that can be counteractive to overall treatment goals such as the economic,

This results in unhealthy roles in the family being developed in order to compensate in various ways for how the addiction gets played out in the family. These roles can have an enduring quality and may not quickly change when the alcoholic or addict gets into recovery. The spouse and family have to examine their roles and agendas. It is easy for the alcoholic or drug addict to regress into old addictive patters if the co-dependent doesn’t change. Co-dependency groups and Alanon are important for the family’s recovery, and by extension, helpful for the alcoholic and drug

One of the treatments used are behavioral or psychosocial Interventions. Research on behavioral/psychosocial interventions has made noteworthy advances in the past decade. Controlled trials now offer good evidence that several psychosocial treatment approaches can be effective in treating substance abuse. Some of these interventions are based on modalities that have been effectively used with adults and altered considerably (Riggs, P. D, 2003). Family based interventions include family therapy, parent management training, and multidimensional family therapy. They are based on family systems theory and share the assumption that dysfunctional family dynamics contribute to substance abuse problems (Riggs, P. D, 2003). Parents are shown better monitoring skills, and basic social organization principles to improve their adolescents behavior and reduce drug abuse together with strategies to improve overall family functioning and sustain to gain benefits from the treatment. Community reinforcement therapy combines values and techniques derived from cognitive-behavioral, behavioral, family therapy, and motivational often using encouragements to enhance treatment outcomes (Riggs, P. D, 2003). There are plenty of other methods used to treat substance

Couples and family therapy can be helpful in that it focuses on the family system and their involvement in both the support of recovery and the possible contribution to the person’s dependency. Working on how the family contributes to the overall health of the individual can make recovery more possible.

While the alcoholic must detox and work through their problems, family counseling is a necessity during treatment. Over time, alcoholism has a strong impact on the family and friends of the alcoholics. From the genetic component of addiction to relationship quality, family members are intensely involved in the addiction.

Another thing in relation to alcohol and substance use is the Family System Illness Model. This model focuses its attention on the “psychosocial demands of disorder (illness), individual and family development, and belief systems” (p. 320). When incorporating this illness and my observation of the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) support group, as previously discussed from the Phases of Illness Developmental Tasks, this type of illness is a serious issue every person should bring awareness to. This illness causes major changes inside and outside of the human body. It can also lead to death if changes are not made, or being met. This illness not only has a huge impact on the individual, but also affects the person and family relationships. The way

Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) is used with individuals who have an alcohol use disorder, this therapy also includes their partners. ABCT is an outpatient treatment therapy based on an “Intimate partner behaviors and couple interactions can be triggers for drinking, and positive intimate relationship is a key source of motivation to change drinking behavior.” McCrady and Epstein (2004) explained the goal of ABCT is to help a client achieve a state of abstinence and maintain it, teach partners how to handle situations pertaining to drinking, and enhance the overall relationship.

The first randomized study compared BCT plus individual treatment to equally intensive individual treatment (the same number of therapy sessions during the same time period) for married or cohabiting male patients entering an outpatient substance abuse treatment program (Fals-Stewart, Birchler, & O’Farrell, 1996). The individual-based treatment (IBT) method used in this study was a cognitive-behavioral coping skills intervention designed to teach patients how to recognize relapse triggers, how to deal with urges to use drugs, and related

Cognitive and Behavioural approaches are also widely used with alcohol and drug using clients. In a meta-analysis of 17 studies Walters, Mortgenstern, & Rotgers (2003) found that behavioural self-control programs (training in drinking rate control, goal setting, identifying high risk situations, alternatives to alcohol use) were more effective than no treatment and at least as effective as abstinence based programs. CBT for substance abuse encompasses a variety of interventions that emphasize different targets. However, this essay will be focus only on motivational intervention and family therapy.