Harm Reduction Strategies

This paper will focus on client’s presenting concerns and her biopsysocial system. Reader will explore how Solution Focused Therapy and Harm Reduction Therapy are relevant to client’s problems and why they would be most effective for client. Two intervention models that are relevant to the theories chosen will be outlined and how they relate to the client. An intervention plan that includes goals for the client will be evaluated and measured. Finally, the paper will discuss how the model chosen for intervention will have an impact on the macro level of change.

An often-discussed approach to dealing with substance abuse in Canada defines four pillars: prevention, treatment, enforcement and harm reduction. Supervised Injection Sites fall under harm reduction. The pillar of harm reduction concerns the efforts around reducing the negative impacts to society that substance abuse inflicts.

The main components of treatment include confrontation, detoxification, and rehabilitation (Friedlander & Norman, 2006). Confrontation involves overcoming patients’ denial, convincing them of the consequences of continued drinking, and motivating them to receive treatment (Friedlander & Norman, 2006). Detoxification consists of removing alcohol from the body and protecting the patient from the effects of withdrawal (Friedlander & Norman, 2006). Rehabilitation consists of continued efforts to increase and maintain high

“Harm reduction is based on the premise that people are responsible for their behaviour, that they maker personal choices that affect their health and well-being, and that they can make safer and better decisions if given useful and honest information” (Mathre, 2002, p. 106). Harm reduction recognizes people’s unhealthy choices while also attempting to reduce the harmful effects that come from these unhealthy behaviours (Marlatt, 1998 as cited in Brown, Luna, Ramirez, Vail, and Williams, 2005). Using a harm reduction approach has a positive effect on drug users, as it helps to reduce the negative consequences that come from using drugs. Although harm reduction aims to reduce the harm from illegal drug using, it is viewed as

responsible harm reduction facility that responds to urgent health risks. “Harm reduction is defined as an ideology viewing drug use as

A broad range of medical and psychological therapies is currently available for people who struggle with substance addictions. The scientific community is working on evaluation of various treatments to determine which strategies offer the best chances of successful outcome. People who need treatment for alcoholism and drug use are very diverse group. Addiction is a disorder that requires an individual case approach; therefore, different ways to

Harm reduction can be defined as an approach that aims to reduce the consequences of high risk behaviours such as injection drug use on the individual and on society as a whole. Harm reduction programs provide injection drug users with access to a clean injection environment, sterile injections, drug-preparation equipment and safe disposal of contaminated material at the time of injection. Staff members in harm reduction facilities provide health teaching, anonymous HIV testing, information on addiction treatment, condoms and assist in connecting clients to social and health services (Semaan et al., 2011; Ball, 2007). Although, the benefits of harm reduction are evident through reduction of accidental drug overdose and prevention of

I am currently interning at Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA), and the program that I am placed in is a Harm Reduction program. I work with homeless veterans who are diagnosed with a mental and substance abuse disorder. For the past couple of months, I have seen the positive effects of Harm Reduction, and how safe it is with our clients. For this assignment, I specifically chose a conversation with Rusty Foster and Luis Lopez on Harm Reduction, because this is what I am interested in. As a recovering alcoholic myself, I want to work and help clients who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. I believe that addiction is hard to overcome, but Harm Reduction can be cost effective, educational, and a healthier way of using drugs and alcohol. While listening to this conversation, I immediately thought of my internship, and what I already know, and what I could learn.

This paper will discuss the principles and position of harm reduction. It will also examine the public perception of the user, which has created an ineffective philosophy. Most importantly, my paper seeks to recognize the harm of harm reduction. This discussion will highlight the lack of hope it creates in the user. Harm reduction needs to be addressed so that a long-term solution for the user can be implemented, not just a quick fix Band-Aid solution. If caregivers, counselors and the general public do not hold more of an abstinence position on recovery they will eventually do users a disservice. I will touch on needle exchange, safe injection sites, wet

In the past 50 years, many confrontational psychodynamic approaches became popular and almost the expectation of substance abuse and addiction treatment. There was the idea that substance abuse was a symptom of an underlying disorder (Weegmann, 2002). Once the disorder was treated, the secondary substance abuse would clear up on its own. As Weegmann discussed, research has shown that highly confrontational methods often instilled an ever deeper sense of resistance in the client. The percentage of successful outcomes within the field of addiction have been tossed around and range a great deal, however they have always seemed pretty dismal in comparison to the length and cost of many treatment programs. A new approach is necessary and

The reader must know the definition of harm reduction in order to understand how the author has built upon this idea throughout the chapter. This passage is critical to understand harm reduction. By starting with an example of how the author has used harm reduction strategies, creates curiosity in the reader. Maté’s reader must be on the same page as the author in order to understand the chapter that follows about the practise and implementation of harm reduction. Implied mutual understanding is evident when the author asks “What is Harm Reduction” (Page 314). This allows the reader to begin to think about what their definition is compared to the author’s definition. The order of this chapter is effective in defining harm reduction.

The title of my proposed capstone project is: Harm Reduction: A Continuum of Care. Harm reduction is an alternative treatment approach which focuses on decreasing the hazardous consequences of a client’s substance abuse and high risk behaviors rather than stressing abstinence as its primary objective. Its proponents advocate a client directed intervention which emphasizes their quality of life, overall wellbeing, and informed participation in the therapeutic process. It is a philosophy which has been applied to substance abuse treatment, public health policy, and psychotherapy (integrative harm reduction psychotherapy) with empirically supported results.

This article relates 100% towards my area of study in substance abuse. The concept behind harm reduction I find compelling. I believe harm reduction is worth the time to explore. Also, it is worth our time to take a closer look at the big picture instead of focusing on the fear of increasing drug use or sending the wrong message. We already send a wrong message and what we are doing is obviously not working

Harm Reduction Model (HR) principles help individual realize that when they understand their relationship with alcohol and drugs they can make decision and choices that reduce damage in their lives and others in which they care. People no longer have to be under the influence of mind-altering drugs, but rather they can be the influence a person with the power to learn, choose, and change (Parkin, 2014).

Drug and alcohol addiction is a very serious and widespread problem in America, and across the globe. Drug addiction is a constant craving, seeking, and using of a substance, despite the negative consequences it may have on the addict or those around them. When drug use becomes more frequent, it is considered drug abuse. Once an individual’s drug abuse is can no longer be controlled, and they are using the drug to get through everyday life, it beomes an addiction. A person on drugs has an altered way of thinking, behaving, and perceiving. There are treatment facilities all over the world dedicated to help those suffering with drug addictions. All