James Frey's Rehabilitation Journey

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.

The book Houses of Healing, “A Prisoner's Guide To inner Power And Freedom”, by Robin Casarjian, is a very purpose driven re-imagining of what a self help book can be. It is obviously geared towards rehabilitation of inmates as they live out their sentence, however I found the completion of the program stands for much more than its intended audiences incarceration. Not only was it a rewarding read for myself, but I believe it could be useful in rehabilitating inmates and giving them a new outlook on life.

Many individuals have flashbacks after experiencing trauma. Survivors of such horrible traumas sometimes can act out in violence, after something triggers them to remember the ordeal. The novel The Suspect by L.R. Wright, offers a realistic account of what goes on in the mind of an individual who has committed murder. Throughout the novel, I made connections to many real life examples of how trauma has affected the lives of criminals and their victims, through either alcohol or mental illness. Individuals affected by this sort of trauma can seek medical or social help in order to be able to learn how to cope with daily living.

In the first chapter, we read about Bill’s story. Bill’s story describes his journey as an alcoholic and the struggles he faced in both his personal and professional life. Bill’s story genuinely gives a true insight into the struggles and challenges of addiction. His story is written in a way in which you are able to feel his isolation, loneliness, hopelessness, and loss. I personally found Bill’s story impactful and insightful. Through Bill’s words, I was able to gain an inside perspective into his thoughts and feelings about his ordeal and how he shifted from having no hope to having an entirely new world of hope revealed to him through what was essentially the start of Alcoholics Anonymous. The second chapter of our text seemed to me to be a call to anyone who was experiencing a

What has not yet realized is that heroin is in fact the thing controlling him. What his brother has tried to obstruct him from is how the more dependent one gets, the more the drug and its providers takes control of their users. Ultimately, the price of this brief feeling of control is an ocean of even more pain and suffering. Fortunately, Sonny found yet another way to cope with his pain. Sonny is once again able to set aside his tortured mind and find happiness and peace through the keys of his piano instead of destroying his life with heroin. The narrator is finally able to witness his brother in true bliss and in addition, discovering the power of Sonny’s blues: “and it brought something else back to me, and carried me past it, I saw [Isabel] again, and I felt my own tears begin to rise” (Baldwin 140). Music will always be there to help with his problems like expressed by Gary Bartz: “Music is my religion. Music is the only thing that has never failed me People let you down, music won't” (Bartz 2). Although the narrator tried to help his brother become the same respectable man that he has built himself up to be, he can finally accept that, Sonny is unique in his own way, finding happiness in the music he plays. Overall, all the narrator wished upon his brother was happiness. Similar to what Freud predicted, Sonny found solace in escaping his everyday hardship with, not death, but music, which gave him the same lifting feeling of

Jim, a high school all-star basketball player becomes addicted to heroin. He tries to hide his addiction, but it becomes quite prevalent when it begins to overtake his life entirely. To begin with, Jim reflects on his first experiences with heroin and refers to it as a “chippy” habit. He isn’t aware of the addictiveness of this potent drug, which shortly becomes habitual. His addiction leads to him being kicked off the basketball team, out of his own house, and then desperate on the streets of New York City alongside of his friends. This substantially progresses his addiction, resulting in him passing out in the snow one night. Thanks to Jim’s former basketball friend, Jim is forced to withstand from heroin. Jim become extremely agitated from withdrawal and escapes to look for some more. Jim later finds himself in a six-month rehab, which he notes “the

This is about Johnny R. Cash and the depression that consumed his life after the death of his wife Mrs. June Carter Cash who passed away in May 2003. In this case study you will read about Mr. Cash’s life from childhood till present day. The study will show how I have diagnosed Johnny Cash with Major Depressive Disorder as well as Alcohol, Stimulant and Sedative Use Disorder from prior drug and alcohol abuse. It is important to note Johnny states he has been in remission from drugs and alcohol for 40+ years which classifies as sustained remission. I do discuss how he can possibly recover from this disorder. I have chosen the method of family therapy and behavior changes. Mr. Cash will greatly benefit from a strong support system in contrast to the confinement he has chosen. It is my belief with family present to offer love and support it will change his thoughts and destructive behavior. My goal with this type of therapy is to show Johnny that he is loved and wanted. Also that there is a way to be happy and have peace again and while overcoming depression and continuing his sustained sobriety.

In the short story “Sonny’s Blues” Sonny the little brother of the narrator is a troubled blues musician with a nasty heroin addiction that lands him in jail. In the 50’s and 60’s drug abuse was a consistent problem among jazz musicians (Verity). Although Sonny ended up in jail his outlet was blues, he gave himself up to his music but that did not come at price with his family.

Earley highlights this with his son as he leaves the hospital system and is processed through the judicial system. The next responsibility is to understand where we are in a system and where we need to go. The book portrayed Mike, Earley’s son, could not be hospitalized unless he voluntarily committed himself or verbalized harm towards himself or others. It was clear to Earley, who knew his son’s baseline, was deescalating further into psychosis. The situation explains how we can get assistance for clients who may not be able to make adequate decisions in a psychotic episode. Lastly, the clinician should develop a strategic plan of how to achieve the desired results, and the key participants involved. Earley researched the systems involved for over a year before he concluded writing a book would reach the vast of persons involved. He interviewed and studied the systems involved to strategically plan how he could assist his son.

James continues to drink one or two beers per day. However, there were few times where James would managed not to drink few hours prior to the session; which does not imply that he would not consume any alcohol beverages. James did not attends any NA nor AA meeting during this quarter. The staff encouraged James to try to attend more AA meeting to maintain his sobriety. In addition, the staff presented to James the idea of going to treatment; James, however had no desire for treatment at this time. Therefore, the staff shall continue to encouraged James to consider going for

I tell you one thing though, I’d rather blow my brains out than go through this again.”(51) The drug addiction is not what Sonny wished to live with. He would rather die than go trough the battle of drugs. Living a life so bad that date is the best options gave the biggest picture of how life truly was for Sonny. In that moment self medication is what Sonny yearned for. He yearned for the intense high of a hot needle and his muscle relaxing like a breeze on tabletop but though his music. Growing up so troubled drew Sonny closer to bearing himself in self hurt and self pity. He coped through his drugs and his drugs controlled his leered emotions. The drugs overpowered him and the only way sonny could break out was through the power of jazz. Sonny only wants to control his destiny and guide himself to the right path. All his life he wasn’t destined to be anything nor did he have control of where he would go. Self medication is where the control of his own life

Although Sonny’s addiction to drugs and love for music seemed similar because he used both to escape reality, they were inevitably more different. The empowerment Sonny got from drugs was nothing but an illusion, unlike the strength he gained from music.

Thousands of dollars spent in doctors, detoxes, rehab camps, and he was there for his son every single time he fell into the same pit again, and again and again. "When she was singing before – said Sonny, abruptly–, her voice reminded me for a minute of what heroin feels like sometimes – when it's in your veins. It makes you feel sort of warm and cool at the same time” (242). This phrase felt almost like the despair in my dad’s eyes while telling us how my brother used to shake and sweat and get cold and hot and hallucinate because he needed drugs; and how tired he was, but still he never gave up. I remember the day Albert died, he wasn’t on drugs, he wasn’t sick, he wasn’t with some bad guys; he was home, it was totally unexpected.

The world is full of people striving to be the best they can be. When one finds themselves far from the social idea of “perfect” there is a strong need to improve. While self-improvement is hard, it is also a necessary part of life, setting goals for how one wants their life to turn out. Addiction is a huge obstacle in the way of perfection it can destroy lives when the person with the addiction does not want to change. In the memoir A Million Little Pieces the writer and main character, James Frey, leads a drug addicted life that he turns around in a Minnesota rehab center, demonstrating that self-improvement is the way to salvation. This

His journey to recovery began when his brother, also in recovery, took him to his first meeting. He went to find support and to convince people that he didn't really have a problem.