Miller Saying To You Summary

Further, circumstances such as economical, health, or personal issues resulting in a person’s choice to take drugs ironically can be the same reasons for them to either change their pattern, stop taking drugs, or get help versus the unavoidable, involuntary effect of a diseased brain. Additionally, those that choose to continue being addicted over a long period of time illustrates that by making that choice they are not helpless compared to a person who has a chronic disease. “Rather than being the inevitable, involuntary product of a diseased brain, these actions represent the essence of voluntariness. The addict’s behavior can be modified by knowledge of the consequences. Involuntary behavior cannot (Satel, Goodwin, 1998, pg. 5).

Addiction is a disease that I will battle for the rest of my life. After being sexually assaulted at the age of twelve, I started to self-destruct. Lack of parental support, less than pristine living conditions, and an addictive personality paved an expressway to a life of addiction. I chose to hang with undesirable people, and was introduced to Marijuana, LSD, Ecstasy, PCP, Cocaine, Heroin and eventually what became the love of my life, the prescription painkiller Morphine. Never did I think that trying pot would have a domino effect. It led me to try harder and more addictive substances ultimately turning my life upside down. Often publicly

Commitment to abstinence, a motivational construct, is a strong predictor of reductions in drug and alcohol use. Level of commitment to abstinence at treatment end predicts sustained abstinence, a requirement for recovery ( Laudet, A. B., & Stanick). Abstinence is the best way to avoid drug addiction. According to Hart & Ksir, a person who understands all this information about all these drugs will perhaps be better prepared to make decisions about personal drug use, more able to understand drug use by others, and better prepared to participate in social decisions about drug use and abuse (Hart & Ksir ).

In today’s session, group members were to complete the handout and identify their motivations for seeking treatment. Then each group member took turns sharing their list of prioritized values and activities they did that support their values. PO attended group on time and well engaged in the group activities. PO identified “my sobriety, my goals for myself, my children and family” as motivations for engaging and continuing treatment and recovery. PO stated her six prioritized values as “faithfulness, family, God’s will, honesty, inner peace, and responsibility”. PO had a positive response to treatment, and demonstrated an ability to continue making changes to support her recovery.

Motivational interviewing is a counseling approach that was studied and understood as an applicable theory of practice that would be beneficial in the environment where I currently work which is an alcohol treatment facility. Whereas, it is understood that clinical and applied aspects of Motivational Interviewing (MI) have shown effective as a relatively brief intervention (Levensky, Cavasos, & Brooks, 2008), especially those dealing with an alcohol dependency. According to Miller and Roderick, MI, has been defined mostly as a directive, client centered counseling approach for eliciting behavior change by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence. In addition, with its goal-orientated approach it can help break down resistance to change (Corey, 2013, pp. 191-194). This theoretical approach is the most favored for the environment in my profession of choice, in addition, integrating it with the practice of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which is already in use.

Counselor met with Pt. for his monthly session. He and writer continued to discuss his relapse prevention plans and when he is moving to Clearwater, FL. Pt. talked about breaking the cycle of addiction and relapsing. Counselor asked Pt. to describe his plans for breaking free from the obsession and triangle of addiction. Pt. mentioned that he can identify depression and physical health as being one of his roadblocks to having a successful recovery. P.t was encouraged to verbalize how he can break away by using the “3-W’s” (What, Why, and Way). Pt verbally shared his plans and was required to submit a written assignment on the same. Reviewing this information was important because it taught Pt. one of the most important skills that he will need for his recovery: stopping triggers from leading to relapse. Pt. reported that he has visualized the building of a mental wall to help him prevent relapse by giving him a foundation of physical well-being, emotional well-being, relationship stability, spiritual growth, and knowledge of his weakness. Pt. informed this writer that he is driving to Florida on Saturday, March 11, 2017 with his nephew help. He reported that he got a place to stay there but he is unsure of where to go after that. Pt. declined help in searching for housing and stated that he is counting on his brother and he is calling him today.

The consequences of addiction are important to understand and they should be communicated in a way that is relatable, but prevention is more complicated than that. Healthy2Fitness attempts to describe the processes of the brain as they relate to addiction, explaining why substance addiction is so challenging to manage. This video makes sense of the inner struggle those with addiction experience, and why they often continue to use despite being faced with repeated consequences. Substance abuse professionals, under the education model, could apply the information relayed in this video as part of their prevention program. At the very least, it would be helpful for prevention programs to include the neurological processes involved in addiction. As Healthy2Fitness eloquently said, “Understanding the science of addiction can help you and the one you love”

The third and final stage of recovery is known as late recovery, and involves a client finding growth and meaning in life. In this stage, relapse may be less frequent as a sense of purpose is found. As this stage is found only by enduring great challenges, a client may not be as tempted by relapse and the act of back tracking in their recovery may seem tiresome and unworthy of their time. However, though a deep awareness of the consequences of substance abuse is profound, relapse is still possible if an addict forgets that he or she has a disease that is incurable and succumbs to the enticement of “just this one time can’t hurt” or has the thought that “I have been clean for so long. I am cured.” Bill W. stated in his book Alcoholics Anonymous that “This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it-this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish” (pg. 34). Complete abstinence is the only choice for those with the disease of addiction, and so many recovering addicts forget this simple realization in the late recovery stage.

Our residents build lasting relationships here, ones they take away with them when they move on and return to mentor and keep in touch with people who still remain. Camaraderie is a key component. Clients are assigned a big brother, who will show the newcomer the ropes. We encourage peer feedback in our program. Alcoholics and addicts tend to respond in a more positive manner to feedback given by their fellows, rather than management and staff. The disease of Alcoholism and drug addiction does not exist in a vacuum, in turn, we work hand in hand with the client, their families, mental-health professionals, out-patient care, or whatever is best suited for the given situation to make sure the steps being pursued are in sync and towards a united

Addiction is like all behaviours “the business of the brain”. Addictions are compulsive physical and psychological needs from habit-forming sustenances like nicotine, alcohol, and drugs. Being occupied with or involved in such activities, leads a person who uses them again and again to become tolerant and dependent eventually experiencing withdrawal. (Molintas, 2006).

The society we all live in today is unforgiving and vicious when it comes to opinions on a person. Labeling a person an addict has a negative connotation and in a result negatively affects the mental status of any person who is battling with addiction. Mr. Leshner once again enlightens us by stating that society already has preconceived notions on what type of person an addict really is. Which are that addicts are simply “too weak willed” to stop. (Leshner, “Addiction…”). When someone is told negative things about oneself, she will eventually believe in the false words spoken. Our society is always chastising addicts and saying how they are blemishes in our world. This is an unforgivable wrong, instead of persecuting addicts and making them believe that they can never get clean or that they are too weak to get clean is wrong. We, as a society, need to offer them a safe haven. A person who is in, what they feel, a safe, comfortable, and relaxing environment will not go and look for drugs. An individual in a stressful, unsafe, and chaotic situation; where one feels out of control, is when a person looks for relief in any form, even drugs. Kevin McCauley, a nationally recognized author and speaker on the subject of addiction medicine, indicated in an article that the amount of stress an individual endures in their environment is a primary cause to drug abuse (McCauley). When under intense amounts of

It is difficult to assess the motivation and readiness for change with persons who suffer from addiction (DiClemente, Schlundt, & Gemmeell, 2004). I have used two methods of evaluating progress with my client. The first measure is from the transthoretical model through the five stages of change. These stages include: precontemplation (not considering change), contemplation (ambivalent about change), preparation (begins to plan steps towards recovery), action (first active steps towards change), and maintenance (establishes new behaviors) (Norcross, Krebs, & Prochaska, 2011). Some consider relapse a stage in the transtheoretical model which many of the clients I work with have experienced this stage.

Thank you for your reply, I agree with your comment chronic substance abuse is seen as a chronic illness or a disorder. It definitely disrupt the brain reward system it dictates when it’s time rather it’s mentally, emotionally, or physically by interrupting the person’s improved state of wellbeing during treatment. The pros and cons of sobriety may have some risk factors especially as far as low motivation. That’s one reason it’s good that treatment plans are modified according to the clients need as a preventive measure. Being aware of the warning signs for substance use may minimize some chances of re-occurring relapse based on a case by case situation. Since the person has adapted to using as a part of their daily function, the body and

Motivational Interviewing (MI) refers to a client centred counselling approach, which is directed to enhance motivation in an individual for behaviour change Miller & Rollnick (as cited in Christopher & Dougher, 2009). MI as a method understands and accepts that the clients are at different levels of readiness to change their behavior. It consistently focuses on goals to prepare the client for transformation by providing motivation for commitment to change (Bricker & Tollison, 2011) in the domains of substance abuse, addiction and risky health problems. It proceeds to make the client aware of the causes, consequences and risks that could be a result of the behavior. Through this, the client foresees the possibilities of enhancement and becomes motivated to achieve it (Jenson, Cushing, Aylward, Craig, Sorell & Steel, 2011). MI is coherent with the

In this theory, Prochaska and DiClemente suggest that there is a dynamic processes includes five stages of motivational changes occur in individuals with drug dependence and abuse. These stages include pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance, respectively. Each stage is related to a specific motivational level ranging from having no plan to change (Pre-contemplation stage) to achieving significant behavioral change (Action stage) leading to an intention to keep the new behavior (Maintenance stage). Individuals can regress back to a previous stage at any time. Matching drug treatment strategies accurately to the Stage of Change leads to significantly successful behavioral changes (3).