Personal Reflections on Change

Addiction is a chronic brain disease that often results in some sort of relapse. Addiction is characterized by inability to control drug use which results in problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships. This disease causes compulsive behaviors such as the need to use drugs despite the many harmful consequences that affect the addicted individual and those around him or her. Although for most people, the initial decision to use drugs is a one time lapse in judgement, the brain is easily affected by these drugs if the person decides to use these drugs multiple times. The changes that occur to the brain over time will cause the addicted person’s ability to resist the intense impulses of drugs to be altered causing the addict to often give into the temptation of these drugs. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death. Drug addiction is an issue that many people deal with whether they are the addict or the addict is their loved one; but with a good source of support anyone can over come the challenges and consequences of addiction.

The main two psychological issues are addiction and eating disorders and the concept of addiction has developed over the past several years. Substance dependence is the most closely related concept of the everyday meaning of addiction, and to meet the criteria for substance dependence one must demonstrate several, but not all of the following criteria:

So how does an addicted individual escape addiction? Miller (1998) argues that there can be a sudden shift in how the person perceives the pros and cons of their behavior. This is often seen over time as the suffering directly attached to the addiction increases and the ratio of pros and cons shifts. Through motivational interviewing, Miller suggests that therapists and other helping professionals can lend clients another perspective, a mirror image of themselves, so as to increase the client's conception of the consequences and saliency of their

Being addicted to a substance, thing or activity may be considered a problem to most people. This uncontrollable habit can completely flip people’s lives around. The sad part is that it’s so hard to break someone addicted to something because you cannot help someone that doesn’t want to be helped. Addiction is so powerful that people can’t see the wrong in it all the time. Addiction is a powerful brain disease and the healing process can be dangerous.

How Addiction Happens, How Change Happens, and What Social Workers Need to Know to Be Effective Facilitators of Change is an article written by Jill Littrell. Littrell addresses the complexity of underlying physiological demands made on patients throughout the addiction and treatment process. Even if a patient has whole heartedly committed themselves to their sobriety , physiological components of the brain can unknowingly trigger the need to use. Therefore, the trans-theoretical theory with the motivational interviewing approach are believed to help clients experience less resistance and be more open to change by learning why they want or need to make changes. Hence, using more direct or confrontational methods in addiction treatment could

Addictive substances and behaviors are becoming a growing concern in the United States. Millions of Americans are affected by addiction in some way. While these substances and behaviors are becoming a growing concern, there is always a demand for more efficacious and cost-effective treatment methods. There are many different beliefs and options about how addictions develop, how change occurs, and what treatment methods are best to use in practice. This paper aims to explore my personal theory of addiction in regards to these specific areas of addiction. A biological and social explanation for addiction is examined, various methods and conditions for change are investigated, and an integrated treatment approach of motivational interviewing,

Drug addiction is a complex disease, even when the person is ready to quit, it may not be possible for it to happen. To fully comprehend drug addiction

When I came down town to find the Prestera Center, I became lost right off and drove in circles for 20 minutes trying to find the building. I finally asked someone and they pointed me in the right direction. The center is kind of hidden by General Hospital, parking is across the street. The inner-change program is located in part of the building that has a long hallway and several rooms. Most of the rooms are the counselor’s and social workers offices. One room is like a lounge that has a television, drinks, and snacks for the kids. Another room is a classroom for the kids to be schooled in because they will not be attending their regular school for the 6 weeks that they are at Prestera. The last room is the therapist room where the kids spend most of their day talking with the therapist. The back door is secured with a code and if you go through the front doors, you walk into a waiting room filled with clients waiting to go back and be assessed.

The one point Miller (2012) made that caught my attention was the substantial role he emphasized motivation plays in an individual’s decision to stop using drugs and alcohol. Personally, I always agreed with this thought, however, it was in a different context. I was always under the impression that once an individual had suffered enough as a result of their addiction, change would occur. However, Miller (2012) provided sound examples of the motivational process and how and why it is key in an individual’s decision to abstain from substances.

Defining Change Change can be defined as an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another, the result of alteration or modification, to lay aside, abandon, or leave for another, become different in essence; to lose one's or its original nature, to make different; cause a transformation, or to make or become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence. There are many different views as to the complexity of change. Some may believe change is an illusion and nothing ever really changes. However, the majority, such as the post structuralism theorists, believe that change is inevitable. Change can be viewed

It is important to understand that a person suffering from addiction is essentially captured by the mental addictive forces inside. They feel conflicting emotions and have conflicting thoughts about their problem. In an addict's private moments of despair he knows that he needs help, but the addicted part of him regains control and the thoughts change. He says to himself "I don't need help, I don't need to change. I can beat this thing, anyway everybody is making too much of all this - it's not that bad." He might even be saying "Oh yes I know I need help but I will do it my way." And we watch and wait while he has worsening failed lunges at 'doing it his way'.

For addiction treatment, the counselor is looking for the pain that inspires the patient's need to escape reality through the use of drugs or alcohol. This is a difficult task because many patients are ambivalent about their drug use. On one hand, they want to use and avoid living life on life's terms. On the other hand, they know the behavior is destructive and want

Addictions are all around us, from celebrity tabloids, television shows and possibly an individuals family member or friend. According to Koob, “addiction can be defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder that has been characterized by (i) a compulsion to seek and take drugs, (ii) loss of control over drug intake, and (iii) emergence of a negative emotional state (e.g., dysphoria, anxiety, and irritability) that defines a motivational withdrawal syndrome when access to the drug is prevented” (Koob, 2013). Substance use disorders are among the largest sources of medical disability in the world and also represent a major public health concern globally (Mari, 2013). Substance abuse is associated with topics such as: poverty, low education, crime, social

In the world today there are many individuals dealing with an addictions. Their addiction may be to drugs or alcohol. When an addict wants to get help they will go through the, “Model of Change.” The model of change has six stages, the pre-contemplation stage, contemplation stage, preparation stage, action stage, maintenance stage and the relapse stage. The two stages I will be talking about in this paper are the pre-contemplation stage and the contemplation stage.

Addiction is all around us. It may be that cup of coffee in the morning for the caffeine stimulation, the cigarette that is smoked for the nicotine, or an alcoholic drink used to relieve a stressful day or situation. For some, the addiction may not be to a substance, but to compulsive behaviors such as gambling, playing video games, or shopping. Consequences to addictions can impact an addict’s physical or mental state. Addiction can also have detrimental impact on the people that surround them. Watching a relationship fall apart because a person has an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or another addictive behavior is a sad thing to happen to anyone. Unfortunately, those with addictions usually won’t admit they even