Should Drug Abuse Be Rehabilitated Drug Users Do Not Return? A Normal Social Life?

Religion and spirituality are a highly personal thing and can be achieved in myriad of ways. So whether you feel it's necessary to stick with a strict religious regiment or explore New Age sensibilities, you can achieve a higher state of being during recovery.

The 12-step program used by Alcoholics Anonymous is a well-known treatment method that’s used for many types of addiction, not just alcohol. Alcoholics are encouraged to “work” the 12-steps. The first step involves admitting the powerlessness over alcohol. The second step has the alcoholic believe that there is some type of a greater power working that will help aide the alcoholic to reach sobriety, as well as maintain is once reached. This step is an example of the religious influence on the 12-step recovery process.

Substance abuse providers that believe spirituality and religion is one in the same, may hold the belief that an individual that is an atheist or agnostic will not have the opportunity to acquire spiritual opportunities when participating in alcohol and addiction programs (Sussman et al., 2013). In addition, these substance abuse providers may believe that when an individual that eliminates alcohol and drug abuse without the intervention of spiritual assistance, such as a Higher Power, they may believe that the individual will not have the capability to achieve and maintain balance within their sobriety and recovery. Sussman et al. (2013) suggests that these substance abuse providers unknowingly engage in a thought process that includes stereotypes. Suggesting that individuals, who engage in spiritual behaviors that do include a Higher Power, are more deserving of achieving sobriety and recovery because they are practicing by being involved with working the 12-step program, thus, making them more righteous in obtaining a blessing from their Higher Power. Noteworthy, the term spirituality is often linked with religion with no specific boundaries out of lack of knowledge. Engaging in a spiritual practice that allows an individual to have a spiritual solution that is higher than them and gives them hope has a significant influence on alcohol and drug abuse. Gedge and Querney (2014) describe discussing spirituality with

The 12-step program gives the impression that it has the capability of helping clients through alcohol abuse in its systematic, recovery-focused, and empathetic approach. AA’s 12 steps, from having “admitted we were powerless over alcohol…” to “having a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps” helps guide a person from alcoholism to sobriety (Alcoholics Anonymous [AA], 2001, pp. 59-60). The steps are easy-to-follow ‘checkpoints’ in the steps to sobriety, and because they are verbalized at every meeting, they reinforce a recovery mindset from alcoholism. This recovery approach emphasized in AA minimizes any particular focus on past struggles and magnifies progress, and as a member described, the group’s positivity and numerous success stories encouraged them to continue being sober (Personal communication, November 15,

The members in the group were very inviting and open with their mission. The programs presentation was very interesting and helpful to each person in attendant. Although the meeting lasted one hour and thirty minutes it seems to help each individual deal with their addiction at little better. The leader of the meeting was Kathy; the meeting had about 15 attendants. The members where very active in following the guidelines and standards of the meeting, these guidelines and standards help the members accept their addictions and the process of healing. The 12 steps to recovery and sobriety include honesty, faith, surrender, soul searching, integrity, acceptance, humility, willingness, forgiveness, maintenance, making contact and service. These steps are a part of the healing and recovery process with any addiction behavior. Honesty, integrity and faith are three of the most important factor in the 12 step program. When a person has an addiction it requires them to truly assess where they are with the addition and to seek a higher power for strength (Medical News Today,

    There has been an increase in heroin and opioid abuse in america. It has been affecting everyone and the incoming generation greatly. The use of pain reliever drugs is often the leading cause to abusing opioids and/or heroin. These pain relievers are often addictive and once people are addicted and cut off from them they begin searching for other ways to satisfy their cravings. The prescription drugs are often easily dispensed to people so it’s easier to access. This easy access makes it easier for people to get a prescription, leading to a higher risk of addiction.

For many years, individuals have battled substance abuse and addiction. My position comes from hearing about it, having seeing results from it, and reading about it, also developing my own thoughts about addiction. Weil and Rosen (1993) believe that a drug use (and addiction) results from humans longing for a sense of completeness and wholeness, and searching for satisfaction outside of themselves. McNeece and DiNitto (2012) says the reason why people continue to use drugs to the point of becoming a physically and/ or psychologically dependent on them are more complex, some have tried to explain this

The principles of drug abuse treatment developed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) identify a core set of empirically based interventions that can be used to guide clinical practice (Grella et al., 2005, p. 469).

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the relapse rate is 40-60%. Not only do we need better alternatives to recovery for alcohol and drug addiction, but we must lower the relapse rate. In order to successfully lower the relapse rate we must inform people on the effect gateway drugs can have on future addictions, educating about relapse and addiction and focusing on key factors to making a treatment a successful one. My research on lowering relapse rates taught me that the problem is not getting sober, its staying sober.

There is no doubt that there is a prevalence of substance abuse throughout several age groups. To a certain extent, a society is faced with the reality of controlling substance abuse. Or allow it run rampant throughout the community. Often times, we hear and read about the level of substance abuse among teen, young adults and mid-aged

According to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the transtheoretical model of change, “for most people with substance abuse problems, recurrence of substance use is the rule not the exception” (Enhancing Motivation for Change, 1999, p. xvii). Relapse can and most likely will occur in recovery, and should be recognized as well as anticipated by substance abuse recovery counselors. The significant challenges to counselors are bringing a client successfully and securely through a relapse and eventually preventing relapse from occurring at all. For many, helping a client find faith in a higher power is an essential piece of the puzzle for overcoming addiction.

There are many contributing factors and political issues that address substance abuse. Throughout the years, many researchers have designed many interventions and social policies designed to treat people who have used, abused, and became addicted to substances. Today, there are many new studies that address substance abuse at the individual, group, family, and community or policy levels. Today, there are many services that are effective for decreasing recidivism in youth who have completed a substance abuse program. A substance abuse treatment program or center is the best way to treat individuals who have abused substances.

The organization also states that there is a significant gap in the availability of treatment since less than 10% of the afflicted gets the necessary rehabilitation. Food, sex, gambling and shopping addictions albeit less significant also have a substantial effect on the region. In fact, these habits arise partially from cross-addiction where drug users substitute their predisposition to medications to other substances such as food, sex, and gambling. The NIDA also claims that approximately 40%-60% of the few individuals who undergo treatment are likely to relapse from the success of the rehabilitation and revert into their addiction.

Since 2000, the drug use rate in America has risen to the highest it’s ever been. In a survey done in 2009, 8.7 percent of people age 12 and up said that they used illegal substances within a month of taking the survey, a 9 percent increase since 2008 (Abuse, National Institute on Drug, 2010). This statistic alone is very concerning due to

Alcohol and illicit drug consumption are all too prevalent today in high schools, colleges, and all across the globe. Students seeking to fit in or forget about the repetitiveness of school and homework have a tendency to experiment. Drug addiction is known by the scientific community to be a psychological condition based on excessive, obsessive, and compulsive actions. Once that regular user crosses the line into addiction their only concern is their self and their life revolves around the getting, using, and finding ways and means to get and use more. Most people start using drugs and alcohol occasionally, which is a voluntary decision,