Essay about The Key Change Needed for an Alcohic to Recover

It is explained within this chapter that a higher power must be found in order for the person’s problem to be solved. Once an alcoholic express willingness to believe in a power greater than them, they started to see results. Each individual can have their own conception of God, but to start they must be willing to accept the realm of spirit. The alcoholic will not be able to complete this journey alone, their decisions and will power have left them in the situation they are in. The power higher, will accomplish the miracles that are not humanly possible. The path can not be walked alone so being able to believe in a God, creates the feeling of having a friend. The fourth chapter creates the idea of how important it is for a person to believe in some conception of God, there is no other way of getting

The group prayed after reviewing the guidelines. Then, a participant of the group proceeded to read the “how it works” from the AA book. Afterwards, another member read the 12 traditions. Two participants shared their experience with Alcoholism while others provided reflections and support. The facilitator informed me that each meeting two participants share. After the two participants shared, the AA meeting ended with another prayer. This paper will talk about my observations and reactions attending the AA meeting, and how attending the meeting will inform my future work as a clinician. The purpose of this paper is to present my personal experience of an AA meeting, and how I plan to grow as a therapist from that

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.

At the beginning of my training, I was hesitant to work with people struggling with addiction. However, at this point, I am excited to begin working with this population. The raw honesty presented in the group setting along with the anger at the possibility of losing a safe place created a dynamic I wanted to further explore. Research supports that individuals attending group therapy in a 12 step program format succeed if they have the proper support and motivation (Cite). The group dynamic demonstrated that recovery takes time and self-discovery, similar to other situations dealt with in therapy. Subsequently, by using my sense of self and humor with clients struggling with addiction, I can help them in their journey. Furthermore, the client needs to identify accountability at their own pace in the process and not when others dictate. This knowledge and the personalization of addiction will aid me in the future support of my

This paper will try to explain the different views of how and why Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs are accepted and rejected as effective tools in treating alcoholism and other addictions. The articles reviewed contradict the others’ opinion. First, we see that supporting the 12-step programs with a degree of involvement both the doctor and patient will see better results in treating the addiction. The second view will show that 12-step programs can be used as “self-help” treatment and must be used in conjunction with other forms of rehabilitation. When AA and other 12-step programs are not used with other forms of treatment, the patient tends to become codependent on the group.

Alcoholics Anonymous relies on a twelve step base towards recovery. These 12 steps have a spiritual background towards them but the founders encourage alcoholics to take what they wants from these steps that will help them and leave the rest. These 12 steps include:

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

A question that I was curious about asking dealt with how individuals in recovery function as substance abuse counselors. From experience, I have noticed that most substance abuse counselors are themselves in recovery. When I was in treatment, I related much better to

Addiction is a medical condition. It is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry (Halter, 2014). There is no real difference between alcoholism and drug addiction, other than the substance of choice being different. In both cases, use of alcohol or drugs continues despite the presence of related problems and a tendency to relapse. This paper includes a student nurse’s experience of two twelve-step meetings: Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Tracy Fellowship AA Group had meeting at 2531 North Holly Drive, Tracy, CA-95376 on September 24, 2014. The NA meeting was at 219 East Poplar Street in Stockton at 12 pm on September 25, 2014.

There are millions of people who have and who are suffering from alcoholism. For those seeking help with their addiction, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) may be the right for them. While this program is not promised to be a cure, and the authors of this program does not promise full recovery, it provides an atmosphere where members can be honest about their dependency on alcohol. Furthermore, AA provides support from other alcoholics, and rewards for meeting certain sobriety anniversary dates. This paper explores the history and major developments of AA. Furthermore, this paper explains the structure of meetings, and the roles the leader and members play during meetings. This paper also touches on AA’s definition of success and how it handles members who relapse. Additionally, this paper explains this student’s experiences of two AA meetings she attended, which include what she learned from attending the meetings, and what she learned from the people she met at the meetings.

Certain things begin to take place within one’s self and the effects are far reaching. What is most important during a spiritual awakening is surrendering. When doing this, you are acknowledging the fact that you do not have it under control, you are struggling, and you are in need of help. It is at this crossroad that many times people choose to figure life out on their own, however the ones who seek help are more likely to recover. In one account, a woman was begged by her son to seek help. It was only a few hours later her son was found dead, and as she asked God why, she came to the conclusion that God had to take her son in order for her to see the destructive path she was on. A huge part of this process, and substance abuse counseling itself is, the individual being honest, being truthful to the therapist and more importantly truthful to themselves. Through complete change that this process demands, many women are reunited with their spouses and apologies and amends can finally be made to those who were affected by the choices made by these individuals. What I like most is, how the accounts have reports of women no longer feeling guilt or shame, but the feelings of joy and peace even when things aren’t going right, the feeling of empowerment finally overshadows the bad. In the article Wright (2016), One unnamed participant stated “Now that I have come to know God…it doesn’t matter what adversities come your way you can still find joy…He will give me the strength to go on, the hope. And the faith to believe that he is there with me. That he hasn’t forsaken me.” (P.

In the article “Determining the Relative Importance of the Mechanisms of Behavior Change Within Alcoholics Anonymous: A Multiple Mediator Analysis” the authors conducted research to determine what techniques used in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) aid in relapse prevention. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2016) alcohol is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States that is preventable. In 2014 alone, thirty-one percent of all traffic fatalities were alcohol related (NIAAA, 2016). The study participants suffered from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and attended AA. NIAAA (2016) states the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV has integrated alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence into a single alcohol-related disorder, AUD with mild, moderate, and severe classifications. AUD is diagnosed when a client’s drinking causes themselves or others anguish or injury AA began in the 1930’s and is an informal organization of men/women who have a drinking problem (AA, 2016). AA is based upon anonymity along with twelve steps/principles and meetings for those seeking help with sobriety. Research has shown that participating in AA reduces risk of relapse and this article aims to understand the techniques that empowers those to remain sober.

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.

The concepts of empowerment and client strengths are widely incorporated in these intervention approaches. Clients are allowed to set goals aimed at transforming their negative situations to positive situations. Individuals are empowered by applying strengths, and making transformative decisions, which subsequently can change lives. Through empowerment and utilization of client strengths, these intervention approaches help people with co-occurring substance use disorders, like Catherine, to take control of their lives.

Addiction is regarded as having a multitude of causations and contributing factors. No single specific component or model can accurately predict a person’s substance use behavior (Clinton & Scalise, 2013). Substance use disorders are a reflection of the impact of person-specific biological, psychological, and social influences. Understanding an individual’s spiritual beliefs and the role spirituality plays in a person’s susceptibility to addiction is also necessary. If a spirituality component is absent in a person's life, addiction could fill that void (Doweiko, 2015). Substance