Intervention: Ryan’s Story Tiffani B. Juarez California State University, Northridge Intervention: Ryan’s Story Before completing this assignment, I had never watched or heard of the A&E series, Intervention. After watching my first episode and getting hooked on the show, I was bummed to find out that it would no longer be airing on television. The episode I watched was about a 37-year-old man named Ryan who was an extreme addict. Prior to Ryan’s addiction, he had a happy life with Carrie, a girlfriend since high school, and their 2 daughters. However, he lost all of that due to his battle with addiction and he now lives alone with his dog.…
Johnson Group topic: Coping With High-Risk Situations ***** Last Group ***** In today’s session, group members were to identify and discuss their personal relapse risk factors and emotional responses to such situations. Group members then were presented with steps/strategies to cope identified high-risk situations. PO attended group on time, clean and sober, and had a moderate level of participation, as evidenced by sharing personal HRS openly, and demonstrating the ability on how to cope with HRS in group. PO also shared with peers about her recovery experience and ways to cope with temptation as today was her last group treatment.…
Through examination of five addicts seeking treatment in the San Francisco substance abuse treatment arena in the late 1990’s, Dr. Lonny Shavelson provides a stark and thought-provoking insight into substance use treatment in the United States. His book, Hooked: Five addicts challenge our misguided drug rehab system, documents the journey of the five addicts: Mike, Darrell, Darlene, Glenda, and Crystal. Through examination of these stories as documented in Hooked, we can journey through the book and begin to examine the underlying structures which are creating blockages for addicts seeking treatment in the United States. In 1997 when the book starts, Mike Pagsolingan was a 34-year-old Italian man with a history of childhood sexual assault and PTSD who had been addicted to heroin and cocaine for 20-years (Shavelson, 2001).…
Nonetheless, in many countries, and more specifically, in the United States, substance addiction and abuse is seen as a public health problem and legal issue, and not as a disease. There is a great necessity for the government to have a better, more balanced approach toward this social problem. A change in the current policies and attitudes will help in the prevention and treatment of these types of mental disorders. Furthermore, by exploring alternative avenues toward the issue of substance abuse and addiction, the government will also assist addicts in their recovery process, and will search for reforms to the criminal justice system. By doing so, the vicious circle created by mental health, substance abuse, criminal behavior, jail, release, and recidivism, may be broken for once and for all.…
Case Study: Approach and Treatment Plan Nic Sheff’s struggle with an addiction to methamphetamines and other drugs started at the age of 18. After dropping out of college his freshman year, he went to rehab. After many years of relapsing and attending rehabilitation centers, Nic remains three months sober. When trying to diagnose Nic, risk factors that could have contributed to his addiction need to be assessed. At the age of three, Nic experienced a traumatic event, the ending of his parents’ marriage and a split household.…
Addiction is a disease where the recovery process can be life long and addicts get the support of people who assists them with building relationships, and strength. Although, the recovery process is hard, it is rewarding. The client, with the self-determination, focus on the resources, capabilities, and paying attention to stages of readiness, tries to accomplish the goals (Wormer & Davis, 2013, p. 445).…
“Addiction is a family disease; one person may use but the whole family suffers.” (Shelly Lewis) Growing up in a family where both of your parents battle the disease of alcoholism is something no one should ever have to deal with. I’m eighteen years old and it is still hard for me to understand this disease and what it has done to destroy my family little by little over the years. This topic is something I struggle with every day, talking about it is something I struggle with too.…
This plan cannot meet proper success without first stabilization found in abstinence from all mind-altering substances, in other words the time has come to take the reins back. Proper assessment can help both the client and therapist to see patterns of addictive behavior through a historical approach. Discovering triggers to addictive behavior, relapse history, and attempts of recovery can provide an extensive list of avoidable…
This essay will discus to what extent relapse is viewed as a failure on the individuals part, and the reasons behind the idea of relapse being identified as a failure, also what relapse is, and what it means for the individual and professionals involved. It is important that the issues of relapse are covered and how relapse could be dangerous and what socio-economic reasons there are for relapse to occur. The official dictionary definition of relapse is “to fall or slip back into a former bad or vicious state or practice, especially into illness after partial recovery” (the Cassell English dictionary 1989), however a relapse to an addiction is not something that necessarily has to happen but it is when the individual has had a period of abstinence or recovery and returns to that addictive behaviour.…
PURPOSE OF EVALUATION Mr. Doe is being evaluated for the purpose of addressing his immediate mental health concerns. His goals include, but are not limited to, receiving an assessment of his condition, establishing a treatment plan, and discussing possible intervention options which may lead to general improvements of his life. The main goal of this interview is to produce a preliminary bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessment of the client and to highlight his capacity for resiliency. METHOD Mr. Doe is being interviewed by me, Edgar Rondon, an MSW candidate at Barry University, as part of an assignment for Dr. Singleton’s class on clinical assessments. The interview process is being conducted in the home of Mr. Doe.…
When you think of someone who you would consider a chronic smoker or substance abuser, you would imagine someone who is on the street corner or standing outside of a building puffing a cigarette, since smoking is illegal in most public buildings. However, many of these habits and addictions start at a much younger age, affecting many teens in high school. In fact, according to the National Center for Addiction & Substance Abuse, 40 Million or 1 in 7 Americans ages 12 and older, have an addiction. This number far exceeds other chronic illnesses such as Heart Disease, which affects 27 Million, Diabetes which affects 26 Million, and Cancer which affects 9 Million persons.…
Drug use and abuse has been a major concern to the society for a long a time. There are myths and facts about drug abuse. Many people have been having misconception on the truth about drug abuse. This has led to many people, both old and young, to continue abusing drugs and substances. With drug abuse becoming more common in our society, many scholars have been trying to explain reasons that make people, especially young people abuse drugs.…
One important problem that has been rapidly increasing among our society today is drug addiction. The earlier in an individual’s life that drug abuse begins, the more likely they will be to become addicted. Substance use in teens and young adults turns into a pattern of unsafe behaviors, including; unsafe sex, driving under the influence, etc. Taking drugs lessens the feeling of distress and most people abuse. Drug addiction can set back the user from achieving their goals, it’s important to make wise decisions to have a successful future.…
Chris is a 33 year old German male, who had drinking problem for 13 years from the age of 15. Now he has been sober for 5 years. He is a caring husband, a loving father, and a responsible employee today. He shared his experience of being an alcoholic, physically and mentally dependence on alcohol, emotional barriers of staying sober in the interview with me. Chris drank the alcohol for the first time when he was thirteen.…
Drug Users Should Go To Treatment Drug addiction is an illness causing extreme drug craving, drug seeking and use. Despite all the consequences it still continues. Drug addiction begins with the single act of taking drugs, and over time the ability to choose not to do so becomes harder and harder. Taking drugs and seeking the high becomes a compulsion. The behavior results from prolonged drug exposure on the brain and how it functions.…