Colleague 1dh
RE: Week 9 Discussion 1
COLLAPSE
Hello All,

Post your position on whether society has an obligation to help individuals with addiction. Explain why and how:

I believe that society has an obligation to help individuals with addiction because they did not become addicted on their own. I believe, in most cases, addiction starts as a social connection. According to Volkow & Li (2005), experimentation with drugs and alcohol often starts during adolescence and so does the process of addiction. Adolescents crave attention from friends and peers and will do most anything to impress others to gain friendship and connection. It is not often you hear of an addict that started out using substances alone. Drinking is considered, in our society, as a social event. Many say that their drug of choice was used recreationally  or as a social activity (Volkow & Li, 2005). I believe that because addiction often starts as a social activity, that is commonly accepted by society, that society and the community have a responsibility to help those who have become addicted.

Then explain three ways that community support or a group approach may assist in the recovery of clients with problems with addiction:

As stated by Capuzzi & Stauffer (2016), groups have become the treatment approach of choice for substance abuse and are helpful in educating, therapy, and support for those who suffer addiction. Group work is essential because it helps to provide support, encouragement, and emphasizes expression of thoughts and feelings geared toward insight and behavioral change. Often, a good support group or network is required for an addict to achieve success in recovery. Additionally, group support is helpful in breaking down the denial frequency associated with those who suffer addiction (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016). Lastly, group and community support is essential in helping those who suffer addiction in providing positive interpersonal socializations to help avoid isolating and feeling as though they are alone in the recovery process. They say it takes a village to raise a child but I also believe it takes a village to ensure recovery maintenance for addicts attempting to live a better life.

References:

Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Foundations of addictions counseling (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.

Volkow, N., & Li, T. K. (2005). The neuroscience of addiction. Nature neuroscience, 8(11), 1429-1430.

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Colleague 2 hp

COLLAPSE

Post your position on whether society has an obligation to help individuals with addiction.  Explain why and how

My view on addiction in society is this, it is from my own perspective that society is not obligated to help individuals who suffer from addictions.  There are AA groups conducted through different churches around communities of the United States, but they are not obligated to hold those meetings, just like alcoholics are not obligated to attend, but its a great recommendation .  I also believe that addiction is a disease that cant be cured, yet can be treated through multiple approaches such as inpatient, outpatient, or residential treatments, that offer therapies and multiple services.  The Jellnik disease model views addiction as incurable and irreversible, but also untreatable (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016). Individuals who consider themselves a recovering addict could relapse at any point in time. 

I believe abusing drugs and alcohol, to the point of addiction is a choice you make, and your choice to seek treatment, unless other underlying mental health disorders can declare you incompetent of making your own decisions. The Moral Model of addiction suggests addictive behaviors are a personal, morally wrong choice, and individuals have the ability to decipher between right and wrong and whats unacceptable (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016). I dont believe addicts are immoral or should be stigmatized for the mistakes they have made in their lives.  We all make mistakes, some are just worse than others. 

Then explain three ways that community support or a group approach may assist in the recovery of clients with problems with addiction

Group therapy is not only provided to treat individuals for addiction, but also their family members as well.  Consequences of addiction present problems in spouses and children.  Group therapy provides family members the opportunity to develop new coping mechanisms and the ability to recognize their own thoughts and behaviors, to aid the addict in recovery (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).  Addicts make excuses for abusing substances, in turn, causes family members to also justify the addicts behavior to friends and themselves.  Family members will benefit from group therapy to learn how to put themselves and family first, put distance between them and the substance abuse (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).

AA groups within a community can provide addicts with sponsors, who have traveled the journey of addiction and are experienced enough to guide the sponsee through the twelve step program.  Sobriety and becoming or staying sober, is the primary focus of a Level 1 Sponsorship (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).  The sponsees is counseled through the 12-steps by the sponsor, during a Level II Sponsorship.  Sponsors eventually develop strong rapport with the sponsees, in order to continue guiding and facilitating through the 12-steps of recovery, using spiritually based principles (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).

Lastly, providing a non-medical or spiritual professional influence within the community can be identified as a recovery coach.  Recovery coaches are not sponsors.  Recovery coaches utilize peer-based recovery services to engage, elicit, validate, share, express, enhance, orient, help, identify, link, consult, monitor, transport, praise, enlist, encourage, and support addicts through the process of recovery (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).  Recovery coaches who implement the community model during recovery are also recovering addicts themselves.  Cultural Revitalization and community development makeup the frame work of the P-BRSS.  Recovery coaches link individuals and families to the local community services built during recovery support (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).  Peer support recovery service can be paid or volunteer recovery coaches, offering recovery, advocacy, education, and peer-based support services (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).

References

Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Foundations of addictions counseling (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.

William L. White MA (2010) Nonclinical Addiction Recovery Support Services: History, Rationale, Models, Potentials, and Pitfalls, Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 28:3, 256-272, DOI: 10.1080/07347324.2010.48