Recovering+Addicts-+Ashlie+Avery


 * Recovering Addicts **

Population The population I chose is recovering addicts. I have been a substance abuse counselor for two years and I have seen the impact drugs can have on a person, his/her family, his/her community, and the society at large. From the loss perspective, I will be focusing on addicts who have recently began sobriety and will be looking at the primary and secondary losses that stem from beginning to live a life of recovery. "Addiction is a condition developed through the effects of repeated actions of a drug such that its use becomes necessary and cessation of its action causes mental and physical disturbances. (Theories of Drug Addiction). "Drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder in which compulsive drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior persists despite serious negative consequences. Continued use induces adaptive changes in the Central Nervous System that leads to tolerance, physical dependence, sensitization, craving, and relapse." (The New England Journal of Medicine). "Children suffering from depression, conduct disorder, ADHD, and schizophrenia are at a much higher risk of abusing drugs thatn unaffected youth." (The American Journal of Psychiatry)

Primary and Secondary Losses The primary loss for this population would be the loss of the use of drugs. The secondary losses would be the lost of old friends, old hangouts, possible loss of some family relationships, loss of their primary coping mechanism and possible loss of job.

2. Depression 3. Confusion 4. Resentment || 1. Acting out angrily 2. Isolating self from others 3. Talking with counselor, sponsor, or other recovering addicts 4. Pray or continue associating with old friends ||
 * Grief-Related Stressors || Processes ||
 * 1. Anger

2. Finding alternative stress management techniques 3. Filling idle time 4. Learning to live life sober || 1. Joining a church and attending AA/NA meetings 2. Joining a gym and obtaining employment 3. Getting involved in community activities such as a softball or basketball league 4. Seeking advice from counselor, sponsor, or other recovering addicts ||
 * Life-oriented Stressors || Processes ||
 * 1.Finding new friends/support

2. Attending AA/NA meetings 3. Seeking counseling 4. Praying || 1. Beginning to associate with old friends 2. Isolating self from others 3. Acting out angrily toward others ||
 * Adaptive Processes || Maladaptive Processes ||
 * 1. Joining a church

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How to help recovering addicts *Bibliotherapy would be a useful tool in working with recovering addicts. From my experience, many addicts and their families do not know in-depth information and history on drug addiction and recovery; they are not aware of the various aspects and needs of someone who has decided to get sober. Giving them information on addiction and recovery would allow the addict and his/her family a chance to gain an education and identify what they each need to do to help the addict stay sober. *Family involvement is anothr tool that is imperative when working with recovering addicts. Many times, the addicts' families contributed, whether knowingly or unknowingly, to the addiction. Family involvement would educate the family on what they can do to help and/or hinder their family member's recovery. Al-Anon meetings are a great resource for families of recovering addicts and will help them gain tools to aid the addict in his/her recovery. *Teamwork is a necessary tool in working with addicts as well. It takes the involvement of the addict, his/her family, mental health counselor (if needed), addictions counselor, etc. to work together effectively to maintain and further the addicts' recovery. *Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is another tool that is helpful when working with recovering addicts. According to the NACBT Online Headquarters, "CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things like people, situations, and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to feel and act better even if the situation does not change." ([|http://www.nacbt.org]) CBT focuses on changing the thought pattern and how a person looks at a situation. With addicts, if you can change how they view drugs and that criminal lifestyle, there will be more of a chance of them remaining sober. For example, if you can get them to change how they think about the loss of drug use, the outcome of recovery will be better.

Working with recovering addicts in high stress situations In my line of work, we call the high stress situations, High Risk Situations, which are situations that have a high chance of triggering the addict to want to use drugs. Some common high risk situations for recovering addicts are: unpleasant emotions, loss of job, and urges and cravings. For many addicts, they used drugs to cope with everything in life that they encountered; whether it was positive or negative. There will be times when the loss of their use of drugs becomes too much to bear and they will want to get high. Some tools that could be utilized when working with a recovering addict who is facing a high risk situation and the desire to return to that lifestyle would be: the use of a relapse prevention card, the use of a crisis plan, entering a halfway house or treatment program, or attending a meeting. From my experience, support is one of the biggest tools that determine whether an addict stays sober. Once beginning recovery, there are numerous losses that a person must come to terms with and having support plays a role in their transition into that new lifestyle. The use of NA/AA meetings, Al-Anon, a relapse prevention plan, joining a church, and alternative stress management techniques are all taught and stressed at the treatment facility where I am employed. We use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and stress the importance of "Change your thinking, Change your behavior".

Many of the addicts that I work with have discussed the apprehension they have about recovery due to the number of losses they will face. Many of them do not want to give up their old friends, their old "hang-outs", that high, etc. and some of them feel that they losses they will face by giving up their use of drugs is not worth living a life of recovery. When faced with the clients who feel this way, I attempt to help them recognize the gains they will enjoy by staying sober. Many of them are able to then recognize the few losses they will face are actually worth losing to gain all that they will gain in their recovery.

References

(April 5, 2007) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Retrieved from []

Cami, Jordi and Farre, Magi. (2003) The New England Journal of Medicine. 349: 975-986. Retrieved from [|http://www.nejm.org]

Volkow, Nora. (August 2005) The American Journal of Psychiatry. What do we know about drug addiction? Vol. 162 No. 8. Retrieved from [|http://psychiatryonline.org]

Tatum, A.L. and Seevers, M.H. (April 1931) Amercian Physiologial Society. Theories of Drug Addiction. Vol. XI No. 2. Retrieved from [rg]

Walsh, Kate. Grief and Loss: Theories and Skills for the Helping Professions 2nd Edition.2012