The point of a rehabilitation center for addicts is it is a place for people who are struggling with substance abuse can go to for help. Substance abuse addiction is a growing problem in the United States and causes many problems socially and economically. The words “alcoholic” or “drug addict” carry a negative connotation. An alcoholic is not considered a role model for kids. But, what can be said about the programs and processes in place that are supposed to help addicts? Through my research, I have examined the current addiction rehabilitation centers, and I believe there needs to be a restructuring of the existing strategies used to help addicts.
The majority of addiction rehabilitation centers are based off of a twelve-step program. A twelve-step program is a set of twelve guiding principals to help people recover from addiction. “The first 12-step program began with alcoholic anonymous in the 1930s…” (12step.org). Alcoholic Anonymous is a self–help group led by men and women who have the desire to stop drinking. The twelve steps used in A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) can be found in The Big Book, which is the governing book used in all A.A. meetings, and has been revised for drug addicts.
The twelve steps of A.A. are:
• “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
• Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
• Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
• Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
• Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
• Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
• Humbly asked Him ...
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Many people dislike the term ‘addiction’ in relation to drugs or other substances, particularly as it infers that a person is powerless over their use of a particular drug or in some circumstances, a number of substances. Whilst others maintain it is this powerlessness that is the foundation of diagnosis and treatment – that treatment is not possible without recognition of addiction itself as the ‘problem’ being addressed. The professional and public perception of addiction is complicated. There are many approaches and models to explain addiction, the role of the addict, and their environment. This essay will compare and contrast two of these approaches, the medical/disease and the social model. Initially this essay will describe the origins of each model, and follow by explaining their respective strengths and weaknesses, and finish with an overview of the key differences between them. This essay will conclude by demonstrating that a holistic approach, and a cross-pollination of these models is the most successful approach to treating addicts. As is the case for all diseases, there are multiple treatment options, and as ever person is different, the results in each individual cannot be predicted.
Both men immediately set to work with alcoholics at Akron’s City Hospital, where one patient quickly achieved complete sobriety (Pitman 69). In the fall of 1935, a second group of alcoholics slowly took shape in New York. A third appeared at Cleveland in 1939. It had taken over four years to produce 100 sober alcoholics in the three founding groups. That same year, the Fellowship published it’s basic textbook, Alcoholics Anonymous. The text, written by Bill, explained A.A.’s philosophy and methods, the core of which was the now well-known Twelve Steps to Recovery (Pitman 75 & 76). The book was reinforced by case histories of around thirty recovered members. From this point on, A.A’s development was rapidly growing (Wekesser 36).
Alcohol Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship worldwide consisting of over one hundred thousand men and women who are alcoholics, banded together in solving a common problem and in helping fellow alcohol users in their recovery from alcoholism. A.A.'s twelve steps are considered a list of principles which are spiritual in their nature, and if practiced as a way of life by members, can help significantly in expelling a member’s obsession to drink, and enable a holistic awareness. Step one is when the member admits they are powerless over the use of alcohol, resulting in an unmanageable life. No one wants to admit defeat, but admitting powerlessness over alcohol is the first step in becoming liberated. Step two is having a belief that the almighty power can restore their sanity. Step three is making the decision to turn their will and life over in the protection of the almighty God, which is the key to willingness of change as noted by the Twelve Steps of recovery. Step four is...
Alcoholics Anonymous is best known of the 12-step fellowships. Anyone with the desire to quit drinking or using substances is welcome to attend meetings. Individuals learn how to be sober through the support of other members and the 12 steps. In most suburban and urban areas, meeting can be fund every day and around the clock; they are even available online and are structured for confidentiality and anonymity. Family members and other support are often welcome. The 12-step model has been adopted worldwide. Specific groups may focus on specific addictions and include specific populations. The size of meetings ranges from small to large. There are also meetings to address the special needs of family and significant others, such as Al-Anon for
This program does not turn down anyone with a substance problem; the only requirement for the services provided is that the person has a desire to seek help to improve his or her life through drug rehabilitation. There are a multitude of services available for the person with the substance abuse and the families. The services provided are counseling, vocational training, education, and housing. This organization gives people a chance to find an environment that is conducive to rehabilitation and reintegration back into main society. This program does this by having dormitories available to people who are suffering addictions. This program also helps by providing vocational training. There is also opportunities to seek out education; this may be everything from gaining a GED to entering into college courses.
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Drug use and abuse has become a common situation with today’s citizens. Drugs are more easily accessible today than they ever were in the past. The drug trend is frightening to say the least. From the legal substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, to the illegal substances, such as marijuana and cocaine, there has been an increase in their use amongst all ages of people. It seems that the ages of the users are getting younger as time goes by. Because of this trend there are more people addicted to substances and who need treatment. There are many treatment programs out there where people can go to get help with their addictions. Programs range from alcohol treatment to substance abuse treatments and detoxification processes. Unfortunately,
According to President Barak Obama there are over 20 million Americans who struggle with substance abuse. (OBAMA, B. 2014). Although addiction is rampant in the United States there are intervention programs available for those who are seeking out recovery. Researchers explain that addiction is a
The following meeting takes place at South Dade group on October 9, 2015 at 8:30 PM. When I was asked to participate at the community experience alcoholics anonymous (AA), I was really worried because I did not have a clue of what it is all about. “Alcoholics Anonymous is an international organization of individuals who have struggled with drinking problems at some point in their lives” (recovery.org). As I steeped in the meeting, I observed in the wall the Non-12-Step Addiction Recovery Programs, and I asked the leader to explain to me about those steps; he was saying that is an approach serving as a model as they are going to each step at the time to help alcoholics with their addiction process
The repeated use of drugs often causes both physical and psychological dependence, as mentioned in an article by the Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (“Drug Dependence”). In order for an individual to truly be set free from their addiction, seeking treatment is necessary. Rehab centers are a great place with scientifically proven methods to cure those addicted to drugs. It is important to try to end drug use in our country, rather than allowing it to continue longer than it already has. While funding for rehabilitation facilities could become an issue, drug users may continue their addiction without proper treatment, and therefore those arrested for drug use should be sent to a rehabilitation center instead of prison.
Coming into the substance abuse meeting the student nurse was scared and nervous. She was scared of the reaction of the consumers and feared all the stereotypes she heard about typical alcoholics. Innervison gave the student nurse a new outlook on these types of consumers. She no longer looked at them as people who were just drunks and wanted to use AA as an excuse to make it seem like they are getting help. She never really looked at alcoholism as a true addiction; it seemed like more of an excuse to escape life’s problems. Sitting in and listening to these consumers gave the student nurse a dose of reality. The student nurse now understands alcoholism better and AA helped her realize recovery is truly a process that takes one day and one step at a time.
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.
Drug abuse dates as far back as the Biblical era, so it is not a new phenomenon. “The emotional and social damage and the devastation linked to drugs and their use is immeasurable.” The ripple of subversive and detrimental consequences from alcoholism, drug addictions, and addictive behavior is appalling. Among the long list of effects is lost productivity, anxiety, depression, increased crime rate, probable incarceration, frequent illness, and premature death. The limitless consequences include the destruction to personal development, relationships, and families (Henderson 1-2). “Understandably, Americans consider drug abuse to be one of the most serious problems” in the fabric of society. And although “addiction is the result of voluntary drug use, addiction is no longer voluntary behavior, it’s uncontrollable behavior,” says Alan Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Torr 12-13).