Relapse Prevention in Substance Abuse Treatment In relation to drug abuse, relapse is resuming the use of a chemical substance or drug after a period of abstinence. The term can be said to be a landmark feature of a combination of substance abuse and substance independence. The propensity for dependency, repeated use, and tendencies that take the form of the substance being used, are some of the issues that drug users’ experience. Substances that enhance most severe tendencies in users and pose high pharmacological efficacy, are those that are cleared quickly from the body, in addition to those that bring out the highest tolerance. There can be increased substance tolerance with the increasing dependency in relation to drug in question, and withdrawals and cravings when the user stops. Relapse prevention can be defined as the set of designed coping skills or tools that can be utilized to reduce the chances that the user will resort back to unhealthy behavior or get worse through continued substance use. Knowledge or skills for relapse prevention include; identification of early signs of relapse, identifying and singling out high risk factors for a possible relapse, how to make wise daily choices that won’t lead the client back to drug abuse, and implementing early coping strategies to avoid relapse (Sofuoglu, 2010). Within the strategies described in the coping skills training both behavioral and cognitive techniques are included. Clients are provided with alternatives on how they can effectively use their habit by reframing it as a learning experience that has setbacks and errors that are likely in any learning and growth process, this explains the cognitive technique for training. On the other hand, behavioral techniques are m... ... middle of paper ... ...acotherapy target for stimulant addiction. Addiction, 105(1), 38-48. Hester, R., Lubman, D. I., & Yücel, M. (2010). The role of executive control in human drug addiction. In Behavioral Neuroscience of Drug Addiction (pp. 301-318). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Pelissier, B., & Jones, N. (2005). A review of gender differences among substance abusers. Crime & Delinquency, 51(3), 343-372. McGovern, M. P., Xie, H., Segal, S. R., Siembab, L., & Drake, R. E. (2006). Addiction treatment services and co-occurring disorders: Prevalence estimates, treatment practices, and barriers. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 31(3), 267-275. Grella, C. E., Stein, J. A., Weisner, C., Chi, F., & Moos, R. (2010). Predictors of longitudinal substance use and mental health outcomes for patients in two integrated service delivery systems. Drug and alcohol dependence, 110(1), 92-100.
Fortinash, K. M., & Holoday Worret, P. A. (Eds.). (2012). Substance-related disorders and addictive behaviors. Psychiatric mental health nursing (5th ed., pp. 319-362). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
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.
Predictors of Treatment Outcome in a Drug Court Program. American Journal Of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 31(4), 641-656.
Many of the problems associated with early sobriety do not stem directly from psychoactive substances. Instead they are associated with physical and psychological changes that occur after the substances have left the body. When a person regularly uses psychoactive drugs, the brain undergoes physical changes to cope with the presence of drugs in the body. When the drugs are removed from the body, the brain craves the drugs that it has become accustomed to and as the brain attempts to rebalance itself without the presence of psychoactive drugs the person often experiences feelings of confusion, pain, and discomfort. The symptoms that are experienced immediately after stopping drug use are called acute withdrawal. But often the symptoms do not stop at acute withdrawal. After the body makes initial adjustments to the absence of drugs, the changes that have occurred in the brain still need time to revert back to their original state. During this period, a variety of symptoms known as Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) begin to occur. In the book Uppers, Downers, All Arounders, published by CNS Productions, authors Darryl Inaba and William Cohen define PAWS as “a group of emotional and physical symptoms that appear after major withdrawal symptoms have abated” (Inaba & Cohen, 2011).
Canada, H. (2009, December 16). Best Practices- Concurrent Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders. Retrieved from Intergrated Treatment: www.hc-sc.gc.ca
MacMaster, S. (2004). Harm reduction: a new perspective on substance abuse services. Social Work, 49(3), 356-63. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2055/docview/215270642/fulltext?accountid=7113
Smyth, N. (1994). Addictions counseling: a practical guide to counseling people with chemical and other addictions/The addiction process: effective social work approaches/Clinical work with substance-abusing clients (book). Social Work, 39(5), 616.
Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2008). Foundations of addictions counseling. Boston, M.A: Pearson Education.
Silverman, K., Roll, J., & Higgins, S. (2008). Introduction to the Special Issue on the Behavior Analysis and Treatment of Drug Addiction. Journal of Applied behavior Analysis, 41(4), 471-480. Retrieved June 12, 2011, from the proquest.com.navigator-ship.passhe.edu database.
...row WE, Rae DS, Manderscheid RW, Locke BZ, Goodwin FK. The de facto US mental and addictive disorders service system. Epidemiologic catchment area prospective 1-year prevalence rates of disorders and services. Archives of General Psychiatry. 1993 Feb;50(2):85-94.
Changing Substance Use: What We Know And What We Need To Know." Annals Of Behavioral Medicine 37.2 (2009): 117-125. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Nov. 2011.
Research studies have shown that a comprehensive aftercare program can substantially increase a client’s chances of success in recovery.
Substance abuse complicates almost every aspect of care for the person with a mental disorder. When drugs enter the brain, they can interrupt the work and actually change how the brain performs its jobs; these changes are what lead to compulsive drug use. Drug abuse plays a major role when concerning mental health. It is very difficult for these individuals to engage in treatment. Diagnosis for a treatment is difficult because it takes time to disengage the interacting effects of substance abuse and the mental illness. It may also be difficult for substance abusers to be accommodated at home and it may not be tolerated in the community of residents of rehabilitation programs. The author states, that they end up losing their support systems and suffer frequent relapses and hospitalizations (Agnes B. Hatfield, 1993).
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Office of Applied Studies). Treatment Episode Data Set(TEDS): Highlights-2003. National Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services, Rockville, MD: Department of Health and Human Services, 2003.
There are many addictions in the world, and drug addiction is the biggest. People may experiment with the drug for many reasons. “If your drug use is causing problems in your life, then you likely have a drug abuse or addiction problem”.(Lawrence Robinson pg.1) Many people start out using drugs by peer pressure or out of their own curiosity. Stress, anxiety, lows self-esteem and depression could be another factor to start using drugs. The drug takes over your body and gives you a good feeling that many people tend to enjoy. The urge to use the drug can keep increasing rapidly after the first use. The urge can become so severe that your mind can find many other ways to deny the factor of addiction. Very few drug addicts can feel and realize when they have crossed the line with drugs. A drug addicts mind can build up a very large tolerance for the drug that they start to abandon the activities they used to do on a daily basis like showering, hobbies, socializing and even being associated with family members. The person with the addiction will continue to use the drug knowing that it is harming there body, but they don’t have any remorse. A drug addict will often try to hide their problem, so they can continue to use without anyone’s input. Family and friends may try to use preaching methods or tell the user that they need to stop using the drug. This method is not ...