Posts Tagged ‘relapse prevention’
Question by ebizartistry: For substance abuse counselors…Question about your profession.?
What are some of the ethical issues in your profession of dealing and working with involuntary clients? Complete explanations are most desired as I am doing some research on issues in your profession. Thanks!
Best answer:
Answer by michele
One major problem with involuntary/court-ordered clients involves the issue of informed consent. If a client is compelled to attend treatment, “informed consent” becomes a moot point. Theoretically (and ethically) this shouldn’t happen. When treatment is not voluntary, informed consent becomes an incredibly sticky area.
Another issue with court-ordered clients involves the definition of WHO , precisely, is the client. Oftentimes, it is not the person receiving services who is actually paying for it. In the eyes of some therapists, that makes the payor (i.e., the state, the prison system, department of children’s services, etc) the “client”, and puts the therapist squarely in a CONSULTANT role.
Confidentiality (or lack thereof) represents yet another ethical dilemma with court-ordered clients. If is often the case that reports must be made to the state (or the agency compelling the person to be in treatment) regarding treatment progress, etc. In voluntary situations, this information could only be revealed IF the client signs a release form. In the case of involuntary clients, some therapists believe that such reports constitute a (required) confidentiality breach.
Finally, the bottom line, is that many non-voluntary clients do not want to be in therapy. Many will refuse to actively participate in therapy. Therefore, in many cases, precious little therapeutic progress will be made. This nets yet another ethical quandary, in that psychologists are ethically bound to discontinue treatment with clients who are clearly not making progress in therapy.
Best of luck in your research,
~M~
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Approaches You Don't Know About for Helping Someone With Substance Abuse
As a psychologist working in the field of substance abuse treatment, I am in direct contact with families every day with a full range of serious problems. I know that substance abuse problems vary in terms of severity, fright and heartbreak, and yet I …
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Mindfulness Therapy May Help Prevent Substance–Abuse Relapse in Long Term
They found that cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention (RP) and mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) are both effective aftercare interventions following substance abuse treatment, but that the latter may have a more enduring effect. The study …
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Drug abuse treatment clinic asked to close doors
"The clinic is in violation of zoning ordinance because it's a substance abuse clinic," Phillips said. "Those clinics are only allowed in the M-1 zone, which is light industrial but the location of the clinic is in the B-3 arterial business district …
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Question by James R: What are the best medications currently available to treat PTSD?
Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. And why are the medicatiosn you selected effective at treating it? Please, serious, informed answers only. Thanks everyone. Best answer gets 10 points.
Best answer:
Answer by bmac
There are a lot of treatment options. Some medication (it is an anxiety disorder) so some SSRI antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can be helpful. But most helpful is intense therapy/counseling. PTSD survivors have to work THROUGH the trauma. Medication alone won’t help much.
Answer by you_me_us16
Treatment of PTSD
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet
This fact sheet describes elements common to many treatment modalities for PTSD, including education, exposure, exploration of feelings and beliefs, and coping-skills training. Additionally, the most common treatment modalities are discussed, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, EMDR, group treatment, and psychodynamic treatment.
Common Components of PTSD Treatment
Treatment for PTSD typically begins with a detailed evaluation and the development of a treatment plan that meets the unique needs of the survivor. Generally, PTSD-specific treatment is begun only after the survivor has been safely removed from a crisis situation. If a survivor is still being exposed to trauma (such as ongoing domestic or community violence, abuse, or homelessness), is severely depressed or suicidal, is experiencing extreme panic or disorganized thinking, or is in need of drug or alcohol detoxification, it is important to address these crisis problems as a part of the first phase of treatment.
It is important that the first phase of treatment include educating trauma survivors and their families about how persons get PTSD, how PTSD affects survivors and their loved ones, and other problems that commonly come along with PTSD symptoms. Understanding that PTSD is a medically recognized anxiety disorder that occurs in normal individuals under extremely stressful conditions is essential for effective treatment.
Exposure to the event via imagery allows the survivor to re-experience the event in a safe, controlled environment, while also carefully examining his or her reactions and beliefs in relation to that event.
One aspect of the first treatment phase is to have the survivor examine and resolve strong feelings such as anger, shame, or guilt, which are common among survivors of trauma.
Another step in the first phase is to teach the survivor to cope with posttraumatic memories, reminders, reactions, and feelings without becoming overwhelmed or emotionally numb. Trauma memories usually do not go away entirely as a result of therapy but become manageable with the mastery of new coping skills.
Therapeutic Approaches Commonly Used to Treat PTSD:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) involves working with cognitions to change emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Exposure therapy is one form of CBT that is unique to trauma treatment. It uses careful, repeated, detailed imagining of the trauma (exposure) in a safe, controlled context to help the survivor face and gain control of the fear and distress that was overwhelming during the trauma. In some cases, trauma memories or reminders can be confronted all at once (“flooding”). For other individuals or traumas, it is preferable to work up to the most severe trauma gradually by using relaxation techniques and by starting with less upsetting life stresses or by taking the trauma one piece at a time (“desensitization”).
Along with exposure, CBT for trauma includes:
· learning skills for coping with anxiety (such as breathing retraining or biofeedback) and negative thoughts (“cognitive restructuring”),
· managing anger,
· preparing for stress reactions (“stress inoculation”),
· handling future trauma symptoms,
· addressing urges to use alcohol or drugs when trauma symptoms occur (“relapse prevention”), and
· communicating and relating effectively with people (social skills or marital therapy).
Pharmacotherapy (medication) can reduce the anxiety, depression, and insomnia often experienced with PTSD, and in some cases, it may help relieve the distress and emotional numbness caused by trauma memories. Several kinds of antidepressant drugs have contributed to patient improvement in most (but not all) clinical trials, and some other classes of drugs have shown promise. At this time, no particular drug has emerged as a definitive treatment for PTSD. However, medication is clearly useful for symptom relief, which makes it possible for survivors to participate in psychotherapy.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a relatively new treatment for traumatic memories that involves elements of exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with techniques (eye movements, hand taps, sounds) that create an alternation of attention back and forth across the person’s midline. While the theory and research are still evolving for this form of treatment, there is some evidence that the therapeutic element unique to EMDR, attentional alternation, may facilitate the accessing and processing of traumatic material.
Group treatment is often an ideal therapeutic setting because trauma survivors are able to share traumatic material within the safety, cohesion, and empathy provided by other survivors. As group members achieve greater understanding and resolution of their trauma, they often feel more confident and able to trust. As they discuss and share how they cope with trauma-related shame, guilt, rage, fear, doubt, and self-condemnation, they prepare themselves to focus on the present rather than the past. Telling one’s story (the “trauma narrative”) and directly facing the grief, anxiety, and guilt related to trauma enables many survivors to cope with their symptoms, memories, and other aspects of their lives.
Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy focuses on the emotional conflicts caused by the traumatic event, particularly as they relate to early life experiences. Through the retelling of the traumatic event to a calm, empathic, compassionate, and nonjudgmental therapist, the survivor achieves a greater sense of self-esteem, develops effective ways of thinking and coping, and learns to deal more successfully with intense emotions. The therapist helps the survivor identify current life situations that set off traumatic memories and worsen PTSD symptoms.
Psychiatric disorders that commonly co-occur with PTSD
Psychiatric disorders that commonly co-occur with PTSD include depression, alcohol/substance abuse, panic disorder, and other anxiety disorders. Although crises that threaten the safety of the survivor or others must be addressed first, the best treatment results are achieved when both PTSD and the other disorder(s) are treated together rather than one after the other. This is especially true for PTSD and alcohol/substance abuse.
Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD (sometimes called “Disorder of Extreme Stress”) is found among individuals who have been exposed to prolonged traumatic circumstances, especially during childhood, such as childhood sexual abuse. Developmental research is revealing that many brain and hormonal changes may occur as a result of early, prolonged trauma, and these changes contribute to difficulties with memory, learning, and regulating impulses and emotions. Combined with a disruptive, abusive home environment that does not foster healthy interaction, these brain and hormonal changes may contribute to severe behavioral difficulties (such as impulsivity, aggression, sexual acting out, eating disorders, alcohol/drug abuse, and self-destructive actions), emotional regulation difficulties (such as intense rage, depression, or panic), and mental difficulties (such as extremely scattered thoughts, dissociation, and amnesia). As adults, these individuals often are diagnosed with depressive disorders, personality disorders, or dissociative disorders. Treatment often takes much longer than with regular PTSD, may progress at a much slower rate, and requires a sensitive and structured treatment program delivered by a trauma specialist.
Janneke Sobeck: Death and denial: substance abuse in Winona
The Winona County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) is a coalition in its infancy, seeking widespread representation from various sectors of our community. Our alliance objectives are to prevent substance abuse among our youth and build …
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Politicians, community members discuss heroin problem in Hudson
There was also discussion about more education and prevention programs in schools and efforts being made through the St. Croix County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition to bring communities together to prevent substance abuse locally. For more …
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TINA GUMMERSON: Drug prevention is working
The point is drug prevention IS working. There has been an overall downward trend in alcohol and other drug use nationwide since the early '90s. However, there are still too many people using drugs and too many public health and safety problems in our …
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Relapse Prevention for Stimulant Abuse And Addiction – http://drugrehabcenter.com – Relapse Prevention for Stimulant Abuse And Addiction – Take the first step toward drug or alcohol rehabilitation and call our Toll Free Recovery Hotline at 1-800-303-29…
Relapse Prevention Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction – http://drugrehabcenter.com – Relapse Prevention Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction – Call our Toll-Free Recovery Hotline at 1-800-839-1682 and discover th…
Lunesta Addiction and Lunesta Abuse – http://drugrehabcenter.com – Lunesta Addiction and Lunesta Abuse – We can help you discover the best drug abuse and addiction treatment options for you – cal…
National Addictions Awareness Week – 50% of people who abuse drugs also …
20, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ – During National Addictions Awareness Week, which runs from November 18 to 24, Portage is seeking to raise awareness about the co-occurrence of mental health problems and substance abuse, a problem that has grown on a …
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The Addiction Puzzle, Part 2: Could ADHD Meds Promote Future Cocaine Use?
Most researchers don't think ADHD medications are the culprit, but Kathleen Kantak has a different idea, and it's based on at least five years of research made possible through funding of $ 2.25 million from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The …
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Olivia Newton-John's daughter battled anorexia and drug addiction
Olivia Newton-John's daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, suffered from anorexia for many years, but has recovered from the eating disorder, thanks to rehab, therapy and medication, ABC News reported Nov. 18. “My eating disorder started when I was 15 and carried …
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Relapse Prevention Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction – http://drugrehabcenter.com – Relapse Prevention Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction – Call our Toll-Free Recovery Hotline at 1-800-839-1682 and discover th…
Actiq Withdrawal and Actiq Detox – http://TreatmentCentersDirectory.com Actiq Withdrawal & Actiq Detox – Call 800-839-1682 for immediate live support. You can call our toll-free hotline 24/7 a…
What punishment for drug addicts in Hungary?
Since July 2013, Hungary has a new Penal Code that will significantly tighten penalties for drug-related crimes. While several civil and professional organisations have supported decriminalisation of drug use for many years – they don't wish to punish …
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That Other Big Afghan Crisis, the Growing Army of Addicts
The number of drug users in Afghanistan is estimated to be as high as 1.6 million, or about 5.3 percent of the population, among the highest rates in the world. Nationwide, one in 10 urban households has at least one drug user, according to a recent …
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LUADA Wants Support Against Drugs Abuse
A local anti-drug organization, Liberians United Against Drug Abuse or LUADA, is calling on the government here to increase financial and logistical support to the Drug Enforcement Agency, relevant security apparatus as well as anti-drug institutions …
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Dogs in Berlin are overdosing on drug addicts' feces
Berlin's dogs are being poisoned by the feces of drug addicts, according to a report from Germany's Tagesspiegel newspaper. Veterinarians tell the paper they've seen increased poisoning cases involving dogs that had eaten human waste, with many …
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Help for Russia's drug addicts
Andrei, a former drug addict who cooks for the rest of the patients in treatment for drug addiction at City Without Drugs, works in the kitchen in Yekaterinburg, Russia, Oct. 16, 2013. Nine boys, many of whom were either experimenting with drugs or had …
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Relapse Prevention Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction – http://drugrehabcenter.com – Relapse Prevention Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction – Call our Toll-Free Recovery Hotline at 1-800-839-1682 and discover th…