August 2007 Blog Posts (5)

⋅ Any activity, substance, object, or behavior that has become the major focus of a person's life to the exclusion of other activities, or that has begun to harm the individual or others physically, mentally, or socially is considered an addictive behavior.


⋅ There is similar impact on the family between physical addiction to various chemicals in drugs and alcohol, and psychological dependence to behaviors including: gambling, sex, work, and eating disorders.
o These behavio… Continue

Outpatient Care


⋄ Techniques vary by clinician but typically include :
o cognitive-behavioral therapy
o problem-solving groups
⋄ Low success rate with heavily addicted individuals.
⋄ Moderate addicts may find that this level of treatment is enough to end their drug abuse problems.



12 Step Programs


⋄ Clients attend meetings.
⋄ Preferable after or in conjunction with some other form of drug treatment
⋄ There is the belief… Continue

⋄ Chronic substance abusers tend to be isolated from their families after a long period of damaging relationships.
⋄ Substance abuse affects more than the immediate family.
⋄ Extended family members often report feeling abandoned, embarrassed by, ashamed of, and withdrawn from the substance abusing family member, often choosing to break relational ties.
⋄ Different family structures in which abuse affects the family relationship:
o Client who lives alone or with a partner.
… Continue

Step #1: Listen
- Establish therapeutic relationship.
- Identify precipitating problems.
- Explore emotions.


Step #2: Assessment
- Determine the severity of the crisis.
- Assess potential lethality or physical harm to the person or others.
- Identify past coping skills, strengths and supportive resources.
- Suicide/Homicide assessment
- Determine client’s perception of reality.
- Discuss cultural beliefs about handling trauma.
- Find ou… Continue

Risk factors for Victimization

o Being female
o Young age
o Being a minority
o Drug and alcohol use
o High-risk sexual behavior
o Exposure to victimization as a child
o Low education level
o Unemployment
o Low SES
o Little or no support system
o Low self esteem
o Adolescence or developmental transition period
o Having a verbally abusive, jealous, or possessive partner
o Couples with income, educational, or job status disparities… Continue