There are three myths about alcohol treatment, according to some of the foremost researchers in the area, led by psychologist William R. Miller (Handbook of Alcoholism Treatment Approaches: Effective Alternatives, 3rd edition, edited by Hester & Miller, published in 2003 by Allyn & Bacon). The first myth, and possibly the worst, is that there is one and only one effective approach to addiction recovery. If you are seeking treatment and a facility tells you a version of this myth, it would be better to look elsewhere for help. Alcohol treatment research, and addiction treatment research generally, shows there is no single approach that is best for all individuals. Many Paths to Addiction Recovery The first principle of the 12 Guiding Principles adopted by SAMHSA’s Center for Su...

Addiction recovery requires accomplishing several tasks, including: Build and maintain motivation Connect with others Identify and develop alternative coping methods Reduce resentment about changing Identify, understand and cope with craving Build a new, balanced life Lead a life that is purposeful, meaningful, and happy Stay alert for problems and follow through all the way Making Continued Progress To accomplish these tasks, you will need to make MANY decisions along the way. However, your judgment about your addictive behavior(s) has not been good. How could you trust yourself after addiction to make decisions about recovery? You could put yourself in the hands of others (AA, a therapist, your higher power, etc.).  However, many are not willing to...

Within hours of Michael Jackson’s overdose, many asked, could an “intervention” have saved him, by persuading him to seek alcohol and drug rehab? Because it came out in the press that Jackson had actually experienced two interventions, the immediate answer to this question would appear to be that intervention was not helpful, at least to Jackson. But let us imagine what might have happened at these interventions, to understand more about intervention itself. What is an Addiction Intervention? The ‘Johnson Intervention’ is an organized confrontation in which the person with an addiction is misled into showing up somewhere (often by being told a lie), and then “ambushed” by as many significant others as can be recruited. Each person recites a prepared and rehearsed list of concerns and ...

Working Definition of Recovery: Recovery from alcohol and drug problems is a process of change through which an individual achieves abstinence and improved health, wellness, and quality of life. Guiding Principles of Recovery: There are many pathways to recovery:  Individuals are unique, with specific needs, strengths, goals, health attitudes, behaviors, and expectations for recovery.  Pathways to recovery are highly personal, and generally involve a redefinition of identity in the face of crisis or a process of progressive change.  Furthermore, pathways are often social, grounded in cultural beliefs or traditions, and involve informal community resources, which provide support for sobriety.  The pathway to recovery may include one or more episodes of psychosocial and/or pharmacologi...

Perception vs. Reality Generalities about people tend to be either trite or misleading.  To risk one anyway, I have acquired the impression that all the people I have worked with, in addiction treatment for severe and persistent drug use, regard the drug (or drugs) as their most dependable and effective source of soothing (calming, relaxing, good feeling, etc.). Let us call such individuals “drug abusers.”  I use the term “drug abuser” in quotes because I do not want to make a caricature of a real person.  In other words, for a “drug abuser,” other people are regarded and experienced as relatively useless for emotional survival in the world (even the person’s partner, if there is one). The “drug abuser” is not choosing the drug over the partner in the sense of a competition in which ei...

Yes, but…let’s discuss how drugs and alcohol can actually have a beneficial effect on your social life (or at least appear to). In the second section let’s discuss why drug and alcohol use can still be a bad idea for you. How Drinking and Drugging Can Help Your Social Life One of the most frequent reasons people use drugs, and especially alcohol, is to improve their social ability, either in social groups or on dates: "I didn't know how to enjoy myself with others unless I did this.  And I could go on a date more easily." Related to this benefit of using is the possibility of overcoming social awkwardness: "When I did this I didn't feel insecure, bashful, shy, ill at ease, inadequate, or left out." You may also be interested in: Self-Confidence vs. Self-Esteem Perhaps you don’t ...

Why We Cope: No one complains about feeling happy! But we don’t want to have other, painful feelings. When these feelings arise, one way to respond to them is to drink or drug. One set of painful feelings can be broadly labeled fear or anxiety: ”Drugs and/or alcohol helped me cope with feelings like anxiety, tension, fear, stress, agitation, nervousness, vulnerability, intimidation, embarrassment, and panic.” Other painful feelings center around sadness and depression: ”They helped me cope with feelings like depression, sadness, hurt, discouragement, grief, feeling defeated, feeling deprived or feeling abandoned.” There are many other painful feelings as well: a) frustration, resentment, anger, annoyance, irritability, and rage b) feeling remorseful, ashamed, guilty, responsible, ...

Denial is one aspect of resistance to change. In regards to addiction, it involves denying or minimizing the existence or seriousness of addiction problems. Unfortunately, within the field of traditional (12-step) addiction treatment, the belief is that “addiction is a disease and denial is its symptom.” From the traditional perspective, it is also believed that “alcoholics and addicts” exhibit denial as a rather permanent “character trait.” It requires strong and direct confrontation, and sometimes other extreme measures, to blast through denial. Based on this traditional perspective individuals with addictions are sometimes treated in cruel or disrespectful ways, which would never be considered with any other clients or patients. Is Denial a Symptom of Addiction? However, denial as ...

How Does Addiction Develop? Addiction develops when desire goes unchecked. Desire is a fundamental aspect of human life, and learning to manage desire is part of normal human development. Overcoming addiction is a special case of managing desire. Overcoming addiction is managing desire ‘writ large.’ You might also be interested in: Drugs Don't Cause Addiction Satisfying Desires I leave out of this discussion some Eastern approaches to living, in which the goal of proper living is the elimination of desire. In Western tradition, life is about satisfying desire. Some desires have their own names: hunger, thirst, greed, lust. Otherwise, we speak of desiring (seeking, wanting, wishing for) various objects and situations in our lives. We feel these desires with varying degrees of intensi...

What is Addiction? Let’s define addiction as repeated involvement with anything, despite excessive costs, because of craving.  That sounds similar to habit, which is also repeated involvement with something. What are the differences and similarities between addiction and habit? Let’s start with some examples of what appears to be an addiction. A college freshman ends up in the emergency room after his first binge but is not repeatedly involved with alcohol (although he may soon be). A medical patient on opiates for pain control does not crave the next injection for the "high," but simply wants pain relief. A low stakes poker player has minor losses, but the pleasure of gambling in this manner, for this individual, outweighs the cost. This last example illustrates how addiction is hi...