Substance Use Disorder Solution

Substance Use Disorder Solution

Substance use disorders can be categorized into two: substance abuse and substance dependence. During diagnosis, an individual should specify whether they are trying to recover from abuse or dependence. Use of substance disorder refers to the use of a given substance for more than 12 months that has resulted in complications and symptoms (McKay, 2009). Commonly abused substances include alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, cocaine, and sedatives. Substance dependence is considered to be of more severe effects than substance abuse.

Abstract.

Substance abuse treatment is key to enabling a victim to recover from abuse and dependency on any given substance. With the increased pressure of life in the current generation, people resort to the abuse of substances and find it difficult to recover. They again find it difficult to slot some time in their daily schedule to seek assistance for recovery (Wilens, 2003). This has resulted in most of them entering into dangerous territory where they will find it even more difficult to recover.

Some people abstain from the use of the substance without taking the necessary steps to ensure that they completely recover from the abuse. This is dangerous because such people will again find themselves using the drug once they are confronted with the issue that resulted in them using the said substance. People should know that recovery involves more than just abstaining from the use of a substance. Addiction has the inner roots, and therefore, the key issues that resulted in the use of the substance must be addressed.

Background

Addiction is a treatable disorder that requires the effort of the victim and the recovery coach. There are research-based methods that can help victims to stop using drugs and resume their productive, happy lives. Although the treatment of these conditions is not a permanent cure, it enables individuals to regain control over their lives and counteract the impact of substance abuse on their brains (Ouimette, 2003).

Challenges in recovery.

1. Developing a new lifestyle.

Recovery is not simply stopping the use of the substance. One has to develop new habits that will enable them to manage their recovery. Developing new strategies is both time-consuming and challenging (Schäfer &Najavits, 2007). The victim must put in full effort in ensuring that they adapt to the new strategies.

2. Addressing trauma without alcohol.

Many people abuse substances as a way of dealing with trauma. After recovery, they are expected to face their fears without hiding behind drugs. This can be very difficult and requires more effort and commitment from the victim to achieve.

3. Building new relationships.

During recovery, a victim needs a social network that will provide them with support during recovery. This includes love, friendship, and a good working environment. This can be challenging given that the victim might have hurt some of these individuals while they were under the influence of the substance.

4. Boredom

The recovery procedure involves daily structured activities. After recovery, the individual gets home and may find themselves dealing with boredom because there is no clear structure of the activities to engage in. This may lead to the victims getting back to the old ways of substance abuse. People can avoid this by enrolling into interesting groups that will keep them busy all the time.

5. Relapse

This is one of the greatest challenges during recovery. It is not easy for victims to struggle with cravings, stress, and anxiety. The victim is constantly threatened to get back to the use of the substance to avoid the above-mentioned struggles. The rehabs are, however, designed to help the victim deal with the encounters. They are, however, required to put in more effort and remain firm in their path to recovery.

Methodology

There are various options for recovering from substance abuse. These options include natural recovery, spiritual, social, psychological, and biological recovery. The severity of the problem determines how fast one moves through these actions. There are four main factors contributing to recovery; these include humility, motivation, persistent effort, and the restoration of the meaning and the purpose of life. With these ingredients, one can easily catch their way to recovery.

1. Prepare your mind for long-term persistent effort (marathon, not a sprint)

Like any other problem in life, recovery will need one to put in a persistent effort for an extended period. Do not expect it to take a short period because this involves mind conditioning. For the first 90 days, keeping up with the change in habit will be very key, followed by one year. During this period, one should remain focused. Giving up at this time will lead to tragic failure.

2. Define the scope of your recovery

One must define all the problems that they are dealing with. At this point, the victim must determine whether they are working on addiction problems alone or whether there are other life problems that they need to work on. A clear definition will enable the victim to determine the amount of effort needed for recovery. All the problems must be worked on at the same time as leaving one unsolved may result in the recurrence of the other.

3. Have a clear beginning plan.

At this stage, identify small easy to accomplish steps that you need to start with. Reflect on the progress you make on a daily basis to see whether you are progressing or not. Identify the reasons why you are not progressing and work on them. Revise the goals set from time to time assessing what is achievable and what is not.

4. Keep a record of your progress.

Record everything that contributes to your recovery and the indications of your recovery. This could include the records of how much and how often you abuse the substance. The number of days and hours you spent with your family, and any charity activity you are engaged in to indicate progress. Keep this record for at least 90 days.

5. Expect difficulty during recovery.

Craving and irritability are persistent over this period, making it difficult. One has to consistently remind themselves that it will soon be over. This reminder will enable one to persevere through the difficulties experienced at this time. It is important that one keeps a calendar indicating each day they have made it towards recovery. For most individuals, the recovery period is 90 days. One can keep a calendar and mark each day they cover as they approach a 90-day mark.

6. Regularly remind yourself of why you started this process.

Keeping in mind the intention of the progress will keep the victim motivated towards recovery. The victim will not give up if they clearly know the reasons why they are working towards recovery. These goals must be recorded and reviewed from time to time, reminding the victim of their intentions.

7. Keep in mind the facts about cravings.

The three fundamental facts about cravings include; cravings are time limited, they never harm; they can never force you to use the substance. It is important for the victim to know that although cravings may increase in the first few weeks, they will eventually go away. The victim will be motivated by this fact and keep up with the recovery process despite the difficulties they experience. During this period, the victim should find something to occupy their mind to avoid thinking about the substance.

8. Get anonymous assistance if needed.

The victim may feel like they want to get some help without revealing their identity. They may get this by visiting websites or online experts to guide them. There are websites with anonymous discussions, comments, and message sections. The victim may make use of such sites to get private help from experts and share their experience with those who have gone through the process.

9. Find a more healthy way of rewarding yourself.

Some people use the substance as a way of rewarding themselves. Such individuals should find a more healthy way of rewarding themselves. This could be through great pleasures of life, love, and meaningful work (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2005). Using most of the time in love and doing satisfying work will not allow the victim to think about substance.

Visiting a recovery agency.

There are several agencies that assist an individual in substance disorder recovery. They include the True North Recovery Services and A Better Today Recovery Service. A Better Today Recovery Services helps alcohol addicts recover from the abuse. They provide both inpatient and outpatient recovery services. They can be contacted at 1-602-385-2287. True North Recovery Services provides mainly outpatient recovery plans with additional help after recovery. They can be contacted at (760) 230-0779.

Conclusion

Substance use disorder is a widespread problem that is affecting most people in this fast-paced generation. A successful recovery plan must address the key addiction issues and not just the addictive behavior. Recovery requires dedicated input from the victim (Zlotnick, 2003). They have to keep in mind that the recovery process is not easy. Getting an expert’s assistance fastens the recovery process and enables the victims to resume productive lives.

References

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2005). Substance abuse treatment for persons with co-occurring disorders.

McKay, J. R. (2009). Treating substance use disorders with adaptive continuing care. American Psychological Association.

Ouimette, P. E., & Brown, P. J. (2003). Trauma and substance abuse: Causes, consequences, and treatment of comorbid disorders. American Psychological Association.

Schäfer, I., & Najavits, L. M. (2007). Clinical challenges in the treatment of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 20(6), 614-618.

Wilens, T. E., Faraone, S. V., Biederman, J., & Gunawardene, S. (2003). Does stimulant therapy of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder beget later substance abuse? A meta-analytic review of the literature. Pediatrics, 111(1), 179-185.

Zlotnick, C., Najavits, L. M., Rohsenow, D. J., & Johnson, D. M. (2003). A cognitive-behavioral treatment for incarcerated women with substance abuse disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder: Findings from a pilot study. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 25(2), 99-105.

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In 4-6 pages, describe your action plan for dealing with your Lot in Life. As part of your solution, you should explain how your research on the topic has guided your plan of action. Contact at least two local community agencies (not just Web sites) that can help provide information, training, or support for the problem. Include specifics on how to contact the agency, what services they have available, and how much these services cost. If you include WWW sources for your background research on this topic, review the guidelines about evaluating Web sources given earlier.
Describe any obstacles or challenges that may prevent your plan of action from being successful.
Conclude your paper with a reflection on why you chose this particular Lot in Life to study and how your research on the topic has influenced your views of parenting.