I.I.

A.A. An Addiction isAn Addiction is a physiological or a physiological or psychological dependence on a psychological dependence on a substance or activity.substance or activity.

1. Physiological dependence means1. Physiological dependence means the body has gotten used to the drug the body has gotten used to the drug and needs the chemical just to and needs the chemical just to function.function.

2. Psychological dependence 2. Psychological dependence means means the person has come to depend on the the person has come to depend on the feeling received from the drug.feeling received from the drug.

B. Since 1956, the American Medical B. Since 1956, the American Medical Association has considered Association has considered alcoholism and drug dependence alcoholism and drug dependence each to have three properties.each to have three properties.

1. Chronic, or 1. Chronic, or Ongoing.Ongoing.

2. Progressive, or worsening over 2. Progressive, or worsening over timetime

3. Potentially fatal, or ending in 3. Potentially fatal, or ending in deathdeath

II.II. Addiction is a process, or Addiction is a process, or a series of a series of gradual changes that happen over gradual changes that happen over time.time.

A.A. The downward slide to addiction may The downward slide to addiction may contain any or all of a number of contain any or all of a number of steps, each with its own signs. steps, each with its own signs.

1. First use/occasional use1. First use/occasional use

a. Takes first drink or other druga. Takes first drink or other drug

b. b. Likes the way it feels and Likes the way it feels and reduces stressreduces stress

c.c. Uses the drug in social Uses the drug in social settingssettings

2. 2. Occasional trouble with drugsOccasional trouble with drugs

a. Shows mood swings or a. Shows mood swings or personality changespersonality changes

b. b. Has greater tolerance than Has greater tolerance than othersothers

c. c. May cry, get violent, or May cry, get violent, or engage in high-risk behaviorsengage in high-risk behaviors

d. d. May have blackoutsMay have blackouts

3. 3. Regular use of drugRegular use of drug

a. a. Tolerance increases; needs Tolerance increases; needs more of the drug more oftenmore of the drug more often

b. b. Tries to control drug use but Tries to control drug use but cannotcannot

C. C. Feels guilty after bingesFeels guilty after binges

d. d. Hangs out with others who drink or use Hangs out with others who drink or use drugsdrugs

e. e. Denies the problem; gets angry Denies the problem; gets angry with others who see a problemwith others who see a problem

4.4. Multiple drug useMultiple drug use

a. a. May combine or switch drugsMay combine or switch drugs

b. b. May become cross-addicted, or May become cross-addicted, or hooked on several kinds of drugshooked on several kinds of drugs

5. Increasing dependency5. Increasing dependency

a. a. Needs drugs just to function.Needs drugs just to function.

b. b. Drugs no longer has the same effect; Drugs no longer has the same effect; needs drug to stop shaking and feeling needs drug to stop shaking and feeling sicksick

c. c. Loses interest in everything except Loses interest in everything except drugdrug

6. 6. Total dependencyTotal dependency

a. a. Suffers a major lossSuffers a major loss

b. b. Feels physically and emotionally Feels physically and emotionally defeateddefeated

1.1.What are the first steps in What are the first steps in recovery? recovery? Recognizing that Recognizing that there’s a problem with the drug there’s a problem with the drug and making the decision to give and making the decision to give it up.it up.

2.2.What is detoxification? What is detoxification? Removing the drugs from the Removing the drugs from the bodybody

3.3.Why do people in recovery speak Why do people in recovery speak of themselves as recovering of themselves as recovering rather than recovered?rather than recovered?

Because the recovery process is Because the recovery process is ongoing; the biochemical and ongoing; the biochemical and perhaps genetic conditions that perhaps genetic conditions that first set the person up for first set the person up for addiction remain in his or her addiction remain in his or her body and brain whether or not body and brain whether or not the person uses the drug.the person uses the drug.

4.4.Why is the use of even small Why is the use of even small amounts of alcohol or other amounts of alcohol or other drugs by the recovering addict drugs by the recovering addict considered a relapse?considered a relapse?

Because even the slightest Because even the slightest amount of the drug can send the amount of the drug can send the person back into addiction.person back into addiction.

5. Name eight milestones that 5. Name eight milestones that might occur in the life of a might occur in the life of a recovering addict, in order of recovering addict, in order of occurrence.occurrence.

Answers Vary. Possibilities are: Answers Vary. Possibilities are: Decides to get help, has Decides to get help, has evaluation, detoxes, educates evaluation, detoxes, educates oneself, learns about disease, oneself, learns about disease, helps others.helps others.

6. 6. Name four individuals an Name four individuals an addict might turn to as a addict might turn to as a means of starting on the road means of starting on the road to recovery.to recovery.

Answers Vary. Possibilities are: Answers Vary. Possibilities are: Parent, teacher, counselor, Parent, teacher, counselor, peer counselor, or peer counselor, or administrator.administrator.

7. What is a support group? 7. What is a support group? Name one support group to Name one support group to which a person with an which a person with an addiction to alcohol might addiction to alcohol might turn.turn.

A group of people who share a A group of people who share a common problem and work common problem and work together to help one another and together to help one another and themselves cope with and themselves cope with and recover from a problem. recover from a problem. Alcoholics Anonymous.Alcoholics Anonymous.

8.8. Identify the time frame for Identify the time frame for treatment and benefits offered treatment and benefits offered by each of the following centers.by each of the following centers.

Detox Unit:Detox Unit:

Usually 3 to 7 days; person Usually 3 to 7 days; person may be given medication may be given medication to ease withdrawal.to ease withdrawal.

Inpatient Treatment CenterInpatient Treatment Center

Usually a month or more; Usually a month or more; detox, education, detox, education, counseling, and support counseling, and support groups.groups.

Outpatient Treatment CenterOutpatient Treatment Center

Usually a few hours a day Usually a few hours a day over a long period; permits over a long period; permits the person to live at home the person to live at home and go to work or school and go to work or school while getting regular while getting regular counseling.counseling.

Continuing Care ProgramContinuing Care Program

Long term program of follow-Long term program of follow-up, which may involve up, which may involve individual and family individual and family counseling.counseling.

Halfway HouseHalfway House

Six months to a year; offers Six months to a year; offers coping and living skills, coping and living skills, counseling, and support counseling, and support meetings.meetings.

Codependency meansCodependency means

Being overly concerned with Being overly concerned with other people’s behavior and other people’s behavior and problems and feeling driven problems and feeling driven to fix and control those to fix and control those problems.problems.

A.A.Codependents share many Codependents share many traits in common, includingtraits in common, including

1.1.Feeling like they have to Feeling like they have to fix other peoples problems.fix other peoples problems.

2.2.Feeling lost, bored, or bad Feeling lost, bored, or bad about themselves when about themselves when they are not rescuing they are not rescuing someonesomeone

3. Feeling responsible for other 3. Feeling responsible for other peoples feelings, actions, and peoples feelings, actions, and happiness.happiness.

4.4.Having difficulty having fun, Having difficulty having fun, relaxing, and taking care of relaxing, and taking care of themselves.themselves.

5.5. Not meeting their own needs Not meeting their own needs and may not know what these and may not know what these are.are.

B.B.Enabling is:Enabling is:

Trying to protect the person Trying to protect the person having trouble from facing having trouble from facing the consequences of his or the consequences of his or her drug-related problem.her drug-related problem.

1.1.Codependents enable Codependents enable addicts in a number of addicts in a number of ways, including: ways, including:

a.a. Lying for them.Lying for them.

b.b. lending them moneylending them money

c.c. making excuses for themmaking excuses for them

2. Codependents suffer from 2. Codependents suffer from a variety of stress-related a variety of stress-related disorders, including: disorders, including:

a.a. Depression and Depression and eating eating disorders.disorders.

b.b. high blood pressure and high blood pressure and digestive disordersdigestive disorders

II.II.Addiction is a family Addiction is a family disease.disease.

A.A.In families with drug In families with drug dependency, codependent dependency, codependent members act out rigid, members act out rigid, clearly defined roles.clearly defined roles.

1. Traits of the main enabler 1. Traits of the main enabler include:include:

a. nagginga. nagging

b. b. blamingblaming

c. Controlling, Rescuing, and c. Controlling, Rescuing, and Covering upCovering up

2.2. Traits of the good child/heroTraits of the good child/hero

a.a. Getting straight A’sGetting straight A’s

b.b. Winning awardsWinning awards

c.c. Trying to bring esteem to the family Trying to bring esteem to the family with his or her achievements.with his or her achievements.

3. Traits of the troublemaker 3. Traits of the troublemaker include:include:

a.a. Using drugsUsing drugs

b.b. Failing in schoolFailing in school

c.c. Other self-destructive Other self-destructive behaviorbehavior

4. Traits of the sensitive child4. Traits of the sensitive child::

A-C. Answers will vary: they might A-C. Answers will vary: they might include: being overly aware of include: being overly aware of others, always faking a smile, others, always faking a smile, always trying to keep the peace, always trying to keep the peace, being a family clown, etc.being a family clown, etc.

5. 5. Traits of the invisible child:Traits of the invisible child:

a.a. Living in a fantasy world.Living in a fantasy world.

b.b. Being passiveBeing passive

c.c. Adjusting to anything that Adjusting to anything that happens without complaint.happens without complaint.

Reading Activity 69Reading Activity 69

7.7.Al-Anon is:Al-Anon is: A worldwide, self-help A worldwide, self-help organization for the family organization for the family members and friends of alcoholics.members and friends of alcoholics.

9.9.Alateen is:Alateen is: an offshoot of Al-Anon, an offshoot of Al-Anon, offering support and counseling offering support and counseling for teens and preteens whose for teens and preteens whose parents or other family members parents or other family members have drinking problems.have drinking problems.

Nar-Anon is:Nar-Anon is: designed to help the designed to help the families and close friends of families and close friends of narcotics addicts.narcotics addicts.

Coc-Anon is:Coc-Anon is: designed to help the designed to help the families and close friends of families and close friends of cocaine addicts.cocaine addicts.