OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS

[This is the eighth story in a 13-week series that focuses on drug
addiction in Butler County. This is also the second of three stories that
will focus on substance abuse treatment.]

There are different methods utilized in substance abuse counseling to bring
about positive moral change in an addict. Probably one of the most commonly
used approaches to such change is the 12 Step program, which is practiced
by the Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous groups. In this method, steps 4
and 5 and steps 8 and 9 deal with life inventory of the wrong deeds done
and who was affected by them. In addition to this, the addict then makes up
the damage done as a result of these negative actions. This plan is
effective in recovery so long as the person's addiction has not progressed
to the point where the individual has lost his or her ability to confront
and communicate or to identify and solve problems. If an addiction persists
long enough, an addict will lose even the basic social skills needed to
perform in group therapy and to admit any wrongdoing. In cases where drug
addiction began in the adolescent years, individuals have not had the
opportunity to develop these life skills. As a result, they do not perform
as well in a 12 step program or other traditional treatment setting. In
these cases, the addict needs to be educated or re-educated in basic life
skills before there can be any real hope of success in raising moral
standards and permanent sobriety. When conventional approaches are not
working with a drug addicted person there are effective alternatives to
pursue in recovery before one gives up. What has not proven effective is
substitute drug treatment e.g. methadone, anti-depressants or other
prescribed medications designed to mask the symptoms of addiction mentioned
in this article. This in effect just trades one addiction for another. It
does not aid the addicted person in developing the life skills necessary to
raise their moral values or their quality of life. Nor does it provide them
with the necessary tools to remain sober and so relapse becomes imminent.
One effective alternative method to recovery is the life skills training
and moral inventory used by the Narconon program. This program provides a
specific course of treatment which includes training in communication, a
full body detoxification process, counseling in problem identification and
solving, and counseling in personal values and integrity. These programs
help individuals to accomplish heightened moral standards and sobriety with
an improved quality of life. Over 30 years ago author and researcher L. Ron
Hubbard identified the basic barriers to successful recovery which have
been discussed throughout this series of articles on addiction . Through
his research he developed a means of treating them successfully. When
Narconon was founded in 1969 by William Benitez, it was based on Mr.
Hubbard's research and developments in the field of drug and alcohol
rehabilitation. Benitez developed a working relationship with Hubbard and
together they established the first Narconon program in Arizona. Narconon
has been using this treatment method successfully for over 30 years. It has
only been within the last five or six years that the scientific and medical
research have caught up with these methods of treating addiction. It is now
acknowledged by the medical community that drugs do store in the body in
the form of metabolites and that the chemical imbalances created by drug
addiction are nutritionally driven. Further nutritional program components
have been added to just about every type of treatment method and is
recognized as a valid form of therapy in chemical dependency treatment. If
you now someone in need of help, it is recommend that research be conducted
on all treatment options. Take the time to thoroughly inspect the treatment
programs available, determine how these programs address the mechanics of
addiction, and find out what the long term recovery rate is. Drug
rehabilitation does not have to be a revolving door if one takes the time
and effort to pick the right recovery program.

Part 1
US AL: From Use To Addiction - The Stages Of Drug Use
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n925/a01.html

Part 2
US AL: Drug Use Through The Ages
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n945/a03.html

Part 4
US AL: Drug Policy From 1870 - 1970
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n985/a03.html

Part 5
US AL: Drug Policy Since 1970
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1038/a09.html

Part 7
US AL: Does Treatment Really Work?
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1143/a01.html

Part 8
US AL: Overcoming The Barriers
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1195/a08.html