Values Clarification Essay
Addiction is a compulsive pursuit of reward from either biochemical substances or behaviours. There is, however, no simplistic explanation of the process of habit since it is a multi-faceted condition. The intricacies of substance abuse include several factors such as, genetics, psychological, social and environmental conditions that contribute to a person’s vulnerability. By understanding these concepts and backed by experience, I can confirm that addiction is a lot complicated than how society portrays it.
Science has now disregarded the stereotypic view of addicted persons as tragically flawed and weak by diagnosing addiction as a chronic brain disorder. About Carl Rogers writings, change is attributed to a person’s inner-self core. He argues that it is by self-actualization that a person will be goal-oriented towards enhancing best personal interests. Alluding to the fact that the basis of change is internal, external factors such as social interactions are what facilitate the change process. According to () family, friends and community support play a vital role in a person’s recovery. In a nutshell, alcoholics should take responsibility for their sobriety while the community should facilitate their recovery. The same applies to all other addictions.
From my initial definition, any activity of compulsive nature passes as an addiction. Minus the withdrawal symptoms and physical issues from substance abuse, behavioural addictions have adverse effects on a person’s functionality. Activities such as gambling, sex and eating become addictions when a person struggles mentally to stop them, become disruptive to relationships, and when extreme negative consequences result from partaking the activity.
Addiction requires specialized medical and therapeutic treatment. People who strong-arm themselves and take the leap of faith to recovery have a high probability of overcoming their addictions. It takes a radical shift in a person’s mentality to identify their have a problem and take control of their lives. Patients in peer-based networks, community support group or clinical-based programs can understand their issues are transient even in the face of relapse.
Perinatal substance abuse is a controversial issue where the legal system criminalizes it, while we in the health sector, understand it as a medical issue. Mothers should be held accountable for their babies, but jailing them is treating the symptoms rather than the disease. A delivery system with proper education and counselling seems ideal.
The criminal legal system has a huge role to play in drug addiction recovery by applying legal pressure to the affected. Instead of incarceration of individuals, sanctions can take a rehabilitative approach. I am of the school of thought that working with addicted persons requires a heart-to-heart conversation to understand their repetitive flaws. In practice, however, I believe support outside therapy sessions should be controlled, such as restricting phone calls.
Understanding the destructive repetitive patterns from patients is still frustrating to me. I always try to explore how addictions cloud their values at the expense of their families, finance, among other factors. Working with addicts is tumultuous and demanding, but my excellent interpersonal skills gear me up to undertake this noble line of work. For instance, the therapy sessions for substance abuse are reported to be stressful and upsetting in cases where individuals admit to a crime or crude actions. My nature of being empathetic would keep me in focus to help clients despite their flaws.
In conclusion, it is vital as a medical practitioner to first understand addiction as a mental health problem. Addiction should be addressed like all the other chronic illnesses where interventions focus both on medication and lifestyle change.