Chapter 15 Flashcards
How does a person’s addiction affect others?
A person’s addiction adversely affects more people than just the one who is diagnosable, causing psychological, physical, social, and relationship harm to family members and significant others.
What are three common approaches in North America when dealing with a loved one’s addiction?
- Wait for the substance user to get ready. 2. Refer the concerned individual to Al-Anon. 3. Conduct an intervention in the style of the Johnson Institute.
Why is waiting for a substance user to seek help often ineffective?
When told that the substance user has to make the call themselves, it is unlikely to happen, and few families call back.
What are the benefits and limitations of Al-Anon for significant others?
Al-Anon helps SOs improve in physical symptoms, depression, and stress, but it does not directly address the addiction problem, with only one in eight loved ones entering treatment within a year.
What is the effectiveness of the intervention approach?
Although interventions can persuade some into treatment, most families decide not to go through with it, and only 30% of families counseled in this way succeed in getting their loved one into treatment.
What is the alternative approach to working with significant others (SOs)?
A different approach is to work with concerned SOs to help themselves and use their influence to help their loved one, which has shown to be effective in reducing substance use.
How can SOs influence a loved one’s substance use?
Studies show that working with SOs through unilateral family therapy or similar approaches can significantly reduce substance use or motivate individuals to seek treatment.
What is psychological reactance in the context of addiction?
Psychological reactance is the tendency to resist recommendations from others, even when one agrees, leading individuals to argue against a need for change.
What is the key to helping SOs influence their loved one’s behavior?
Helping SOs find a middle ground between control and detachment, which can be achieved through motivational interviewing and reinforcement strategies.
What is CRAFT and how does it work?
CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) is a behavioral approach that teaches SOs to modify reinforcement contingencies to encourage treatment and reduce substance use.
What are some key principles of CRAFT?
- Do not provide substances or money for substances. 2. Do not protect from negative consequences. 3. Reinforce positive behaviors. 4. Engage in alternative activities. 5. Withdraw reinforcement when the person is using.
How does CRAFT compare to other approaches?
CRAFT has higher success rates in engaging individuals in treatment (64%) compared to Al-Anon (13%) and interventions (30%).
How does CRAFT benefit both SOs and their loved ones?
SOs experience reduced depression, anger, and family conflict, while their loved ones are more likely to enter treatment and reduce substance use.
Why is it important to engage SOs in treatment?
Engaging SOs in treatment benefits both them and their loved one, reducing suffering and increasing the likelihood of early intervention.
What are the key points from this chapter?
- It is unnecessary to wait for someone to ‘hit bottom.’ 2. Family members are often the first to notice addiction. 3. CRAFT is an effective intervention method. 4. Engaging SOs benefits both them and their loved one.
