In the Media

Substance Use/Addiction in the Media

Battling substance abuse and addiction is a tough feat for anyone. However, imagine just how much more difficult it would be battling addiction while constantly in the spot light. This is the everyday reality for celebrities struggling with substance abuse.

When thinking about celebrities in the media who are struggling with substance use problems, several names dominate our thoughts. These celebrities include such names as Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Amy Winehouse, and even Robert Downey Jr. For the purposes of this blog, the main focus of this entry will be on Lindsay Lohan; simply because of the recentness and multitude of her struggles.

Both of these young women grew up completely in the spot light. Both were child stars who were wildly successful at a young age. Lindsay Lohan got her breakout role in 1998 starring as Annie James/ Hallie Parker in the film the The Parent Trap (IMDB, 2013). After that, she grew up completely in the public eye; subject to all of the scrutiny and criticism Hollywood has to offer young women.

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She went on to star in several movies such as Freaky Friday, Mean Girls, Georgia Rule, and Liz & Dick (IMDB, 2013). With her fame and money came the constant partying. Soon, Lohan became known as Hollywood’s party girl. Her partying quickly escalated from constant drinking, to drug allegations. This only brought more attention.

In January of 2007, Lohan was admitted to her first stint in rehab (Duke, 2012). However, in May of 2007, she was arrested on a DUI charge after she crashed her car while under the influence (Duke, 2012). Afterwards she checked herself into rehab for the second time (Duke, 2012). This action yet again proved unsuccessful, as two weeks later Lohan was arrested again for a DUI, as well as cocaine possession, and driving with a suspended license (Duke, 2012).

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Her downward spiral does not stop there. Over the next five years, Lindsay Lohan would re-enter various rehabs over seven times (Duke, 2012). In addition, Lohan has made numerous appearances in court for a DUI/car accident, cocaine possession, driving with a suspended license, probation violations, missing alcohol counseling sessions, and even felony grand theft (Duke, 2012).

Over the course of these tumultuous five years for Lohan, she repeatedly violated probation order after probation order by way of continued alcohol and drug use. She entered many rehabs, some of them court-ordered, and did not seem to learn her lesson. However, it appears as though her life in the public eye and relentless media exposure due to her legal issues clearly did not help her ongoing addiction.

However, as of March 2012, Lohan seems to have finally begun to pull her life together (Duke, 2012). She has had positive feedback from her probation reports, and has not failed any drug or alcohol tests (Duke, 2012). In light of her positive reports, the judge assigned to her case had stated: “I know it’s hard when people are following you all over the place, but that’s the life you chose (Duke, 2012).” I feel as though the judge’s statement perfectly sums up the life of celebrities who are struggling with addiction. While it is obviously much harder to deal with these issues in the spot light, they did choose this life.

References

Duke, A. (2012, March 29). Lindsay lohan's troubled timeline. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/28/showbiz/lohan-troubled-timeline

IMDB. (2013). Lindsay lohan. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0517820/

Habit Summary

Final Habits Blog

At the beginning of the semester, we began a journey that started with identifying one of our own personal bad habits. This was a tough feat in itself, simply because it is hard to take a step back, and realize that there may be habits that we all do repeatedly that we may need to eradicate. For myself, my first thought was of my addiction to Chap Stick. However, I was unwilling to give this up just yet.

            Therefore, I turned to my friends to help me identify a bad habit that I did not realize I had. My roommate informed me that I incessantly play with my hair, so I decided that would be the habit I attempted to break. This was important to me because I will soon be entering the professional world, and it was necessary to attempt to break this habit for that reason.

            At the start of this little experiment, I found it extremely difficult to abstain from playing with my hair. For me, playing with my hair was comfortable, and something I did as a distraction from my homework. Since I feel as though I am constantly doing some form of homework, it was especially hard to break this habit. I had to completely disassociate this behavior from the action of doing homework. This was not an easy accomplishment.

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            However, after starting this experiment, I became much more aware of the fact that I played with my hair all the time. This awareness did make it a little easier to break this habit. Before the experiment began, I did this so mindlessly that I was completely unaware I was even doing it. Just knowing that I did it made it easier to avoid this habit.

            The first two weeks were the toughest, but after the initial adjustment things got much easier. Once I got myself used to avoiding this behavior, I only caught myself doing it a couple of times. After about five or six weeks I was barely doing it anymore.

            This success was due in a large part to my two roommates who are also in this class. They were aware that this was the habit I was giving up, and therefore alerted me whenever they witnessed me doing so. One of these roommates was the one who had first pointed out this bad habit of mine, and therefore really helped me to break it.

            In addition, I learned a few tactics to stop myself from playing with my hair. First, I thought it would be beneficial to make myself busy so I would not have the opportunity to do so. I did this by either sitting on my hands or doing homework. However, this proved to be slightly ineffective, so I found it necessary to come up with a new plan. Therefore, I began to put my hair up regularly, and especially when I began to play with it. This proved to be much more effective, and it ultimately worked to reduce the urges I felt to play with it.

            Throughout this assignment, I learned that I have many mannerisms and habits that I am completely unaware of. This habit had become so normal to me that I did not even realize how often I did it.

            In addition, I also learned that I was stronger-willed than I had previously thought. At the start of this experiment, I thought that I would not be able to completely kick this habit. However, using the coping mechanisms I developed along the way, I was able to eliminate this bad habit from my life. This turned out to be a very good thing that I learned about myself throughout this experience.

           

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            In class, we learned about the twelve-step model, and which step was the most difficult. We also learned that there is not an absolute answer to this query. However, I felt as though the first step was the most difficult; the admission of powerlessness over the substance of which one is addicted. While I would not say I was “addicted” to playing with my hair, it was extremely hard to identify that this was a problem in the first place.

            Therefore, I feel as though it would be extremely difficult for someone who is struggling with addiction to change his or her behaviors. Not only is it hard to admit that one has a problem, it must also be so difficult to change the behaviors so strongly associated with this problem/addiction. It was hard enough to break my simple habit, therefore I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it must be to break an addiction with a substance that is so powerful over the people it affects.

            It is for this reason that it is extremely necessary for someone who is struggling with addiction to have a strong support system, and to attend meetings such as AA or NA. As we learned from our guest speaker Brittney, it is crucial for those in recovery to have a strong support system as well as a sponsor.

            In addition, a Narrative Therapy approach may be helpful for those battling addiction because it can help them to re-write their life story without the substance. This type of therapy, combined with the support system of a sponsor and group meetings will ultimately be extremely beneficial to someone who is trying to change their behavior.

            It is for this reason that I do believe addictions can be helped. I would not use the word “cured” simply because from what I have learned, addiction is a life-long battle. However, I do wholeheartedly believe that individuals can recover from addiction. 

Gender and Drug Use

Gender and Non-Medical Use of Prescription Opioids

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The use of prescription medications for recreational use is becoming a growing problem in the United States. It is estimated that as of 2003, approximately 4.7 billion individuals were misusing prescription opioids (Tetrault, Desai, Becker, Fiellin, Concato, & Sullivan, 2007). This estimate is the result of a rise in prescription opioids abuse from 11.6 million users in 1998 (Tetrault et al., 2007).

Contributing to this rise in abuse is the large number of women who have begun to use prescription opioids recreationally (Tetrault et al., 2007). This growing diversity within the population of opioids abusers makes it much more difficult to effectively treat these individuals (Tetrault et al., 2007).  For example, drug and alcohol addictions are more common in men (Tetrault et al., 2007). However, women are more likely to have a dual-diagnosis of addiction as well as a psychiatric disorder (Tetrault et al., 2007).

According to Tetrault et al., this rise in female prescription opioid abuse is likely due to the fact that women are simply more likely than men to be prescribed these abusable medications (2007). However, by 2007, the number of men and women using prescription opioids has evened out (Tetrault et al., 2007). 

Tetrault et al. conducted a national survey in order to compile a current idea of the statistics concerning prescription opioid use, as well as who is using it. According to Tetrault et al., individuals aged thirty-five years and older are the most likely to abuse prescription opioids (62.8%), followed by 24-34 year olds (17.3), then 12-18 year olds (11.7), and finally 19-23 year olds (8.2%) (2007).

In addition, it was found that Whites were the most likely to abuse prescription opioids (69.9%) (Tetrault et al., 2007). Another interesting facet to the study was the fact that the researchers measured which total household income level was the most likely to abuse prescription opioids. It appears as though the $40,000-$74,000 income level was the most likely to abuse these drugs (Tetrault et al., 2007). A majority of the users were also married, as opposed to single (Tetrault, et al., 2007).

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These findings just go to show that there is not a “typical” addict as we discussed in class. The stereotypical addict would be a single, lower-class individual. However, the results of Tetrault et al. paint a very different story which could possibly change our perceptions of addicts in society.

References

Tetrault, J. M., Desai, R. A., Becker, W. C., Fiellin, D. A., Concato, J., & Sullivan, L. E. (n.d.). Gender and non-medical use of prescription opioids: Results from a national us survey. (2007). Addiction, 103, 258-268. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02056.x

Interview

Ce'Ja Counseling Service

I recently went home for the weekend, and therefore decided to interview a treatment professional in that area. I chose to interview Janet Barkowsky, who works at Ce'Ja Counseling Service in Oxford, Pennsylvania. Ce'Ja is licensed by the state for drug and alcohol treatment. This counseling group provides individual, group, couples, and family sessions as necessary.

Type of Agency

Ce'Ja is an outpatient facility that provides a mix of mental health and substance abuse services. This is important because as we have previously learned, dual diagnoses often exist in individuals with substance abuse problems. Therefore, this treatment facility provides a well-rounded experience in order to better deal with all of the issues that may be contributing to the substance abuse, rather than just the substance itself.

In addition, this agency also offers DUI/DWI treatment services. Many of the clients enrolled in these programs are court ordered. This allows them to get the help that they may need in order to control their substance abuse.

Clientele

Ce'Ja serves many clients on an annual basis. Janet Barkowsky did not have a specific figure for me, but did say that they serve a large number of clients every year. This is mostly due to the fact that a large part of their clientele is court-ordered, and therefore do not necessarily stay in the programs as long as one who is there on a voluntary-basis.

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Framework

This agency does not follow the 12-step model. Ultimately, this agency works with the clients to educate them about substance abuse, the substances themselves, consequences, and recovery. This educational model aims to give the clients information in order to better understand their substance abuse and/or mental health issues and how they are related. The focus is educating their clientele so that the clients can develop skills to function independently.

Connection to Class

This interview reminded me of many things I have learned throughout the course of our class. Specifically, the concept of dual-diagnoses was especially prominent. Ce'Ja Counseling Services places a large emphasis on the treatment of dual-diagnoses. As we learned in class, this is very common. However, most of the time, individuals with a dual-diagnosis of mental health issues and addiction only receive treatment for the addiction. However, that will not create a lasting solution to the addiction because the mental health issue will not be treated.

Through this interview, it was refreshing to actually encounter an agency that did in fact treat both issues at one time. This agency realizes the importance of treating a dual-diagnosis, and the part that it will play in a client’s recovery.

Chapter 10 Article Summary

Racial Differences in Treatment Effects

            Among addiction, there exists many racial, ethnic, and cultural differences. According to Van Wormer and Davis, every addict endures roughly the same progressive stages of addiction, regardless of race, ethnicity and gender (2008). However, it has been demonstrated that differences in recovery do exist among African American men and Caucasian men (Scott & Easton, 2010).

            These two researchers examined racial differences in treatment effect among Caucasian and African American men suffering from substance dependence who are also intimate partner violence (IPV) offenders. According to Scott and Easton, 1 in every 5 couples in the United States experiences intimate partner violence at least once a week (2010). In addition, almost one-half of the people who commit these acts of intimate partner violence also have substance abuse problems (Scott & Easton, 2010). For men who have substance abuse problems, the probability of IPV occurring is highest when under the influence of that substance (Scott & Easton, 2010).

            There are a couple of issues when it comes to finding effective treatment plans for these individuals. The problem arises because it is necessary to treat not only the individual with the substance abuse problem and the IPV, but to also treat the victim of the IPV, and to finally treat both individuals together (Scott & Easton, 2010). These three factors are particularly difficult to address because the men with IPV convictions are often court-appointed to programs that only address the IPV, and not the substance abuse (Scott & Easton, 2010).

            The researchers discovered that on average, African-American offenders spent more time incarcerated for IPV than did their Caucasian counterparts (Scott & Easton, 2010). In addition, the Caucasian participants displayed a decrease in verbal abuse over the treatment period, while the African-American participants did not (Scott & Easton, 2010).

            These findings are consistent with that of Van Wormer and Davis. According to Van Wormer and Davis, African Americans continue to binge drink as they age (2008). This differs from White Americans whose binge drinking declines with age (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).

            In addition, about 80% of imprisoned female crack cocaine offenders are African American (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). This is consistent with the work of Scott and Easton in that it is reported that African Americans are more likely to be imprisoned than White Americans.

References

Scott, M. C., & Easton, C. J. (2010). Racial differences in treatment effect among men in a substance abuse and domestic violence program. The american journal of drug and alcohol abuse, 36, 357-362. doi: 10.3109/00952990.2010.501131

Van Wormer, K. & Davis, D. R. (2008). Addiction treatment: A strengths perspective. California: Brooks/Cole

In the Movies

Limitless

Movie Synopsis

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Limitless is a film about a writer (Bradley Cooper) who discovers a pill that allows him to access 100% of his mind, making him almost superhuman. When the movie begins, the main character, Eddie, is a struggling writer who feels as though he is going nowhere in life. Eddie feels as though he has hit rock bottom, until an old friend introduces him to the synthetic drug NZT.

While on NZT, Eddie is able to finish writing his book in mere hours. As he learns that this new drug makes him ultimately “limitless,” he begins learning new languages, as well as everything there is to know about the stock market and finance. This new-found knowledge leads him to rise to the top of the financial world, and become very rich. However, in order to continue using NZT, Eddie steals a large stash of the drug from a friend’s house after he is murdered by people looking for the same drug. At this point, Eddie is completely addicted to NZT, and is unwilling to give it up. He continued using the drug in order to prolong the feelings, behaviors, and benefits associated with NZT.

Portrayal of Addiction

The portrayal of addiction in Limitless is a lot less obvious than in other films. I think this is because the drug portrayed in the film is not actually real. Therefore, the addiction is less apparent. It is for this reason that this movie’s portrayal of addiction was not as hard-hitting for me as it might have been if the drug portrayed had been cocaine or heroin. In addition, given that this drug did not elicit the normal aversive feelings associated with cocaine or heroin, it was easier for me to understand why Eddie continued to take NZT and to rationalize his reasoning for doing so.

Character Reactions

Given that NZT is not what one would call a “normal” drug, the reactions of the characters around the addict were a bit different. Firstly, since the drug did not necessarily negatively impact Eddie’s behavior, it was hard for the individuals in his life to tell that he was taking the drug. Eddie’s girlfriend Lindy is the only actual relationship he has throughout the movie. She does not discover his drug addiction until towards the end of the film, when he shows up at her office displaying extreme signs of withdrawal. She is in shock at his addiction, and the next day leaves him because of it. This is a common reaction when dealing with a significant other suffering from addiction.

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My Opinions

I believe the portrayal of addiction in Limitless is actually very accurate. The character keeps his addiction hidden, and when it does come out to the person he cares about, he promises over and over again that he is going to quit taking the drug, just after a couple more times. It seems as though this is a very accurate portrayal of the cycle of addiction.

For example, we learned in class that addiction involves an intense desire/need for the drug, a high frequency of the behavior, continued use despite negative effects, and multiple attempts to quit unsuccessfully. All of these aspects of addiction are portrayed in the movie. Eddie continues to take the drug NZT even after it causes him to have blackouts where he does not remember anything he did, which even included possibly murdering a woman. Therein also lies the portrayal of continued use despite negative effects. 

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Chapter 8 Article Summary

Mental Health and Substance Abuse: Dual-Diagnoses

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Many problems arise from the complex issue of a dual-diagnosis. This is simply because there is much research that needs to be done in order to better understand the treatment options for these complex cases. An article written by Martin Smith addressed these issues, as well as the many complexities associated with dual-diagnoses.

The work of Smith whole-heartedly agreed with that of Van Wormer and Davis (2008). According to Smith, it is especially difficult to treat adolescents who have a dual diagnosis of mental health problems as well as substance misuse problems (2013). Treating adolescents with these complex issues is even more difficult than treating adults with these complex issues (Smith, 2013). This is because adolescents are already going through a period of many changes that can become very confusing (Smith, 2013). Therefore, they are more likely to turn to substance misuse as a coping mechanism (Smith, 2013).

Since these individuals struggle with addiction at such a young age, it is possible for this addiction to actually re-wire their brains (Smith, 2013). According to Smith, this vulnerability due to age may actually increase the likelihood of these adolescents becoming prone to diseased states, either mental or physical (2013). This is where the dual-diagnosis begins (Smith, 2013).

This brain change may also stunt the adolescent’s emotional growth (Smith, 2013). Therefore, the mental illness will feed off of that. According to Smith, these negative consequences on the brain and memory due to drug use go widely unconsidered among professionals in the field (Smith, 2013). This is why many treatments for individuals suffering from a dual-diagnosis are ineffective.

However, there are a few treatments which seem to work if used properly. The key to their success is the initial engagement of the adolescents (Smith, 2013). The methods that seem to be effective are motivational interviewing and coaching techniques structured by the “cycle of change (Smith, 2013).” Both techniques require a trusting therapeutic alliance between the client and the therapist (Smith, 2013). It is also important that the developmental phases of adolescents is taken into account (Smith, 2013).

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It is sad to me that young individuals have relatively little options when it comes to receiving treatment for a dual-diagnosis of addiction and mental illness. I understand why it is such a difficult problem to treat, but it is unfortunate that they must continue to suffer.

I feel as though it does not really matter which illness is causing which. Addiction should always be the illness that is treated first. Addiction in itself is not a healthy thing, and certainly does not help a mental illness. Therefore, if the client receives treatment for their addiction first, it will become much easier to identify and treat the mental illness.

References

Smith, M. (2013). Care of adolescents who have mental health and substance misuse problems. Mental Health Practice, 16(5), 32-36.

Van Wormer, K. & Davis, D. R. (2008). Addiction treatment: A strengths perspective. California: Brooks/Cole