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

www.recoveryconnection.org

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).

www.drugs.ie

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

AA Meeting

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Alcoholics Anonymous

Recently, I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Elizabethtown. Initially, I was pretty nervous to attend this meeting, because I did not really know what to expect from it. I went with a friend from the class, so that gave me a bit of confidence.

This AA group was actually somewhat small, with only nine members. The majority of the group members were male, with only three females. Mostly, the group members were middle-aged, however there was one or two younger individuals.

Before the meeting began, group members were milling around the room, sipping coffee. Once the meeting began, the members went around the room and introduced themselves to us. The regular members obviously noticed that we were new to the group, and asked us to give our name and reason for coming.

This interaction made me feel pretty uncomfortable. While the group members were welcoming for the most part, I almost felt as if I was intruding on their meeting because I am not an alcoholic. However, I simply stated my name, and that I am a student from Elizabethtown College participating in the meeting for a class on addictions. A couple of the members seemed to resent my presence because of this. Therefore, I limited my participation for the rest of the meeting, and simply tried to blend in.

After the introductions, an older gentleman led the group; beginning with the serenity prayer. This seemed to be an action that was repeated at every meeting. They then read passages from a book, and stated whether they were able to relate to the passages or not. Afterwards, some of the members shared their stories with each other, obviously gaining support from one another.

It is for this reason that I believe these meetings, and this meeting specifically, are extremely helpful to the participants. Alcoholics Anonymous offers a strong support system to these participants, and gives them people to answer to. Some of the members even voiced that this support system is what got them through to becoming sober, and staying sober.

This experience truly relates to information I have learned in class. For example, we discussed how alcohol withdrawal and addiction may almost be worse than any other drug. Throughout this meeting, I was able to see this first hand. In addition, we had learned in class about 12-step programs, and about the fact that these programs are usually very spiritual. This was also evident during the AA meeting I attended.

Strength-Based Approaches

Narrative Therapy

Founders

Narrative Therapy was first developed by Michael White and David Epston (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). White and Epston were inspired by Gregory Bateson, an anthropologist and psychologist (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).

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Overview

Narrative therapy attempts to separate the individual from their problem (Goodtherapy.org, 2012). This process can be referred to as “externalization (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).” Externalization involves verbally separating the issue from the client, and ensuring that the issue is separated from the client’s personal identity (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). This process allows the client to address the problem on its own. Externalization serves as a very productive form of therapy (Goodtherapy.org, 2012).

Narrative therapy mainly focuses on attempting to separate the individual from their problem (Goodtherapy.org, 2012). Throughout these therapy sessions, therapists attempt to transform how the problem effects the client’s life (Goodtherapy.org, 2012). By doing this, the individual is liberated from stigmatizing labels, and learns how to deal with this problem in a healthy and productive way (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).

This approach requires intense listening on the part of the therapist (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). A large focus of this therapy is the client’s life stories and history (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). Therefore, the therapist seeks to find evidence of past competence within the individual, through their life history (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). This therefore gives the clients hope that change is possible, and that they are capable of being competent (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).

Addiction Cycle

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The cycle of addiction involves use, misuse, abuse, and dependence. In addition, this cycle comes along with frustration about the symptoms, fantasizing about using the drug, obsessing about the drug, actually doing the activity, and then feeling guilt and shame surrounding the drug/activity (Recoveryconnection.org, 2013).

The Narrative Therapy approach may work well to alleviate the cycle of addiction. The effectiveness of this therapy would ultimately stem from the fact that the client could become separated from the activity/substance that they are addicted to. By doing this, the client could see that the addiction is not who they are, or a steadfast part of them. In separating the client from the addiction, the client is able to think clearly about ways to overcome it.

My Thoughts

The Narrative Therapy approach would be extremely helpful to me during the course of my career. I hope to one day become a clinical psychologist, and therefore provide therapy to individuals in need. The Narrative approach seems to be a very effective method of therapy. It gives clients confidence in themselves, and provides them with skills to help themselves in the future, even when they are done therapy.

In addition, this approach seems to be very effective for people struggling with addiction. By separating themselves from their addiction, they are able to see themselves without it, and how well they are able to function. It allows them to see a future without their addiction, and that will help them to overcome it.

References

Goodtherapy.org. (2012, January 03). Narrative therapy. Retrieved from http://www.goodtherapy.org/Narrative_Therapy.html

Recoverconnection.org. (2013). Cycle of addiction. Retrieved from http://www.recoveryconnection.org/cycle-of-addiction/

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

Behavioral Addiction

Shopping Addiction

What is a shopping addiction?

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While it may sound slightly silly to some, a shopping addiction can become a serious problem. According to Van Wormer and Davis, shopping addiction comes from the urge to spend money, and to find extremely good sales (2008). Those who suffer from a shopping addiction seek to obtain material items for close to no money (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). Those who suffer from a shopping addiction suffer from a lack of impulse control (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). The individual may not need any of the material items they buy, but simply cannot help themselves. The problem lies in the lack of control over the buying of the items, rather than the actual items themselves (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).


Criteria
At what point does a person who likes to shop a lot turn into someone with an actual shopping addiction? According to Van Wormer & Davis, an individual suffering from a shopping addiction experiences a temporary high from the process of shopping and snagging good deals (2008). This euphoria is what separates regular shoppers from compulsive shoppers. Mental health professionals state that the euphoria experienced by compulsive shoppers is actually similar to a drug-like high (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). When an individual begins to experience this type of euphoria when shopping, and therefore craves that feeling, a shopping addiction is born (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). However, the DSM-IV-TR does not currently contain criteria concerning shopping addiction (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).


Statistics

• Between 2% and 8% of people in the United States suffer from a shopping addiction (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).
• The typical compulsive shopper is a 31 year-old female, who has multiple credit cards, usually bounces checks, and has spent multiple years overspending (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).

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Photo Source: www.creditcards.com

Treatment Options

Dr. Donald Black at the University of Iowa has been conducting studies to determine possible successful drugs in reducing and even eliminating shopping addictions (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). He found that the drug Luvox was actually successful (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). After taking Luvox, individuals who were compulsive shoppers were actually able to enter a store and not buy anything (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). Behavioral therapy has also shown positive effects, as has the use of support groups such as Debtor's Anonymous (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008). This group helps individuals to create budgets they can stick to, and to work out a payment plan in order to eliminate their debt (Van Wormer & Davis, 2008).

References

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

Sleep Medication

Sleep medication is often used by individuals suffering from insomnia, or sleep deprivation. It is available over-the-counter, or by prescription for a stronger version. The main focus of this research will focus on prescription sleep aids, also known as hypnotics.

            The most popular prescription sleep aids include Ambien (zolpidem), Lunesta (eszopiclone), Rozerem (ramelteon), and Sonata (zaleplon) (Katz, 2012). These sleep medications are often used to help one get to sleep (Katz, 2012). Ambien is the most commonly used sleep medication (Katz, 2012). Each urges the user to take the medication only if able to get seven to eight hours of sleep (Katz, 2012).

            These drugs, such as Ambien, work by targeting the activity of GABA receptors in the brain (Peters, 2011). These receptors inhibit the activity in the brain that keeps you awake at night, therefore allowing you to fall asleep quickly (Peters, 2011).

            However, these sleep medications have been known to come with many side effects. For example, Ambien has been associated with driving, eating, and even making phone calls which one later has no memory of (“Ambien,” 2012). In addition, Ambien has been associated with daytime drowsiness, headache, muscle pain, and impairment of thinking and reactions (“Ambien,” 2012). Other drugs such as Lunesta have shown similar side effects.

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            While these side effects are severe, those who have insomnia and other sleep-related issues often believe the benefits outweigh the side effects. These drugs help individuals who suffer from insomnia greatly, allowing them to finally get rest.

            Unfortunately, prescription sleeping pills come with a large risk of dependency. Sleeping pills are one of the most commonly used prescription medications (Alcohol Rehab, 2011). If used correctly, the risk for addiction is low, but if used incorrectly, it is easy for addiction to begin (Alcohol Rehab, 2011). Individuals can become dependent on sleep medication, and therefore begin taking it even when it is not bedtime (Alcohol Rehab, 2011).

            It seems as though it would be relatively easy to become addicted to sleep medication. For those who are prescribed it in the first place, it is because they need help falling asleep. Therefore, it is easy for them to continue to use their prescription, simply because it is the easy solution.

            However, I recently read a study where relaxation techniques were used to attempt to wean individuals from prescription sleep medication use (Lichstein et al., 1999). It was found that these relaxation techniques were effective, reducing sleep medication use by up to 80% (Lichstein, 1999). Relaxation techniques are a relatively simple way to combat sleep medication addiction. While there are withdrawal symptoms, these relaxation techniques prove to be a simple, yet effective way to fight this type of addiction.

Photo courtesy of: sleep.lovetoknow.com

Alcohol Rehab. (2011). Sleeping pill addiction. Retrieved from http://alcoholrehab.com/alcohol-rehab/sleeping-pill-addiction/

Ambien. (2012, January 7). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/ambien.html

Katz, M. (2012, August 02). Drugs to treat insomnia. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-medications

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Habits

Old Habits Die Hard...

We've all heard the saying 'old habits die hard,' but how true is it? Over the next couple of weeks, I will be attempting to change one of my steadfast habits. Each week, I will be adding updates as to the progress of my change in habits. This "experiment" will consist of what I hope will be a whole lot of willpower, and certain coping mechanisms.

The habit I have chosen to (attempt) to break is playing with my hair. If you were to look at me at any given point during our class, chances are I'd be twiddling my hair between my fingers. I do it so often that I do not realize it is even happening. I feel this is something I should probably work to eliminate as I look to my future and begin working with professionals.

It is likely that this change will not greatly impact those around me; unless of course someone finds this habit wildly annoying. They will therefore be grateful. However, this change will impact me in that perhaps I will take more notes in class. On a scale of 1-10, I am committed at about a level 7. I do wish to eradicate this behavior, but it is not necessarily detrimental to my health or overall productivity, and therefore I am not 100% committed.

In order to carry out this habit-breaking plan, I figure I will need to do one of two things, or both. First, I might need to find something else to do with my hands to keep them away from my hair. Secondly, I could eliminate my hair as the problem by tying it back. The second option seems more plausible, and is therefore the strategy I will employ. Every time I catch myself playing with my hair, I will tie it back to eliminate the stimulus.

Throughout this little experiment, I believe it will be necessary to employ support from my friends in breaking this habit. As stated earlier, I usually do not realize when I am playing with my hair since it is such a deep-rooted habit. Therefore, I will be counting on my friends to point out to me when I am doing it so that I can stop. This accountability to others will also make me less likely to engage in this activity on my own.

Let's get to quittin' ya'll.

Habits Update #1

Progress

This week, I feel as though I have made slight progress in giving up my habit. Since I know I am supposed to be giving up playing with my hair, I have found that I am much more conscious of when I am actually starting to do it. Therefore, since I catch myself more often, I then stop myself much more often. The urges to play with my hair haven't really subsided, but I am becoming much more conscious of just how much I do it, whereas before, I never even noticed when it was happening.

Success

As previously stated, I planned on putting my hair up whenever I feel the urge to play with my hair. I have found that this is an extremely effective plan. If my hair is not there to play with, it does not happen. In addition, I have found myself putting my hair up more in general, therefore keeping my hands away from my hair all day long.

Triggers

Some common triggers I have found that contribute to the urge to play with my hair include lounging around watching television, and sitting in class. I overcame them by sticking to my plan, and pulling my hair back into a ponytail whenever i began to do it. Therefore, I do not believe my plan needs any changes, as it is seeming to be pretty effective.

Habits Update #2

Progress

This week, I am finding it harder to not play with my hair. I thought that the second week would be easier than the first, but it is actually much harder this week. I think the reason behind this is that some of the novelty of kicking the habit has worn off. It seems as though this compares to the gym after New Years. Everyone has resolved to go to the gym everyday, and they do because it is new and they know they want to stick with it. However, by the second week, the excuses and unmotivated feelings return. This is exactly where I am right now; I am less motivated to not play with my hair because I've hit the week two lull. 

Success

I have encountered some success this week, but as stated above, I have also experienced some failures. I am still more conscious of when I begin to play with my hair, but it is much harder to stop it this week than it was last week. Again, it seems as if I am just a little bit less motivated to do so.

Changes

It seems as though my plan to give up the habit of constantly playing with my hair needs a couple modifications. For the first week, I began simply putting my hair into a ponytail whenever I felt the urge to play with my hair. However, coming into the second week, I have found that this may not be enough to get me to break my habit. Instead of preventing me from playing with my hair altogether, I've begun to catch myself playing with my ponytail now, even though my hair is pulled back. Therefore, I have decided that perhaps I should put my hair into a bun instead so that there isn't any loose hair to play with at all. In addition, I am going to try to do something with my hands as well when I feel the urge to play with my hair. I believe these proposed changes will enable me to begin resisting these urges.

Triggers

A trigger that I have discovered this week that makes me want to play with my hair is when I am doing any sort of homework assignment. I have found that I use playing with my hair as a sort of little distraction from my work. For example, whenever I stop to think about the next sentence I am going to write in this blog post, I take my hands off the keyboard and start playing with my hair. Therefore, I should try to focus more on my tasks at hand (pun intended) and attempt to stop taking these short breaks while doing my work. 

Photo Source: www.sodahead.com

Habits Update #3

Progress

This week, I am making further progress in shaking my addiction to playing with my hair. Last week I was finding it hard to refocus my energy into quitting. However, this week I seem to have re-found that motivated energy. Whenever I begin to play with my hair I find myself catching the action, and therefore stopping what I am doing. Last week I noted some of my triggers that cause me to play with my hair, such as doing homework. Therefore, before I would begin to do my homework, I started putting my hair up in a bun  to remove the temptation. I found that this was wholly effective, as homework time was the time I played with my hair the most.

Success

I have encountered a lot of success this week, in comparison to last week. Last week I found myself struggling to keep up with my plan. However, this week, I regained my motivation, and subsequently made more efforts to stop playing with my hair.

Changes

Last week, I proposed a couple changes to my plan of action. These changes included putting my hair into a bun rather than a ponytail to stop myself from playing with my hair.  Last week I found that the ponytail was only half-effective, as I still played with the hair that hung loose. Instead of using a ponytail, I began to put my hair into an up-do whenever I began doing my homework. These changes proved effective, as there was no hair hanging loose to play with while I did my work. I found that I also got my work done a lot faster since I was no longer pausing to play with my hair. 

Triggers

This week, I have not discovered any other actions that trigger the desire to play with my hair. I think the biggest trigger I have discovered is during homework time, but I have eliminated that issue by putting my hair into an up-do whenever I begin my homework. 

Habits Update #4

Progress

This week, I have continued to work on ceasing to play with my hair. It is getting much easier to resist the urge to do so. As previously stated, I have begun putting my hair into a bun more often, as to take away the temptation. This tactic is providing continued success.

Success

My success in this endeavor continues. My hair is usually up most of the time now, but even when it is not, it is much easier to not play with it. The successes are more common now, and it seems as if I am finally breaking this habit.

Changes

I do not believe my plan of action requires any changes at this point in time. All of the changes I previously instated are working very well. 

Habits Update #5

Progress

I have had a couple of relapses since my last update. With the coming and going of spring break, my usual routines became irregular, and therefore threw off my progress in giving up my habit. While I did not completely relapse into my old habits of playing with my hair, I have begun to play with it again occasionally. 

Success

I  have continued to put my hair up when I feel the urge to play with it. As I previously stated, this has not always worked. I have had some successes and some failures.

Changes

I do not believe my plan of action requires any changes at this point in time. All of the changes I previously instated are working very well. 

Habits Update #6

Progress

I have made a lot of progress on stopping my habit of playing with my hair. I rarely reach for my hair to play with it anymore. I think after refusing to allow myself to do so for a couple weeks, the habit was really broken. I no longer have to remind myself not to do so, and this requires a lot less thought on a daily basis.

Success

I  have continued to put my hair up when I feel the urge to play with it. However, this action is becoming less and less necessary. This is how I know that I am beginning to truly break this habit.

Changes

I do not believe my plan of action requires any changes at this point in time. All of the changes I previously instated are working very well. 

Habits Update #7

Progress

There is not much progress to update simply because I feel as though my progress has plateaued. After the initial first struggles and relapses, I seem to have gotten a steady handle on my habit. Therefore, there is not much more progress to report.

Success

I continue to experience much success with my current plan of action regarding not playing with my hair. If I ever do still feel an urge to play with my hair, I still put it up as to avoid any temptation.

Changes

I do not believe my plan of action requires any changes at this point in time. All of the changes I previously instated are working very well.