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| The Rubik's Cube of Addiction Counseling Part 6: The Journey |
| Feature Articles - Treatment Strategies or Protocols | |
| Written by By William A. Howatt, Phd, EdD, ICADC | |
| Wednesday, 27 June 2007 | |
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The paradox of this series, likening the treatment process of an
addictive disorder to the solving of a Rubik’s Cube, is that the last
side of the cube is the only one that really matters. If we never reach
this point in treatment, the client’s hope of a quality future is
minimal.
The first five sides of the cube are similar to emergency room treatment for someone who has been injured in a car crash. In such a case, the person’s injuries must be treated and his or her condition stabilized, so he or she can proceed to physical rehabilitation and move forward with life. In addiction counseling, the first goal of treatment is to get the person to stop his or her addictive behavior. When the person’s condition has been stabilized, he or she can move on to full recovery from the addiction. Addiction counseling interventions are designed to assist clients in navigating their current situations, and to get them to a point where they are healthy and strong enough to move forward with their lives. This last article in the Rubik’s Cube series provides a new tool for addiction counselors to help clients get on the right track for the new journeys they will need to take in order to move away from a life of addiction or risk of addictions taking over their lives. Addictions are seldom the real problem. Often the addiction and all its distress are fueled by other core issues, such as money, career, relationships, self-worth and health. This may not be readily apparent, especially when powerful chemicals that are physically addictive can take over a person’s life after just one use. Consider for a moment how it is possible that Jimmy uses methamphetamines (meth) socially a couple times a year without developing a craving for the drug. However, when his friend Mary used meth for the first time, she was unable to stop, and an overdose eventually claimed her life. In a short meth run of six months she gave up her job, morals, values, health and spirit, all to keep an addiction satisfied. Want to read the entire article? Don't miss out...Subscribe now to Counselor Magazine—or buy the single issue! It's easy. Just follow the links below:
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