Substance Abuse Disorders June 14, 2011 Candace Mills Paul Felker Temple University - Harrisburg

Ferdinandi, A.D., Bethea, J. S. (2006). Counselor active rehabilitation service and the reduction of hopelessness in Individuals with substance abuse disorders. Journal of Teaching in the Addictions. 5 (2), 81-96. This article talks about how the relationship between having counselor rehabilitative services versus standard rehabilitative services can reduce the feelings of hopelessness in individuals with substance abuse. The Counselor Active Rehabilitation Service Model was developed in a community based substance abuse treatment center, in order to reduce hopelessness in individuals with substance abuse disorders. The philosophy of this model is that a counselor will engage the client in such a way that the clients level of hope increases, which will increase the self-esteem of the client, and the outcome for living a successful life. Recovery for persons with substance abuse disorders is filled with emotional and social deficits that often leave them with feelings of hopelessness. This hopelessness can impact negatively on relationships, such as parenting, employee boss relationships, and life partner relationships. Because individuals usually begin using drugs at an early age, there are major milestones that can be missed in life. These milestones include graduation and having a good work record. These choices can also lead to isolation from friends and family. Psychiatric Rehabilitation has begun focusing on hope as a part of the recovery process. Hope is a major factor in assisting people with mental illness or substance abuse issues and formulating realistic life goals. This Counselor Active Rehabilitative Service model takes a realistic approach with clients, as well as working to give clients a sense that they are not alone in their recovery process. The clients work with counselors who meet them where they are and do not judge them, and help to build a positive and more effective way of helping clients attain desired results.

I am a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Worker where we see hope as a big part of the recovery process. Barlow and Durand state that the disease model of dependence assumes that drug dependence is caused by an underlying physiological disorder. This biological perspective looks at drug dependence in the same way as diabetes or asthma; a disease that cannot be blamed on the individual. It goes on to say the AA and similar organizations see drug dependence as an incurable disease over which the addict has no control. The feeling of hopelessness and helplessness can begin when a person is struggling with substance abuse disorder and are trying to change the circumstances in their life. If they are being taught that there is hope in recovery, their process can be more successful. Individuals using the AA process usually have more recurrent relapses, because they think of their disorder as a disease and not something they can recovery from and have a positive future.