Welcome to all of you referral agent's course.
Here is some information I presented at my sessions. I will add more. Send me an email if you would like. Remember when you are helping others to keep yourself healthy first. If you get sick either emotionally or physically then you can't help others. Keep reading as many of your cases will present new scenarios to your skill set and you should keep abreast of what is new. Look through the links on my web page for some good sites and you will learn more. Read books, go to self help meetings to see what they are like. Good luck and remember to take it easy and have fun with it.
Some Stats for you.........
Canadian Profile
1999
Substance Abuse and the Workplace :
Much of our information
concerning workplace substance abuse comes from
studies in the U.S. and other countries. About one in five Canadian
workers
drinks at some time in the workplace, and fewer than 1% report ever using
illicit drugs at work.
Substance abuse causes workplace problems due to the impairing effects of
alcohol and other drugs, and the lower productivity of chronic
or dependent
users. Impairment from alcohol and other drugs is a major cause of
unemployment and absenteeism, and alcohol impairment causes a significant
number of workplace
accidents.
Lower‑status workers, young persons and males are most likely to
experience a
workplace problem due to their use of alcohol or other drugs. Workers in
particular industries are especially prone to use alcohol or drugs on the
job.
Aspects of the work environment such as stress, organizational and
co‑worker
norms, and ready availability will influence levels of alcohol and drug
use on the
job.
Annual productivity losses in Canada due to substance Abuse have been
estimated at $4.1 billion for alcohol, $6.8 billion for tobacco and
$823.1 million
for illicit drugs. Taken together, all forms of substance abuse account
for $11.8
billion in productivity losses, representing 1.7% of the gross domestic
product
(GDP), or $414 per capita.
Resources in Saint John for
Addiction
Ridgewood Treatment Centre 674-4300
-Detoxification Centre
-28 Day Program
-Addiction Counsellors
-Family Program
Lonewater Farm 757-2754
-Long term alcohol and drug rehabilitation Centre
-Men Only
-Westfield, N.B.
Alcoholics Anonymous 693-9080
-Self-help Group for men and women with alcohol problems
-Meetings held nightly
Al-Anon 634-8779
-Self-help group for friends or family of person with a drinking problem
-For men and women
Al-Ateen 634-8779
-Self-help group for young people with friends or family member with a drinking problem
Narcotics Anonymous 658-0779 Provincial Line-1-888-436-2929
-Self-help group for people with a drug problem
-for men and women
Gamblers Anonymous 672-9155
-Self-help program for people addicted to gambling
-For men and women
Pride Saint John 642-4035
-Resource centre for alcohol and drug education
-Some counselling and groups
Addictive personality
Chemical Dependency: Whose Problem?
Chemical Dependency Defined
Is there an addictive personality?
Research has found no such thing. A mixture of factors push users to
addiction:
(1) the drug itself: a fast, intense euphoria followed by withdrawal
symptoms or depression. The most addictive drugs are crack cocaine,
meth-amphetamine, alcohol, heroin, cocaine, PCP, and nicotine;
(2) the body: a genetic predisposition, chronic pain, individual drug
sensitivity;
(3) the mind: uninhibited, lack of values, lack of self-esteem, easily
frustrated or depressed;
(4) the setting: a barren environment, isolation, using friends, lack of social
guidelines.
The disease concept
Chemical dependency on alcohol and other drugs is a chronic, progressive, incurable,
and treatable nuerochemical disease characterized by increased tolerance, compulsive
using in spite of negative consequences, relapse, and death. It can be stimulated by
prolonged use.
Denial and defenses
Chemical dependency damages the nervous system, making a person more reactive.
They will protect themselves from the realization of their dependency, their painful
feelings, and their anxieties by becoming hostile, blaming, minimizing, rationalizing,
changing the subject, and using outright denial.
How it feels to be chemically dependent.
Substance abuse is a seeking for help, comfort, and meaning, for relief from anger,
loneliness, and apathy.
Treatment
Treatment educates the person that it's their biochemical reaction to the drugs/alcohol
which causes their loss of control, similar to an allergy. Emphasis is placed on rebuilding
self-esteem, increasing awareness of feelings, and making lifestyle changes to produce a
satisfying level of happiness without chemicals. Through group experiences, the
chemically dependent learns the comfort and safety available from others who share the
same struggle.
Enabling and Co-Dependency
Struggling to communicate
The chemically dependent person can't ask for help, they are too afraid: "I need help,
but you might reject me because I have hurt you feelings. Besides, it's my problem, not
yours."
The enabler can't offer help, they are afraid also: "I know you need help, but you might
reject me, or I might hurt your feelings. Besides, it's not my problem, it's yours."
Isolation, shame, guilt, anger, confusion, and denial are common symptoms for both the
chemically dependent person and the enablers.
Enabling
Enabling is the unconscious allowing of the illness to continue by taking care of the
addict and helping them avoid the pain and consequences of their behavior. This is
done by family, friends, employers, co-workers, the legal system, and the media. Many
enablers are also co-dependent.
Co-Dependency
Co-Dependency is a chronic attempt to please or manipulate others, in order to create
a self-esteem based on "doing good." This identity is false, unhealthy, and becomes
progressively death-oriented. This disease is typical of family members of
alcoholic/addicts or children of emotionally repressive parents. The family rules are
"Don't talk, don't trust, don't feel."
Enabling Behaviors
Rationalizing
Stops communication by making attempts to understand the alcoholic/addict as unusual
but normal. There is some excuse, underlying problem, or stereotype which explains
their use of chemicals. The enabler may evaluate, diagnose, label, blame. Feelings are
avoided.
"He needs to blow off steam. He has problems at work (or home)." "Lots of people
were loaded at that party."
"Why dwell on the past? It would only be upsetting."
"He's just going through a phase."
Projecting
The problems of the addict are ignored and focus is shifted to the enabler's
inadequacies. The enabler becomes mired in their hurt feelings and guilt.
"If you cared about me half as much as you care about your friends, maybe I wouldn't
want to drink so much."
"You're enough to drive anyone to drink."
"If you'd shape up, I'd be all right."
Avoiding
The enabler withdraws all feedback or contact, represses feelings, keeps the
alcoholic/addict's problems secret.
"After what he did last night, let's just not invite him any more."
"She just doesn't seem to belong in this department; I'll transfer her to shipping."
"She isn't as reliable as she used to be. I don't think we should ask her to be on our
committee."
Controlling
To avoid a deepening depression, the enabler reacts, tries to manipulate social events,
assumes extra responsibilities, directly controls the chemicals' availability, invades the
alcoholic/addict's privacy, lectures, problem-solves, argues, questions, threatens, begs,
commands, consoles, or gives up and joins in the consumption of chemicals.
Detachment---the way out
The education and lightening of the load of the enabler begins in a crisis or through a
professional intervention. The recognition of the tacit care taking role allows the enabler
the freedom to step out of it. Strong feelings usually accompany recognition of this
longstanding role:
Fear of betrayal, and loss of the alcoholic/addict, especially if they are in treatment,
on their own independent path to recovery and no longer in need of the enabler's
care taking.
Anger at the chemically dependent person and at one-self for allowing the care taking
to happen.
Grief and shock over the loss of control, the downward spiral of the disease, the loss
of self-esteem, the isolation.
Depression over the need for the enabler to change their own behavior also, not just
the alcoholic/addict.
The payoff is a return to healthy self-esteem, expression of long-repressed emotions,
and a relief from the burden of responsibility. The enabler needs to develop a faith in
the therapeutic value of the natural course of events, re-establish a basic trust in
themselves and their life process.
Defense Mechanisms
1.Rationalizing - I don't drink/use every day, I don't have a problem.
2.Minimizing - I don't drink/use half of what Sam drinks.
3.Cockiness - I got it made, these other folks are losers.
4.Justifying - If you had a wife/husband like mine, you would drink/use too.
5.Projecting - You always manipulate to get what you want.
6.Blaming - You drove me to drink/use. It is my job stress.
7.Humor - This isn't serious. Life is a joke.
8.Intellectualizing - Research shows I'm probably not an alcoholic/addict.
9.Lying - I only had a couple of beers, maybe three.
10.Manipulation - If you quit bitching, I'll quit drinking/using.
11.Accusing - Your fooling around keeps me drinking/using.
12.Threatening - Get off my back or you will be sorry!
13.Judging - If you did this or that right, things wouldn't be so bad.
14.Explaining - Oh, I drink/use because I . . .
15.Analyzing - I started drinking more because of ____, it will slow down later.
16.Arguing - I'm not an alcoholic, I've never gotten a DWI or . . .
17.Defiance - I dare you to prove that I'm an alcoholic/addict.
18.Withdrawing - If I don't do or say anything, they will leave me alone.
19.Shouting - Leave me alone, I don't want to talk about it!
20.Silence -
21.Smiling - Just laugh it off. Nervous smile.
22.Compliance - I just do and say what they want.
Addictive personality Characteristic Thinking of the Substance Abuser
The
Addictive Personality
C
Self-obsessed
C
Self-less
C
Inner Emptiness
C
Without meaning or purpose
C
Excessive Approval seeking
C
Self-censoring
C
Guilt Ridden
C
Trouble Managing anger
C
Underlying depression
C
Emotional numbness
C
Inner tension
C
Afraid of taking
appropriate risks
C
Hidden dependency needs
C
Trouble with authority
figures
C
Blaming others
C
Poor coping skills
C
Wishful thinking
C
Never wanting to grow up
C
Without boundaries
C
Need for immediate
gratification
C
No internalized good
parent
C
Intimacy problems
C
Trouble having real
pleasure
How good is common sense?
Alcoholism
&
Drug Addiction
Remember
we are dealing with
the effects of an abnormal
craving for a chemical.
DON'T EXPECT
COMMON SENSE!
Is it a disease?
Cause
environment, genetics,
(thiq) socialization
Set of Recognizable
Symptoms
Obsession
(planning, scheming, hiding, stocking up)
Negative
Consequences (relationships, finances, work, judgment, health)
Lack
of Control (progression)
Denial
(justification, minimization, rationalization)
Course/ Progression
beginning,
middle, end, relapse, recovery
Treatment
Cure
Signs
of Addiction
-arriving late,
leaving early
-taking frequent
breaks
-taking long
lunches
-unexplained
absences
-Friday, Monday
absences
-absences due to
accidents bot hon and off work site
-hard to believe
excuses
-increased
operating errors
-poor quality work
-irresponsibility
in completing tasks
-wasted materials
or damaged equipment
-emotional
outbursts, anger, tears
-mood swings
-overreacting to
criticism
-blaming others for
performance problems
-inappropriate
statements
-complaints from co
workers, associates and or public
-isolation from
co-workers
-forgetfulness
-poor hygiene
-red eyes
-slurred speech
-in a fog
-sudden weight gain
or loss
-shaking or
nervous twitching
-smell of alcohol
