SOCW 6103 - Discussion 1: Social and Community Support

Week 9: Addiction and Society

You alone can do it, but you cannot do it alone.

—O. Hobart Mowrer, behavior therapy psychologist

Stan is a desperate twenty-three year-old sitting in his room alone, depressed, and contemplating suicide. He feels hopeless because his substance addiction is taking control of his life. He does not want to die but he is scared to reach out for help. He has tried to stop his substance use without success. He wonders if he can find someone else who is going through the same thing, who understands what he is going through, and who might help him get better. With that thought in mind, he begins researching addiction treatment on the Internet.

This week, you consider the role of groups and community support in the recovery of addiction. You explore ways that social interactions might assist an individual in recovery from addiction to maintain sobriety. Finally, you explore your insights from attending a 12-step program meeting and considering how it might impact your future as an addiction professional.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

· Analyze society's obligation in addiction recovery

· Analyze the role of community support and group approach in the recovery for individuals with addiction

· Analyze the benefits of clinical supervision

· Analyze the challenges of clinical supervision

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Foundations of addictions counseling (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.

· Chapter 10, "Group Therapy for Treatment of Addictions" (pp. 217-239)

· Chapter 12, "12-Step Facilitation of Treatment" (pp. 263-284)

Bogo, M., Paterson, J., Tufford, L., & King, R. (2011). Interprofessional clinical supervision in mental health and addiction: Toward identifying common elements. The Clinical Supervisor, 30(1), 124–140. 

Laschober, T. C., de Tormes Eby, L., & Sauer, J. B. (2013). Effective clinical supervision in substance use disorder treatment programs and counselor job performance. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 35(1), 76–94.

Whitely, C. E. M. (2010). Social work clinical supervision in the addictions: Importance of understanding professional cultures. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 10(4), 343–362.

White, W. L. (2010). Nonclinical addiction recovery support services: History, rationale, models, potentials, and pitfalls. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 28(3), 256–272. 

Nonclinical addiction recovery support services: History, rationale, models, potentials, and pitfalls by White, W. L. in Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 28(3), 256–272. Copyright 2010 by Taylor & Francis Informa UK – Journals. Used with permission from Taylor & Francis Informa UK – Journals via Copyright Clearance Centre. 

Discussion 1: Social and Community Support

"Groups offer a number of advantages over individual or other counseling methods including creating a sense of universality or the understanding that clients are not alone in their struggles" (Yalom & Lesczc, 2005).

The use of group treatment in treatment recovery centers is often the primary mode of treatment and offers a number of advantages. Clients undergoing individual treatment may not receive the necessary support or feedback from individuals who have gone through similar situations who might help in the recovery process (Cuizon, 2009).

Building a support network of professionals, peers, and family members is fundamental when building a solid relapse prevention plan. Creating a support network and maintaining it may provide the best long-term results. Prevention programs are most often conducted in a group setting when clients are developing effective strategies for recovery (Weiss, Jaffee, de Menil, & Cogley, 2004). Addiction is also a disease of isolation, so group support has a fundamental function of making the addiction public and requiring people with problems with addiction to become more accountable for choices that they make in persisting with destructive and addictive behaviors.

For this Discussion, review this week's resources. Consider the role that groups and communities might play in addiction recovery and possible ways in which societal interactions might help an individual in recovery maintain sobriety. In addition, think about your own views concerning society's obligations toward individuals suffering from addiction.

Post a 300-word paper detailing:

· Why society has an obligation to help individuals with addiction.

· Explain why and how.

· Then explain three ways that community support or a group approach may assist in the recovery of clients with problems with addiction.

· Support your response using the resources and current literature.

Must contain at least 3 References and Citations.