The book contains the stories of how AA came about and particularly mentions the Twelve Steps Program to recovery and the Twelve Traditions of the AA. The former "is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems while the latter provide guidelines for relationships between the twelve-step groups, members, other groups, the global fellowship, and society at large (Northeastern Maryland Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous, 2011).
eing part of the AA meeting, I realized how important it is to have a lifeline and network for those who want to rid themselves of their alcoholism. I felt empathy for those struggling with their problems and at the same time I was happy for those who have fully recovered and maintained their sobriety for years now. As a future nurse, I can consider AA as one of the important and effective intervention…...

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Bibliography:

Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (2010). Questions and answers on sponsorship. Retrieve August 28, 2011 from  http://aa.org/pdf/products/p-15_Q&AonSpon.pdf 

Buddy T. (2008, January 22). "Cognitive behavior therapy for addiction." About.com Guide. Retrieve August 28, 2011 from  http://alcoholism.about.com/od/relapse/a/cbt.htm 

Northeastern Maryland Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous. (2011). Alcoholics Anonymous. Retrieve August 28, 2011 from  http://www.nemdaa.org/ 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2010, October 14). "Clinical or therapeutic approaches used by substance abuse treatment facilities." The N-SSATS report. Retrieve August 28, 2011 from  http://oas.samhsa.gov /2k10/238/238ClinicalAp2k10.htm

Alcoholics Anonymous cuently consists of a 12-step pogam to help people face thei poblems, deal with them, and eliminate them.
I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting duing the evening. Thee wee about 12 people in attendance. The goup was seated in a cicle, with each membe able to face each othe membe. The meeting began with a peliminay discussion of issues discussed duing the pevious meeting. The goup leade followed up some of the mattes, such as one individual who had touble ovecoming the denial phase of his poblem. Duing this discussion, fequent efeences wee made to "the 12 steps" o "you 12 steps."

The goup consisted of a faily divese selection, although the age goup was faily young, with few pesons being above 35 yeas old. This coelates with a finding by Sate et al. (2004, p. 1294), that pee pessue plays a significant ole in the age of those…...

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references were made to "the 12 steps" or "your 12 steps."

The group consisted of a fairly diverse selection, although the age group was fairly young, with few persons being above 35 years old. This correlates with a finding by Sartre et al. (2004, p. 1294), that peer pressure plays a significant role in the age of those who succumb to alcohol addiction. Most of the group was male, with 4 being female. All the females were in their 20s. In terms of ethnicity, there were 4 African-American people, 3 Hispanic people, and 5 Caucasian people at the meeting.

I found the experience extremely helpful in several respects: first in terms of what I learned about the nature of alcohol abuse, and secondly about how I could use the information in my own future.

Specifically, I learned that alcohol abuse is not only subject to peer pressure, but also to family drinking habits. According to Dooley et al. (2005, p. 33), males are about three times as likely to report drinking before the age of 13. Even with the possible limitation of non-truthfulness as

Alcoholics Anonymous, widely - groups, recently 'online' websites individuals access 'attend' regular online AA meetings. Assume a clinician a residential substance abuse treatment asked develop a list community resources supports clients leave program.
he managers at www.AAOnline.net aim to change people's thinking by emphasizing the steps that a person needs to take in order to be able to put his or her addictions behind. he website practically acknowledges the fact that conventional meetings are not for everyone -- some people might have trouble attending them either because of how they feel about themselves or simply because they live in areas where such meetings are not available. By making it possible for individuals to express themselves without being interrupted, the website is effective in enabling people to actually access its resources.

Online intergroup Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.aa-intergroup.org/directory.php) is, like other AA institutions, meant to assist alcoholics in changing their lives for the better…...

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The July 29, 2010, cover of Times Magazine is certainly disturbing and intended to raise public awareness concerning the way in which cultural values can affect society in general and some individuals in particular. Although it would be ignorant to claim that events like the one that happened to Aisha are very common in Afghanistan, the article is nonetheless important because of the way it addresses this matter.

The "Women of Afghanistan Under Taliban Threat" Times article addresses the topic of women being severely discriminated in Afghanistan. The article brings forward a series of women who had the courage to come out and speak about their suffering and the way that gender in general represents a reason for discrimination in their community. The Taliban authority made it especially difficult for women to be able to be considered equals in the Afghan community and it shaped the public's idea regarding gender roles. Men have traditionally been inclined to believe that they have the right to oppress women simply because of their gender.

Stories like Sakina's further emphasize the gravity of the situation, with her marriage being especially harmful for her. "He used her as an indentured servant and beat her with weaving tools when she didn't work fast enough." (Women of Afghanistan Under Taliban Threat) Conditions are critical when regarding gender roles in Afghanistan and articles such as the one in Times magazine provide society with the ability to actually understand them.

Alcohol and Addiction: Empirical Observations of a -Step Program in ActionFirst organized in 1935 by Dr. Bob Smith and Bill Wilson to help others who were suffering from the ravages of alcoholism, Alcoholics Anonymous has become one of the worlds most recognized and attended 12-step programs today (Wagener, 2019). The purpose of the research paper is provide my empirical observations of an Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meeting. The research question that will guide the project is, Are 12-step programs an effective intervention for addictions? This research question was motivated by a study of the effectiveness of 12-step programs for the treatment of alcoholism compared to other types of interventions by Blum and Davis (2014). A description of my experiences at a local open AA meeting is followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning the guiding research question in the papers conclusion.eview and DiscussionFinding an open AA meeting…...

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ReferencesBlum, T. C. & Davis, C. D. (2014, Summer). Adopting evidence-based medically assisted treatments in substance abuse treatment organizations: Roles of leadership socialization and funding streams. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 37(1), 37-43.Campbell, B. K & Allison, F. (2013). Therapist predictors of treatment delivery fidelity in a community-based trial of 12-step facilitation. Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 39(5), 37-41.Cashwell, C. S. & Clarke, P. B. (2009, October). Step by step: Avoiding spiritual bypass in 12-step work. Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling,30(1), 37-44.Wagener, D. (2019, December 31). What is the success rate of AA? American Addiction Centers. Retrieved from  https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/12-step/whats-the-success-rate-of-aa .

McKella, J., Stewat, E., & Humpheys, K. (Apil, 2003). Alcoholics Anonymous: Involvement and Positive Alcohol-Related Outcomes: Cause, Consequence, o Just a Coelate? A Pospective 2-Yea Study of 2,319 Alcohol-Dependent Men. Jounal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology; 71 (2): 302-308.
McKella, Stewat, and Humpheys study the causality between A.A. involvement and positive alcohol elated outcomes in 2319 male subjects (p. 304). Thei model included involvement afte 1 yea of sobiety in elation to a 2-yea follow-up, examining the levels of alcohol elated poblems (p. 305). Thei findings include that the paticipation in the A.A. pogam can have a positive effect of alcohol-elated poblems, independent fom motivation factos o psychopathology (p. 306-308).

This souce is impotant because the study was done in a scientific manne, with a contol goup and sound methodology (p. 303-305). The study involves analysis of pevious woks, using the same hypothesis (p. 302-303), and comes to the same conclusions (p.…...

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references so that the research can be reviewed by the reader (p. 560-561, p. 566). Also the journal in which the study was published is a reputable journal, so the results and study can be trusted for validity.

Call Number: AN 6582532, EBSCO Host

Vick, R. (Fall, 2002). Questioning the Use of Alcoholics Anonymous With College Students: Is an Old Concept the Only Alternative for a New Generation? Journal of College Counseling, 3 (2): 158-168.

Vick examines the effectiveness of A.A. within the college student subset of the population (p.160-161), and includes research in the area of A.A. related treatment (p. 160). In addition, Vick focuses on the reasons why A.A. may not be the best solution for college students (p. 160-161). Research of the prevalence of drinking in college students is also provided (p. 185-159). Alternative approaches which may be more effective than A.A. are also evaluated (p. 161-164). Vick concludes that, for many college students, alternative treatment methods are more successful than A.A for college students (p. 164-165).

This article is important because it shows that A.A. may not be the best treatment solution for all areas of the population (p. 164). In addition, relevant research is evaluated (p. 160-197), and appropriate citation is given at the end of the article (p. 168). Alternate methods are evaluated, providing a counter point to other studies (p. 161-165). In addition, the journal in which the article is published is a well-known, credible source of information.

12-step programs were somewhat mixed. On one hand, I have friends who say that they would never have recovered without Alcoholic's Anonymous (AA). I have never suffered an addiction myself so I cannot presume to judge the validity of their experiences. On the other hand, I often find the language of addiction and recovery, and its insistence upon the '12 steps' to be confining, even cultish in tone.
I attended a 'speaker's meeting' for this assignment. Although meetings are anonymous and closed to observers, at an AA speaker's meeting, a speaker with a year or more of sobriety talks to an open group to relate his or her experience, followed by discussion (Garrett 2009).

The meeting I attended was consistent with the literature I had previously read on AA: "the three important steps to sobriety are admitting powerlessness to alcohol, turning yourself over to a 'higher power' and never drinking again"…...

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References

Bakalar, Nicholas. (2006). Review sees no advantage in 12-step programs. The New York Times.

Retrieved October 4, 2011 at  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/25/health/25drin.html 

Garrett, Floyd P. (2009). Your first AA Meeting. Recovery and Wellness.

Retrieved October 4, 2011 at  http://www.bma-wellness.com/papers/First_AA_Meeting.html#Speaker%20

The AA also provides a strong network of relationships that is important for the recovery and support process as pointed out by Khantzian & Mack, (1994, pp.348).
The steps are important since they assist the alcoholics in becoming patient. They also admit that they are reckless and out of control. They also give up the alcoholic struggle with self and the bottle in order to allow the higher power as well as assistance of other to emancipate them. In the recovery process, there are sponsors. A sponsor is an alcoholic who has fully recovered and the recovering alcoholic can reach them at any time.

Alcoholic Anonymous believes even the alcoholics are important help to others. The concept of AA is beneficial in getting rid of the incessant alienation as well as shame that the alcoholics feel. It then proceeds to instill a sense of hope, contact with other as well as…...

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References

Alcoholic Anonymous (2002). Service Material from the General Service Office: THE TWELVE STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

 http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/smf-121_en.pdf 

Browne, B.R. (1991). The selective adaption of the Alcoholics Anonymous program by Gamblers Anonymous. Journal of Gambling Studies, 7(3), 187206. Fagan, R.W. (1986). The use of volunteer sponsors in the rehabilitation of skid-row alcoholics. Journal of Drug Issues, 16(3), 321-337.

Doweiko, H.E. (2009). Concepts of chemical dependency (7th ed.). Pacifi c Grove, CA:

group meets downstairs in a church. There are "tables" where the members sit and discuss their issues. In this group there are two tables, nearly filled with about 20 people at each table. There are mostly middle-aged to older adults here (40 years old and up), but a few that are under 30 years of age. There is a pretty even distribution of males and females at the two tables. The general interaction between the members is causal and quite friendly. After sitting at one table I wait for the meeting to get started. Once it is started there are a lot of formalities: an introduction by the leader (I am later told that this person is referred to as the chairperson and this position is a volunteer that changes weekly), the reading the stipulations of the group, a prayer, asking if there are any first time attendees (I…...

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References

Kelly, J.F., Magill, M., & Stout, R.L. (2009). How do people recover from alcohol dependence? A systematic review of the research on mechanisms of behavior change in Alcoholics Anonymous. Addiction Research and Theory, 17, 236-259.

Rosenberg, H. (1993). Prediction of controlled drinking by alcoholics and problem drinkers.

Psychological Bulletin, 113, 129-139.

Vaillant, G.E. (2005). Alcoholics Anonymous: Cult or cure? Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 39(6), 431-436.

Bulimics and anorexics are well represented at this meeting. From my understanding, Overeaters Anonymous embraces those with any type of eating disorder. I appreciate the willingness of group members to understand that it is the addictive, compulsive nature of the behavior that is the problem and not the specific manifestation. Along this line of thought, one member of the group noted his addiction to drugs as well as to food. Crossover addictions are extraordinarily common. One member indicated being a former anorexic who starved herself regularly; that was ten years ago and now she can be considered overweight. Whether or not there is a proven "addictive personality," certainly there are people for whom any pattern of behavior can become a potential problem.

From a clinician's perspective, I appreciate the formula the Twelve Steps offer. The group provides a social network. This may be the most important function of the Twelve Step…...

12 Step groups
step programs are famous for their role in the breaking of addictions. The programs cover such areas of addiction such as gambling, drug, and alcohol. Below is an evaluation of the effectiveness of the 12 step program in breaking addiction to alcohol.

Background of Alcoholism

Facts concerning the abuse of alcohol are often overlooked as it is a frequently used drug that can be obtained from the nearest store or ordered from a menu in a restaurant. Alcohol abuse statistics raise several alarms but focusing the attention of the public to the alcohol effects can help raise awareness and help in the fighting of alcoholism (Get The Facts).

Just a few drinkers of alcohol stop consumption with the first bottle. Also, an evening of heavy consumption is not always done alone (Get The Facts). Chronically consuming alcohol leads to a host of effects. When done over a prolonged period of…...

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References"

1)

Get the Facts on Alcohol Abuse. (n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2015, from  http://drugabuse.com/library/get-the-facts-on-alcohol-abuse/ 

2)

The Birth of A.A. And Its Growth in the U.S./Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2015, from  http://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/historical-data-the-birth-of-aa-and-its-growth-in-the-uscanada

Alcohol: Benefit or Problem?Although it has been nearly a century since Prohibition ended in the United States in 1933, the same arguments that resulted in its passage of the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act in October 1919 in the first place remain salient today. For instance, then as now, opponents of alcohol cite the increased incidence of domestic and other types of violence, the diminished ability to earn a meaningful living and a host of health-related problems as evidence that even moderate consumption of alcohol is dangerous and an enlightened society would seek to prohibit its use to the maximum extent possible. Conversely, researchers have identified some diseases and health disorders that can benefit from low levels of alcohol consumption, and social drinkers who are able to enjoy a few drinks without adverse effects simply do not understand what all the fuss is about in the first place. The…...

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Works Cited“Alcohol: Balancing Risks and Benefits” Harvard School of Public Health 2022.   %20be,half%20of%20fatal%20traffic%20accidents.Ashley, Mary Jane, et al. “Beyond Ischemic Heart Disease: Are There Other Health Benefits from Drinking Alcohol?” Contemporary Drug Problems, vol. 27, no. 4, Winter 2000, p. 735.Coomber, Kerri, et al. “Predictors of Awareness of Standard Drink Labelling and Drinking Guidelines to Reduce Negative Health Effects among Australian Drinkers.” Drug & Alcohol Review, vol. 36, no. 2, Mar. 2017, pp. 200–09.Jones, Alexander, et al. “Habitual Alcohol Consumption Is Associated with Lower Cardiovascular Stress Responses - a Novel Explanation for the Known Cardiovascular Benefits of Alcohol?” Stress: The International Journal on the Biology of Stress, vol. 16, no. 4, July 2013, pp. 369–76.Khauli, Nicole, et al. “Does Knowing about the Long-Term Health Effects of Alcohol Matter? Evidence from a University Sample in Lebanon.” Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, vol. 27, no. 4, Apr. 2021, pp. 336–43.Lown, E. Anne, et al. “Health Effects from Drinking: Type, Severity, and Associated Drinking Patterns Based on Qualitative and Quantitative Questions in a Methodological Survey.” Substance Use & Misuse, vol. 42, no. 5, Mar. 2007, pp. 793–810.Smith, Katherine C. et al. “’Drink Responsibly’ Messages in Alcohol Ads Promote Products, Not Public Health.” Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 2014, Sept. 3  https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2014/drink-responsibly-messages-in-alcohol-ads-promote-products-not-public-health .Young, Lance Brendan. “Alcoholism and Identity: How an Alternative Framing of Identity Can Facilitate Alcoholics Anonymous Research.” Addiction Research & Theory, vol. 19, no. 3, June 2011, pp. 213–23.https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/drinks-to-consume-in-moderation/alcohol-full-story/#:~:text=Moderate%20drinking%20seems%20to 

Frank seemed to consider that there might be a problem and that change might be necessary. So, beginning treatment should be focus on emphasizing awareness and environmental reevaluation.
A combination of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI) is the recommended treatment.

Summary

Frank, a 33-year-old African-American man, came to the caseworker of record after relating negatively to an initial caseworker. His came for treatment because he and his attorney hoped it would favorably influence the judge who would consider the case stemming from Frank's shooting his wife, who had startled him out of a restless sleep. Frank claimed that his alcohol use was not relevant. The first caseworker's probing about alcohol use prompted Frank's referral to the caseworker of record.

The caseworker established rapport early in the first session by remarking on Frank's cowboy boots -- which were distinctive in contrast to his plain clothing. When asked about any problems, Frank referred…...

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References

American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV. Washington, DC: Author.

Banarjee, S., Clancy, C., & Crome, I. (2002) Co-existing Problems of Mental Disorder and Substance Misuse (dual diagnosis). Retrieved from  http://www.web.archive.org/web/20040309142330/www.rcpsych/ 

ac.uk/cru/complete/ddipPracManual.pdf

Hanson, M. & El-Bassel, N. (2004). Motivating substance-abusing clients through the helping process. In S.L.A. Straussner (Ed.), Clinical Work with Substance-Abusing Clients (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.

Client Description.
The client is a 19-year-old single male who was referred for treatment by his parents who are concerned that his use of alcohol is interfering with his grades in college. The client reportedly had all A grades in high school and had been placed in a program for gifted students. However, he has reportedly flunked out of college in his first year. Following this he was also recently arrested for his second DUI offense, the first offense occurring when he was a senior in high school.

According to his parents, the client was born at full term with no complications occurring in the pregnancy and delivery of the baby. He met all of his developmental milestones ahead of expectation and has experienced no major health issues although his last physical examination was several years ago. He excelled in school and was placed in a program for gifted and talented students.…...

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References

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.-text revision). Washington, DC: Author.

Beck, A.T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., & Steer, R.A. (1988). An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 56(6), 893-903.

Covin, R., Ouimet, A.J., Seeds, P.M., & Dozois, D.J. (2008). A meta-analysis of CBT for pathological worry among clients with GAD. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22(1), 108-116.

Dutra, L., Stathopoulou, G., Basden, S.L., Leyro, T.M., Powers, M.B., & Otto, M.W. (2008). A meta-analytic review of psychosocial interventions for substance use disorders. American Journal Psychiatry, 165 (2) 179-187.

Indeed, the lack of "recognition and protection" by schools in general contributes to the "critically high level of suicide" among this community of minority students (146).
Surely alert, competent, contemporarily up-to-date school counselors understand that they have the "daunting but imperative obligation to become social activists for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students" since these students are the most "stigmatized members of school environs," Stone continues. There is no doubt that certain legal and ethical issues come in the way of school counselors' being free to help LGBT adolescents with their difficult decisions.

It is a "complex landscape" for counselors indeed, and they need to use caution in discussing birth control, abortion, drug abuse and more with straight and gay / lesbian students; moreover, since parents have the ultimate authority when it comes to counseling their children on important matters (the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed that fact in several cases), the…...

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Works Cited

Cabaj, Robert Paul, and Smith, Mickey. (2008). Overview of Treatment Approaches, Modalities,

and Issues of Accessibility in the Continuum of Care. Center for Substance Abuse

Treatment. Retrieved August 27, 2011, from  http://www.samhsa.gov .

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2008). A Provider's Introduction to Substance Abuse

Female Substance Abusers and Addicts
Heroin is a highly addictive substance which is characterized by a rush of biophysiological symptoms such as a rush or feeling of euphoria, heaviness in one's extremities and a certain element of dry mouth (rehab-international.org). When it comes to heroin and gender, either gender can become addicted to it in a brief amount of time: "Addiction to heroin is characterized by the compulsion to use heroin despite an onset of negative consequences and despite the user's best attempts at stopping via willpower alone" (rehab-international.org). For women, one of the more common traits of heroin abuse is rather detrimental: the acquired tolerance means that greater doses of heroin have to be taken in order to get the original effects of the drug. When women are under the influence of the drug, they may engage in unsafe sexual activity, actions which can lead to STDs, unintended pregnancies and…...

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References

Anderson, T. (2000). Drug Use and Gender . udel.edu, 286-292.

Beckerleg, S.'Women heroin users: Exploring the limitations of the structural violence approach,'

International Journal of Drug Policy, vol:16 2005, p183 -190

Cicero, T., Ellis, M., & Surratt, H. (2014). The Changing Face of Heroin Use in the United States. JAMA Psychiatry, 821-826.