ipl-logo

Overview Of AA: Not The Only Way By Melanie Solomon

920 Words4 Pages

Substance abuse and addiction is one of the nation’s fastest growing problems with traditional 12-step recovery being virtually the only treatment option utilized. AA: Not the Only Way: Your One Stop Resource Guide to 12-Step Alternatives, Capalo Press; 2nd Edition (November 28, 2008), is a book that was written by a woman, Melanie Solomon, who battled addiction for 12 years. Solomon begins this book with a testimony of her journey that started in a well-known rehab facility that introduced her to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and the 12-steps. Solomon explains in her story that she was addicted to pills, yet she ended up in the rooms of AA. After many unsuccessful attempts towards recovery in AA and near fatal relapses she began researching other …show more content…

The title of the book itself may be seen as a direct attack on these types of programs. In the introduction to this book Solomon points out, “I think 12-step programs are wonderful for those individuals whom it does work for”. She is not advising those that have found recovery in AA twelve-step programs to abandon them, but rather she reinforces that evidence that tells us that not all recover utilizing these programs and that alternatives are available. Solomon discusses the most common objectionable topics alcoholics/addicts have with the traditional AA 12- step approach towards recovery. Readers can identify with the author here since as a pill addicted individual, she was misplaced into an alcohol recovery program. She addresses the people that balk at the idea that they are powerless or that their life is unmanageable as is suggested in Step one of 12-step programs. There are those too that struggle with the spiritual approach in finding a “Higher Power” to recover. Others object to the switch from being obsessed with drinking to being overly focused on, not drinking and rehashing mistakes. Some just simply believe that addiction is a learned behavior that can be unlearned. Addiction has been found to be multifaceted, and most agree that recovery must focus on the many “underlying” psychological, emotional, physical, spiritual and social issues that cause drug and alcohol abuse. Solomon’s book attempts to present why traditional treatment does not work and to provide resources for alternative methods. Some of the alternatives focus on specific aspects of recovery, while others address numerous factors tailored to fit an individual’s needs. People struggling to succeed in AA or other 12-step programs will find the information in this book

Show More
Related

  • Fresno County Case Study

    456 Words  | 2 Pages

    Addicts are each unique individuals with specific needs, and the task of finding the right outpatient or inpatient addiction treatment services is daunting. The good news is there is an organization that specializes in locating available outpatient or inpatient addiction treatment services (drug and alcohol rehab and detox) for any addict who is ready to admit defeat and seek help. These specialized services involve working with addicts to find the best and most appropriate outpatient or inpatient addiction treatment services based on

    Read More

  • Recovery Road Analysis

    793 Words  | 4 Pages

    Saturday night parties are what most high school teenagers look forward to when bringing on the weekend. Drinking, smoking weed, and fighting are “fun” to these young adults, right? Recovery Road is the story of Madeline, who is not only recovering from heavy drinking problems, but partying and anger issues as well. This is a story that I got pulled into more than I had expected to. I enjoyed it, because I was able to sympathize with the characters struggles throughout the book, watch the young adults be peer pressured, and lastly, I got to watch Madeline overcome her terrible addictions.

    Read More

  • Chemical Dependence Program: Case Study

    156 Words  | 1 Pages

    Chemical Dependence Program - Everett Branch Group Name: Phase I - IOP GroupTopic: Problem Solving D: Group topic was focused on Dim 4 and Dim6. Group members learned the 6 step method of problem solving and how it can be applied to different problems in recovery or life. Group members were then to identify a current problem or concern in their life, and share how to prioritize, address, or solve the problem by using the 6 step method. Client was present with a normal mood, and actively participated in the group discussion.

    Read More

  • Melody Beattie's Codependent No More

    747 Words  | 3 Pages

    and N.A. meetings I attended this book contains many quotes from the Twelve Step model and makes many references to God and a Higher Power which may encourage many readers to use faith to change the codependency. It seems that the Twelve Steps are very important not only for those with a drug addiction, but those who struggle with some sort of compulsive action that affects their everyday lives. The author aims to let the readers acknowledge if they may have a codependency issue by giving a list of signs of codependency and tries to walk the reader through such situations by giving examples of

    Read More

  • 12 Step Recovery Program Analysis

    699 Words  | 3 Pages

    A 12 step recovery program such as Alcohol Anonymous is a program designed to help one who is labeled as an alcoholic to “recover” from their “disease.” In the 12 step program, the person is considered an alcoholic and will always be that way because it is labeled as a disease. However, the Bible does not call it a disease but a life dominating sin. Instead of calling someone an alcoholic, they should be called a drunkard. Since drunkenness is a sin and not a disease, the Bible has answers and solutions on how to put off drunkenness and to replace it with those things that are honoring to God (cf.

    Read More

  • Al-Anon Meeting Reflection

    1877 Words  | 8 Pages

    It is mentioned throughout the family and addicts’ program structure that the Twelve Step Program does not belong to a denomination. However, God is mentioned numerous times during the gatherings. As well as the literature, literature such as the Serenity Prayer, and the Lord’s Prayer were recited in every meeting. The support groups with these beliefs are more available in our area versus those programs intended for people who are Atheist or belief in something other than God. I myself had a tough time following some of the literature and completely considered it because I don’t have strong belief in that God aids in our recovery from what is conflicting us.

    Read More

  • Recovery Model Of Mental Health

    1091 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Hope House’s programs implement tenets of recovery from the recovery model of mental health and the ideas displayed within the articles to aid in the success of treatment for the ladies and their children. These tenets include holistic care, hope, empowerment, respect, responsibility, and peer support. In addition, cognitive behavioral therapy techniques such as modeling and operant conditioning are also used to treat the behaviors associated with addiction and substance abuse

    Read More

  • Growin Growing Up: A Case Study

    526 Words  | 3 Pages

    The process of deciding which substance I would abstain from through this experiment quickly proved how difficult this 14-day experience would demonstrate to be. Whereas coffee is a mundane commodity our culture thrives on, for me, coffee signifies comfort, security and memories of time well spent with family. Beyond my physical dependence to caffeine, my emotional ties made this process all the more problematic. Through this endeavor, I witnessed the physical and emotional struggles that clients recovering from substance use disorder experience and the importance of having a stable and safe support structure to rely on. While I could read about the emotional and physical toll recovering from substance use disorder can have on a client, the significance of personally experiencing the struggles provided me a heightened sense of awareness and empathy towards a client’s path to recovery.

    Read More

  • Adolescent Addict Summary

    1714 Words  | 7 Pages

    Kathleen Brady is a professor and director of psychiatry at the Medical School of the University of South Carolina. She is considered an expert on addiction and co-occurring disorders. During An Interview with Kathleen Brady there is a summary of what is addiction, myths about addiction, co-occurring disorders, the role of dopamine and relapse. As a substance abuse counselor in training this video gives a general synopsis of my education on substance use, abuse, and dependence. The three main concepts discussed that I found interesting were the role of emotional trauma and stress on the addiction process, dopamine, and the common myths of

    Read More

  • Addictive Disorders: A Case Study

    950 Words  | 4 Pages

    Recovery: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the following working definition of recovery in 2012, “A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.” (SAMHSA, 2012) This broad definition includes all disorders and treatment choices with a common goal of abstaining from unhealthy substances and behaviors in order to improve quality of life. I particularly like the SAMHSA definition because of its focus on recovery as a process and the individual’s role in bringing about

    Read More

  • Perspective Regarding Counselling Clients With Substance Abuse Problems

    753 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is the most prevalent mind disorder, encompassing some 40 percent of the diagnoses in the DSM (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994), the number one continuing health problem, and the number one prison problem in the United States (Inaba, Cohen, & Holstein, 1997). Yet, school, rehabilitation, and mental health counsellor education programs do not require expertise in this area as a prerequisite to receiving a degree. Given this, a need exists to implement strategies to insure that all counsellors have expertise in this area. This digest focuses on identification of counselling outcome research implications for counselling individuals with substance abuse problems. The following conclusions regarding counselling individuals with substance abuse problems have been highlighted.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Mescaline

    1444 Words  | 6 Pages

    It doesn’t matter what drug is being abused, the path back to sobriety can be walked at a Narconon rehab facility. There are specific aspects of addiction that are the causes of a person being trapped in that situation. When these aspects are addressed and handled, a person is freed from the need to keep abusing drugs or alcohol. It has proven unnecessary to consider that one is “always going to be an addict.” It is also unnecessary to “take one day at a time.”

    Read More

  • Overcoming Addiction Summary

    540 Words  | 3 Pages

    The therapy is called CRAFT, and stands for community reinforcement and family training. This therapy relies on the addict’s family and loved one to administer rewards for healthy behaviors, and by doing so it would remove the desire of the addict to seek out other types of rewards. Thus, the main point of the article is to express the idea that addicts should only experience punishment by a last resort. Instead they should be demonstrated that their addiction is not their only mean to get reward, and that there are healthier ways to get rewards that perhaps are even more

    Read More

  • Exercise One's Willpower Research Paper

    474 Words  | 2 Pages

    Anyone who has completed a 12-step program or any other rehabilitation method should be proud. They’ve taken the first steps to reclaiming their lives and achieving their goals. That doesn’t mean they don’t live with some very real concerns, the worst of which is the fear they will relapse. True, many people have a strong support system consisting of family and friends who are more than willing to help them every step of the way.

    Read More

  • Family Therapy Case Study

    714 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (2004), family work can be a strong and continuation theme for many treatment approaches, but family therapy is not used to its greatest capacity in addiction. A primary challenge remains the broadening of the addiction treatment focus from the

    Read More

More about Overview Of AA: Not The Only Way By Melanie Solomon

Open Document