Relapse Prevention and More

I went to an excellent training on Relapse Prevention in King of Prussia yesterday. I really love the classroom. I feel like such a nerd because I love the entire learning experience and it awakes a personal energy from within. I wrote several notes and once I compile them I will share them here on the site. Though I did discover a frightening statistic that was a little close to home. Before I write about statistics I just want to add that I am a person who loves science as much as I love history so research based evidence and numbers are definitely "me".

Anyway,

I especially love genetics.

There are 40 genetic markers according to the latest research that pre-disposed us to addiction. Science states it is probably more than 40 markers but thus far 40 markers have been found. What does this mean in numbers? If a child is born to one or two parents with an addiction (substance and/or a process addiction like porn, gambling, shopping) whether they are active users or in recovery, the child has a 50 to 80% chance of acquiring an addiction. Scary? Yeah! If a child is born to parents without an addiction but who have one or more grandparents with an addiction, there is a 50% chance of that child acquiring an addiction. The way to look at this 50% is the same as having a 50% chance of a child being born a male or female. These numbers were a bit overwhelming to me evident by my expression in the classroom that prompted the instructor to point me out and ask me what I thought.

This is just based on genetics without the environmental factor included.

I wish I knew this 30 odd years ago. Of course, science was not that advanced. So what can one do when the children are already here and have this genetic predisposition? Well, there are protective factors that should be in place for anyone who has a small child born with this genetic make-up. What are these protective factors? Some of these factors include postponement of experimental alcohol and drug use in adolescent. Kids are smoking pot and drinking alcohol at age 10, 12, 14 years old and some have already moved onto other drugs such as pills, heroin, PCP and cocaine. Then there are children born to mothers who are actively using. The light to the genetic fuse box is lit at birth which increases their chances even more.

Have you ever wondered why some kids raised in the same family use and others do not? Or some kids use and can walk away but others become addicted? Kids raised in a home where neither parent uses and one or more developed addiction? You would expect that in a family were one or both parents have or had an active addiction. How many people really know their family history? Maybe, grandpop was never spoken about or grandmom was hidden. How much do people really know? What about the porn addict or the shopping addict? Are these people ever spoken about? I doubt it. Maybe some people cannot wrap their head around genetics and are still believers in the moral model? Some may say that genetics is an excuse. Well, the numbers, research and methods do not lie.

I know. It is a lot. One maybe thinking what does this have to do with relapse prevention? Well. It means a ton and more. You need to see where it all began to come up with a plan to arrest it and place it in remission and if one thinks there is some magical cure, well, wake up! There are a few things that really stand out to me as a result of this training. First, it is the statement "addiction is based on a fear of living". A fear of being uncomfortable. You cannot talk someone out of addiction because he or she must feel it. A whole lotta words with very little sense you maybe thinking. I will get my notes together and write more about it in depth. The best model to use in addiction is the Recovery Model based on a Public Health Model with three specific hallmarks.

In this field, we are required to have 25 credit hours of education per year mandated by the state and to keep our licenses to practice. Once upon a time, all one needed was recovery to be a counselor. Those days are long gone. You must have a graduate degree and a license to practice whether one is in recovery or not. If you work with a co-occurring population (mental health + addiction) you need further training. It is a horse and pony show at times. There is even an international license to practice in all states and every country. Amazing!

Going off topic. Sorry.

To sum it all up, I will be back with a look into the Recovery Model. Some will agree. Some will not agree. It is ok. Whatever road one travels can lead to the same destination.