Addictions in the Media

http://www.addictiontreatmentmagazine.com/addiction
/internet-addiction/social-media-site-addiction-and-borderline-
personality-disorder/

         Addiction can be seen throughout the media, whether it is on TV, in music, in movies, or in the public lives of celebrities. Regardless of which method, it is influencing adolescents. According to a recent study, “21 percent of elementary school children and 51 percent of 12^th graders have tried alcohol” (“Media and adolescent substance abuse,” 2011). Also, of today’s smokers, “90 percent began by age 19” (2011). These statistics help prove that exposure to drugs, at a developing age, increases the percent of those who use drugs ("Why Kids Use Drugs," 2013).

         Influential factors for adolescents includes parents, peers, and media. One study showed that these individuals spend "8.6 hours a day engaged with the media and only 1.2 hours a day with non-electronic media" (“Media and adolescent substance abuse,” 2011). This shows that individuals are watching more TV than reading books, and that they are being exposed to more drugs much more frequently than in the past. To help support that, the study also showed the quantity of movies that adolescents are watching contain, “93 percent alcohol use, and on television, alcohol is 77 percent of the shows” (2011), and that “each increase of 1 hour per day of television increases risk of starting to drink alcohol during the next 18 months by 9 percent” (2011). These facts are significant and scary for the population of adolescents and parents raising them.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/screenaddicted-
children-may-have-newest-mental-illness-20120929-26s7q.html

         This increased incidence is due to the fact that adolescents have not completely formed their own identities, so they are experimenting with what they see on TV. Therefore, this exposure translates into initiation of use of alcohol or drugs. A strong emotional response can bypass logical thinking, so even though the individuals know that they should not be smoking because it causes harm to the body, they do it anyway (“Media and adolescent substance abuse,” 2011) & (“Kids & the Media” 2013).

         Here are a few examples of songs that use alcohol and drugs. After listening to the songs and reading the lyrics it is not hard to see why adolescents are having a difficult time separating wrong from right with regards to drug use (LeHericy, Z. & Liberman, M., 2009).

“Blame it on the Alcohol” by Jamie Foxx

Here is another example of a song where Afroman is singing about getting high, and even though he is singing about things going badly, there is still laughing and joking in the background. Also, the tune is light and catchy so people want to listen to it.

“I Love College” by Asher Roth

“Get my Drink on” by Toby Keith

“A Baltimore Love Thing” by 50 Cent

Sources:

“Media and adolescent substance abuse” (2011). Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Received April 18, 2013, from http://www.hopkinschildrens.org/media-and-adolescent-substance-abuse.aspx

“Kids & the Media” (2013). American Psychological Association. Received April 18, 2013, from http://actagainstviolence.apa.org/mediaviolence/index.html

LeHericy, Z. & Liberman, M. "Sex and Drugs: How the Media Influences Today's Youth" (2009). The Maverick. Received April 18, 2013, from http://hs.riverdale.k12.or.us/maverick/?read=775

"Why Kids Use Drugs" (2013). Focus on the Family.  Received April 18, 2013, from http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/parenting_challenges/kids-and-substance-abuse/why-kids-use-drugs.aspx

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrDrCF-T88g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR1r6NCeoaM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAAyNyywhHc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz49-uKK_S4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zAGHS_l2DU

Pictures:

http://www.addictiontreatmentmagazine.com/addiction/internet-addiction/social-media-site-addiction-and-borderline-personality-disorder/

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/screenaddicted-children-may-have-newest-mental-illness-20120929-26s7q.html

Habit Summary

How did you select the behavior you were willing to change?

         It was an easy decision for me to select the behavior I was willing to change. Without a doubt, biting my nails was the habit that I needed to break, whether it was going to be easy or not. I was aware that it was not only physically unattractive but also detrimental to my health and painful. In addiction, this summer I start my level 2 fieldwork as an occupational therapy student, and to have nails that look disgusting is very unprofessional in the health field. No one will want my help (or for me to touch them) if they see that my fingers are bloody and always in my mouth. It is unsanitary for clients, co-workers, and myself.

How easy or difficult was it to abstain from engaging in that behavior?

         At first abstaining from engaging in nail biting was very challenging. Biting my nails was a habit that was second nature for me. I have bit my nails since as long as I can remember so quitting was that much more difficult. It was extremely difficult because most of the time I did not even realize that I was doing it. In the beginning stages, I thought how could I stop doing something that I do not realize that I am doing? Luckily I became more aware of my behaviors and used my friends as supports to help me kick the habit.

Did you have any help/support? If so, from who? Did that make a difference in your success?

         I had help and support throughout the process, and it is a good thing because I do not know that I would have been as successful if they were not there for me. Specifically, my roommates were aware of the experiment and helped me stopped biting my nails. Every time they would see me with my hands in my mouth I would get a verbal warning of some kind, and if that did not work then they would physically push my arm down to get my hands out of my mouth. During this time, I was definitely cranky, and I’m sure they were not happy with me. However, they really helped me, and now I can thank them. I really owe a great deal of my success to them and I am very thankful that I had them. I am lucky that they did not give up on me, even when I was irritable and told them to leave me alone. The 3 of them kept doing what I asked them to do in the very beginning, and now my nails are painted, long, and look nice.

What were some things you learned about yourself through this assignment?

         I learned new things about myself through this assignment. First, when I am stressed, that is when I have to be aware to keep my hands away from my face. Stress has always triggered my nail biting, as it is a nervous habit; however part of overcoming that is my will power, that I know I have now after completing this experiment. I also know how great it feels after fighting the urge and being successful. Other triggers I noticed were boredom and seeing someone else bit their nails. Interestingly enough, seeing someone else bit their nails was a trigger for me in the beginning, but now I see someone and it disgusts me, motivating me to keep my hands out of my mouth even more. This is so interesting and proves to me that I have really changed my mind-set mentally and that I kicked the habit. Lastly, because I am an organizer and a “neat-freak” I like things looking nice so that pushed me to not mess up my nails. Knowing that they were not the same length or looked messy ended up driving me crazy so using my other traits to stop this habit really helped me as well.

How does your experience connect to information you have learned through assigned readings and in-class discussions?

         Based on the knowledge I gained during this experience, I can understand how difficult it would be for someone to fight an addiction. I had great difficulty trying to change my habit because it was psychological and comfortable, which is something that people with addictions can relate to. For example, someone who is addicted to smoking or drinking finds that comforting. Also, most likely they have done it a long period of time, which makes it more difficult to stop because it is a way of life. It not hard to see why changing an individual’s behaviors and actions would be a life struggle.

         There are many different supports and approaches that would be beneficial to someone trying to change a behavior. For starters, changing the environment is a great first step. This includes where they are going, whom they are with, and what they are doing. Changing these factors, although challenging, keeps the individual at a safe distance away from what their addiction. According to class discussions and readings in the textbook, this “out of sight, out of mind” technique is very helpful. Also, according to our textbook there are other approaches that are strength based, such as solution-focused therapy and narrative therapy. These approaches really focus on the positives of life and stray away toward the negatives.

         Lastly, a huge support in trying to over come an addiction is the actual people who are supporting you, whether that is family, friends, sponsors, or individuals who are also trying to over come an addiction. These people are there to help you throughout the journey and are a driving force. I know with my nail biting, I would not have been able to stop the habit if it were not for my friends and family.

         I believe that habits can be broken, as people change throughout their lives. I strongly believe that I have stopped biting my nails for the rest of my life. Now, it is very possible that I could slip up from time to time if a nail breaks, however I know I will not find my self in the same position I was once in. I truly believe that I will never have all my nails so short that they are bleeding and constantly in my mouth. I think this is similar for addictions in that the more you want to fight the addition, the better your chances are for conquering it and being successful. As we saw in class with the guest speaker, she was drug free, but she knows herself well enough that her “addictive personality” can get her hooked to almost anything. The fact that she knows this about her self is a great step in fighting any addiction that could come along. I think that addictions can be controlled, however, there might always be that underlying message of “what if,” which is something that is located deep in the brain. Both guest speakers appeared to be leaning toward the way of addiction being a disease and not a choice, which makes me think that addictions cannot be cured; however they can be controlled. Through the readings, class discussions, and habit experiment, I feel like I have a great appreciation and understanding for individuals with addictions and that I will definitely be able to take all that I have learned with me and apply it to my future career.

Interview

What type of agency did you select and with whom did you speak?

     I had the opportunity to speak with Steve, a Registered Nurse who works in the mental health unit of Lancaster General Health (inpatient hospital).

What types of services are provided to individuals who may be struggling with an addiction?

     Services include medications, support groups, and therapies. Since this is an inpatient hospital, nurses provide all medications to their patients, which is related to their condition and addiction symptoms. Some individuals that are addicted to nicotine receive gum, patches, and/or an inhaler. The inhaler provides them with the enough nicotine to satisfy the cigarette craving. It also is comforting because you hold it like a cigarette and it has a similar appearance. There are specific AA meetings held at night for those individuals who wish to attend. Therapy sessions are also offered by social workers, psych techs, and nurses to work on recovering to eventually be discharged out of the facility.

What is the agency’s framework for providing services?   

     They provide a 12-step AA program, but the main focus is recovery based. They focus on intervention, prevention, education, assessment, and referral. The groups throughout the day usually focus on two or three of the topics previously mentioned. The first step is to stop using the drug. Some individuals need medicines to manage their withdrawal. Then, they focus on staying drug-free, and this is aided with therapy and group counseling along with other medicines if needed. The next step includes changing his/her life so that they can recover. This involves changing their environment, who they are with, and what they are doing. (They do provide direct services such as counseling and medication because they are an inpatient hospital, which indicates 24-hour care.)

How many clients does the agency serve on an annual basis?

     Steve was unsure of the number annually; however the agency serves about 32 individuals a day with a length of stay being about one week. Some individuals are there for a shorter period of time, others are there for a much longer time period; it depends on the person, illness, and determination.

What are the legal and ethical guidelines that impact the work they do with clients struggling with addiction?

     Legal guidelines include if they need isolation or restraints. If they do require any form of isolation or restraints then there is legal paper work that needs to be filled out. The paperwork is seen in court by a judge and will indicate a mandatory longer stay in the hospital. Ethically, some of the individuals are pending criminal charges on a day to day basis and helping professionals should not judge them and try their best to help them. For example, one man is a registered sex offender, drug user, and just recently had a failed suicide attempt. Regardless of his past, as a helping professional, they are still required to give them the best quality of care. 

How long have you worked at Lancaster General?

     Steve said that this was his first job out of college (Penn State), and he liked it so much that he has been here ever since (32 years).

Do most of your patients have Co-occuring conditions?

     Steve said that the primary reason the individuals get admitted to the hospital is because of a mental health reason; however, the majority of the individuals have an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol.

How do the majority of your patients come in?

     The majority of the patients come through the emergency room, whether they enroll themselves or are brought by a family member or police.

Where do the majority of your patients get discharged?

     The majority of the patients get discharged back to his/her home.

How does your experience connect to information you have learned through assigned readings and in-class discussions?

     My experience connected directly to in-class discussions and assigned readings. We read about treating the individual as well as the family and therapy (at the hospital) addresses both, as they are a big part of the recovery process. Also, as we discussed in class, co-occuring disorders are difficult to helping professionals. This was a common theme at the hospital as well. Steve mentioned that differentiating between signs and symptoms of the mental illness or the addiction are difficult at times, and that majority of the people do have both an addiction and a mental condition. Steve also mentioned that many of the therapies are based around coping and managing triggers and cravings, which is something we spoke in class about. He said that because we are discharging these individuals, it is important to teach them life skills that will help them stay healthy. (He used the metaphor, of if you give a boy a fish he will eat for a day, but teaching the boy to fish will allow him to feed himself for life.)

Journal Article Response: Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Issues

 Article Summary:

            The article used national data to look at racial/ethical disparities in smoking behaviors, cessation, and factors related to cessation related to various groups. Adults ages 20-64 years old were included in the data from the 2003 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey. It looked at non-Hispanic Whites, African Americans, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics/Latinos (Trinidad, Perez-Stable, White, Emery, & Messer, 2011).
            Results from the study showed that significantly fewer African Americans reported quitting smoking after long-term use; ethnic minorities were more likely to be light smokers. Racial/ethnic minorities were not less likely to receive advice from health professionals to quit smoking, but were less likely to use nicotine replacement therapy. The idea of focusing on better understanding the cessation needs may benefit all the groups (2011).

Thoughts and Connections:

            According to the textbook, racial issues are a sensitive topic because there is a large concern about stereotyping. The practice of lumping people together by an obvious external trait such as race or ethnic practices is open to criticism because it does not take into consideration other important factors. To avoid stereotyping, certain factors other than race must be taken into consideration. This includes individual experience of oppression and discrimination, immigration status, degree of acculturation, language and communication skills and patterns, education and socioeconomic status, religion, age, gender, and family structure.

            Our textbook focuses in on different races and the statistics worldwide. It also is important to take into consideration these individuals’ ethnic values, which will help lead people to the recovery process. Developing cultural competence includes learning about different cultures, and the better one can understand the issues, the better the treatment can be provided, which was a point that the article I read brought up. In order to better understand certain needs of different groups, individuals need to have a better understanding of the culture and race if that is what is important to them.

Article Reference:

Trinidad, D. R., Pérez-Stable, E. J., White, M. M., Emery, S. L., & Messer, K. (2011). A nationwide analysis of US racial/ethnic disparities in smoking behaviors, smoking cessation, and cessation-related factors. American Journal Of Public Health, 101(4), 699-706.