assignment #2of9

First I want to start by answering the questions from the beginning of chapter 1 of TIP 35; which asks, Why do people change?, What is motivation?, Can individuals' motivation to change their substance using behavior be modified?, and Do clinicians have a role in enhancing substance using clients' motivation for recovery? I think that people change for many reasons, but perhaps the most profound reason is self fulfillment. For example, drug abusers can see that they can cause pain and harm not only to themselves but also to their family, but the pleasure received from the drugs and/or alcohol overthrows their desire to stop causing this pain. I think when the abuser find something that motivates them more than the pleasures of substance abuse they can be encouraged to change the way in which they live their life. To answer the question of what is motivation? We would have to asked the person in question. Motivation to me is any thing or person that uplifts or inspires me to accomplish a goal; whether the motivation is negative someone telling I'll never amount to any thing, or positive someone congratulating me for receiving my high school diploma. I think that individuals' motivation to change their substance using behavior can be modified. Take for instance, the medical model of abuse; which describes substance abuse as an illness; although I don't agree with this model I think that if this diagnosis helps substance abuser to address their problems then I see no harm in the use of the diagnosis, because now the abuser may not look at themselves as being a problem for their family or community but as a sick person trying to get help. I think that clinicians do have a role in enhancing motivation for recovery, because most of the time the family or community has failed or abandoned the substance. Clinicians can educate, be that partner the abuser needs, and be that motivational counseling needed to help lead them into steps toward recovery. We have to remember that we all have problems just like the girl in the (Crackberry Addiction) commercial, who was suppose to be relaying a message about drug addiction, but could not handle her own addiction with her blackberry phone. We can't shelter our children or family members from all that is wrong in the world; like in the (Cannonball Rez PSA) we have to teach them respect and be positive role models for them.