Al-Anon and Alateen: Finding Healing and Support
Al-Anon and Alateen provide family members with the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others who have struggled with alcoholism. In addition, the teens gather and discuss their stories as a coping mechanism for dealing with drinking concerns. Young individuals affected by another person's drinking share their tales, hope, and resilience, allowing a teen to heal from the drinking impact of another. In circumstances where one feels lonely and irritated due to the alcoholic disease, they can attend Al-Anon sessions where they will find fulfillment and happiness, which will lead to serenity. Teens at the local schools have faced difficulties as a result of their parents' alcohol consumption. A father and mother who are addicts will always fight and make homes unconducive and unlovely environments for their children who grow up while fearing to share their feelings. Students face complex problems that result from the alcoholic addictive partners, parents, siblings, and friends that deter the chances for success in life.
Establishing Al-Anon and Alateen Recovery Programs in Schools
The establishment of Al-Anon and Alateen recovery program in school premises is attainable as the administration, sponsors and students can set time when they are free to participate in the meetings. The meetings should be held on a rotating schedule to ensure that students never miss any class and thus enhance anonymity. The religious component of the group makes people who are religiously affiliated to feel uncomfortable, and the meetings may not be convenient to be attended by all people. It is also anonymous, and makes individuals vulnerable to other problems other than alcohol consumption. However, its advantages may include an extensive support network that is instantly accessible, inspirational of higher levels of trust, and everyone has a chance to attend the meeting.
Nature and Causes of Addiction
The most accurate and persuasive theories from Stanton Peele's website include genetic, exposure and social learning and adaptation theories. The genetic approach proposes that more significant risks that lead to increased drinking problems may result from the inherited vulnerability to alcoholism and biological abnormalities like the inability to discriminate the blood alcohol level. The conditioning model of exposure theory explains that alcohol addiction is as a result of a reinforcement of the drug administration where the substance acts as the reinforcer. The social learning theory proposes that the alcoholic's expectations, as well as beliefs regarding alcohol, always influence behaviors and rewards concerning drinking. Therefore, addiction results from factors such as exposure to the influential peer group, the beliefs, and attitudes of the families, and inherited genetic traits that speed up or delay a disease progression.
Successful Treatment and Prevention
Successful treatment will necessitate detoxification, behavioral counseling, medication, evaluation of co-occurring mental health issues and long-term follow to ensure prevention of the relapse. The prevention strategies may include focusing on helping the individuals develop attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to make the right choices and change the harmful behaviors. Additionally, there should be a creation of an environment that will make it easier for people especially young individuals to act in the healthy ways by addressing the cause of the risky behavior. These may involve communication, education, and enforcement. Addressing the behavioral health disparities within communities that are of diverse culture may be successful by improving the cultural and linguistic competence. A public policy where the federal government uses the community coalitions will be a programmatic approach towards addressing the health issues of drug addiction. The coalitions may involve service delivery, education, capacity building, systems change, and empowerment.
