Chapter 10 Journal Article

Ethnicity & Addiction

Chapter 10 of Wormer & Davis (2008) is titled "Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Issues." This chapter talks about the influence that ethnicity and culture can have on an addiction or treatment. Throughout the chapter, prevalence patterns, cultural factors, sociocultural factors, specific services, and treatment issues are discussed in regards to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, American Indians and Alaskan Natives, Hispanics and Latinos, and African Americans. I thought for my journal article it would be interesting to find research that was done in another country to see if the article found if the culture of that country influenced addiction.

I read an article titled "Nicotine dependence and problem behaviors among urban South African adolescents" (Pahl et al., 2010). This article stated that tobacco use, and therefore nicotine dependence, are increasing around the world, including Africa. The study "examined the relationship between nicotine dependence and adolescent problem behaviors in an ethnically diverse sample of urban South African adolescents" (Pahl et al., 2010). These ethnicity's included Black, White, Colored, and Indian.

According to the research, approximately 31% of high school students (grades 8-11) in South Africa smoke tobacco products. The research also showed that among teenagers, problem behaviors tend to cluster. Therefore, engaging in one risky behavior is associated with the risk to engage in others. According to Pahl and associates (2010), violence, delinquent behavior, sexual risk behaviors, and substance abuse are the problem behaviors that mostly affect the adolescents in South Africa.

It is also believed that an inherited predisposition could be associated with adolescent risk behaviors. This would explain why some behaviors remain more common within certain races. The article also states that environmental influences and social influences such as schools and neighborhoods can increase the likelihood of these behaviors, as well as the quality of the relationship between parents and their children (Pahl et al., 2010). This relates to the parts of the book that talk about specific races and that how and where they are raised can influence their possibility of having an addiction.

The results of this study brought in a lot of great information about adolescents in general and what leads to certain behaviors. However, to keep focus on the topic, the findings that related to ethnicity specifically are as follows: "Black adolescents, compared to all other ethnic groups, were less likely to report having had sexual intercourse and to use marijuana and other illegal drugs at high levels. White adolescents, compared to their peers from other ethnic groups, were more likely to have had sexual intercourse. Indian adolescents, compared to all other ethnic groups, were less likely to use condoms inconsistently, while Colored adolescents were more likely to report having had multiple sexual partners, use condoms inconsistently, engage in binge drinking, and use marijuana at high levels" (Pahl et al., 2010).

The study also found that higher levels of nicotine dependence predicted a higher indication of violent or deviant behavior, marijuana or illegal drug use, binge drinking, sexual intercourse, multiple partners, and inconsistent condom use. This relationship was found to be strong in every ethnicity and gender (Pahl et al., 2010). This shows that addictive behaviors can cause or increase each other in adolescence regardless of the type of person.

I found it extremely interesting that the Black adolescents were less likely to have had sexual intercourse or use marijuana, as that is opposite of the stereotypes we hear about. Overall, Colored adolescents were most likely to engage in these risky behaviors that can lead to addictions. However, the article did not state clearly what "Colored" really meant. I would be interested to know the difference between that and the other races listed. Overall, it was very interesting to read this study because it not only was set in another part of the world, but still looked at different races within that.

References:

Pahl, K., Brook, D., Morojele, N., & Brook, J. (2010). Nicotine dependence and problem behaviors among urban South African adolescents. Journal Of Behavioral Medicine, 33(2), 101-109. doi:10.1007/s10865-009-9242-3

Wormer, K. V., & Davis, D. R. (2008). Addiction treatment: A strengths perspective. (2nd ed., pp. 107-110). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Chapter 8 Journal Article

Substance Abuse & Eating Disorders

Wormer and Davis (2008), describe that eating disorders and substance abuse can be co-occurring due to the fact that stimulant use can be used to control weight.  Also, persons with bulimia have a higher prevalence of substance abuse than those suffering from anorexia. A study that was conducted in an inpatient substance abuse center found that 15% of the women and 1% of the men had an eating disorder.  Eating binges or periods of starvation can be identified as relapse triggers or a way to imitate the euphoric effect of drugs.

In relation to this information from the text book, I found a study that assessed the prevalence of eating disorders or their symptoms and their effect on treatment for women in an outpatient center who had PTSD and substance abuse (Cohen et al., 2010). This article focused more on the substance abuse disorder than the PTSD and was very relevant to the book. The introduction began by stating that it known that there is a very strong connection between eating disorders and substance abuse, but there is not enough information about the outcomes and treatments and the ability to identify eating disorder symptoms needs to be a focus (Cohen et al., 2010).

This journal article also stated that the relationship goes two ways. Women being treated for eating disorders report drug and alcohol abuse frequently. On the other hand, women receiving treatment for substance abuse disorders report eating disorder symptoms as well and often have a fixation with food and body image.  The article also stated that in women who were being treated for alcohol related problems, 30.1% met the criteria for an eating disorder and 26.9% of women in outpatient services for an eating disorder met the criteria for alcohol dependence. Finally, this article also stated that women who have the co-occurrence rather are more likely to have psychiatric disorders, history of sexual abuse, and interpersonal trauma. These women typically also have poor social and interpersonal skills as well as occupational functioning (Cohen et al., 2010).

Like the textbook, this study also found that substance abuse is more commonly found in those with bulimia rather than anorexia. Therefore, the study participants were broken into two groups, binge and no binge. The binge group did not recover as well (Cohen et al., 2010). The fact that this is the more common group and the less responsive means that research needs to be done to find ways to help.

Overall, I think this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. The article that I read looked primarily at women. However, I am curious about the co-occurrence in men. I also would like to know more about specific treatments, since this article was mainly focused on questionnaires and assessments.

References:

Cohen, L. R., Greenfield, S. F., Gordon, S., Killeen, T., Jiang, H., Zhang, Y., & Hien, D. (2010). Survey of Eating Disorder Symptoms among Women in Treatment for Substance Abuse. American Journal On Addictions, 19(3), 245-251. doi:10.1111/j.1521-0391.2010.00038.x

Wormer, K. V., & Davis, D. R. (2008). Addiction treatment: A strengths perspective. (2nd ed., pp. 107-110). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Recovery Group Reflection

For my recovery group assignment, I attended a group for the diagnoses of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder NOS. This is a partial hospitalization group, meaning the members attend 7 hours a day, Monday through Friday. The group was composed of about 15 individuals. It was an adult group, which included ages from 16 to 55. The group was all females, although the leader told me there is one male who usually comes, but was not present that day. The group was located in Hershey, but one person drove 2 hours to attend, while other members tended to be from Harrisburg, Lancaster, or Hershey.

The part of the day that I observed was the group led by an occupational therapist. It was a task activities group that focused on selecting, preparing, cooking, and eating different foods. Each week, the members of the group vote on which food they would like to make. There are always multiple options to go along with the food, such as toppings. Each member makes an individual serving of the food, and it is exchanged in their meal plan to be part of their lunch. The occupational therapist introduced the task and organized the supplies. The members made the food however they wanted, and then while it was cooking, they filled out a paper about their anxiety towards preparing and eating the food. Next, a discussion of anxiety and coping mechanisms took place.

I observed that the members of this group were very close. They spend all day together throughout the week and have gained closed friendships. They all offer support to one another. When one woman was extremely anxious about the selected food, everyone else in the group offered encouraging words of support and told her they were all in it together. Most of them used the coping mechanism of constantly reminding themselves that everyone else is going to eat the snack, this shows the power of the group dynamics in helping them reach milestones.

During the meeting, I mostly just observed, although I did introduce myself and make side conversations during preparation. I think it was more beneficial for me to be observing, so the group felt comfortable with all members.

I think this meeting was extremely helpful to the participants because the snack was rice krispie treats, which most of them admitted they were terrified of due to the amount of sugar involved. However, the occupational therapist broke down the nutritional values and explain how their body needs the energy and carbs. The fact that they can substitute the snack in their meal plan and it is not extra is also helpful to encourage food variety without the worry of extra calories. I think making snacks in a group like this is very therapeutic for the members and helps them to associate something positive with food.

This experience really connects to the information about support. The people who are in this group could not go through this journey alone. What I observed also related to the fact that an addiction affects the brain. So many women described the eating disorder or eating disorder thoughts as taking over and not allowing them to eat things that they want to eat. They truly saw it as something taking over their mind and changing their typical thinking. Overall, I think observing a group was a great experience for everyone in the class to meet people who truly struggle and see just how hard it is to break an addiction, even a behavioral one. It was inspiring to see how hard these women are working and it really makes me appreciate the road to recovery.

 

Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy was created through the work of Mike White and David Epston. Key components of this approach include a respectful and collaborative approach, a focus on life stories and contexts, and perspectives of a multi-storied experience ("About narrative therapy,"). Narrative therapy is also focused on innate strengths of the individual and the culture they experience. This type of therapy externalizes and names the problem and requires intensive listening and understanding by the therapist. Next, it focuses the effect of the problem on the individual's life with a focus on hope and a new life story (Wormer & Davis, 2008).

The addiction cycle involves depression, using to relieve symptoms, the negative feelings disappearing, unintended negative consequences, shame/guilt/anger, which leads again to depression and begins the cycle again. The narrative approach could help the patient reflect on what negative consequences occured last time they went through the cycle. Retelling the story may open their eyes to what would happen if they choose to use again. Also, a narrative story of their past could help they reflect on what their life was like without depression and shame/guilt/anger. On the opposite hand, narratives could bring about stories that cause the individual to experience depression or guilt. This could have the opposite effect and contribute to the continuation of the cycle.

This approach may be helpful to me in OT because most clients love to talk to you about anything and everything. Really listening to and reflecting on their narratives will help me to fully understand their situation. Also, building on their strengths and culture will help them to build confidence,which is essential for self-fulfillment. The narrative approach also provides great opportunities for group activities that an occupational therapist would lead. This appraoch is imporant because it does not focus on disability, which aids in a client-centered approach.

References:

About narrative therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.narrativetherapycentre.com/index_files/Page378.htm

Wormer, K. V., & Davis, D. R. (2008). Addiction treatment: A strengths perspective. (2nd ed., pp. 107-110). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Behavioral Addictions: Sexual Addiction

Sexual Addiction Overview:

"The term 'sexual addiction' is used to describe the behavior of a person who has an unusually intense sex drive or an obsession with sex" (Bridges, 2012). Other terms for a sexual addiction include hypersexual disorder, nymphomania, and compulsive sexual behavior. This addiction can include a total obsession, or fantasies and/or activities that cross boundaries, such as what is legally or culturally accepted ("Compulsive sexual behavior," 2011).

The act and thought of sex dominates the person's thinking, making daily tasks hard. This is the difference between a high enjoyment of sex, and a sexual addiction. People who are addicted to sex also experience distorted thinking, including denial of a problem or blame of others. Risk taking is another behavior that classifies these actions as an addiction. The addict will try almost any type of sexual experience, despite physical or emotional harm (Bridges, 2012).

The following list includes possibly behaviors of a sexual addict. Not all people who are addicted to sex partake in all of these behaviors.

• Compulsive masturbation (self-stimulation)
• Multiple affairs (extra-marital affairs)
• Multiple or anonymous sexual partners and/or one-night stands
• Consistent use of pornography
• Unsafe sex
• Phone or computer sex (cybersex)
• Prostitution or use of prostitutes
• Exhibitionism
• Obsessive dating through personal ads
• Voyeurism (watching others) and/or stalking
• Sexual harassment
• Molestation/rape
(Bridges, 2012)
As you can see, a sexual addiction is much more severe than simply enjoying sex and partaking in it often.

Statistics:

Exact statistics on sexual addiction are difficult. Sexual addiction is a controversial diagnosis. Many people do believe it is actually an emotional disease and see it as an excuse for things such as being caught cheating. Also, those who truly suffer are not likely to come forward due to shame or embarrassment. Many people who are struggling with this addiction are not motivated to change and do not report it. However, the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health estimates that about 3-5% of the United States population experience compulsive sexual disorders. This is about 9 million people ("Sex addiction statistics," 2012).

The amount of people addicted to sex is said to be increasing with the availability of porn. Tracking data has shown that over 25% of the population who has internet access at work has viewed porn during their work hours. Also, 25 million Americans visit pornographic sites an average of 1-10 hours per week. Another 4.7 million Americans are believed to visit these sites for over 11 hours a week ("Sex addiction statistics," 2012).

Treatment:

As mentioned earlier, most people who suffer from a sexual addiction are in denial. Treatment begins when the person can admit the problem, which may need to be caused by a significantly negative experience, such as losing a job or a spouse because of the addiction. Treatment for sexual addictions not only focuses on the addiction, but also on a healthy sex life. Treatment options include education, counseling individually or with family/spouse, support groups, 12-step recovery programs, medications (anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, anti-androgens), cognitive behavioral therapy, and self-help groups (Bridges, 2012).

References:

Bridges, D. (2012, July 25). Sex addiction. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/sexual-addiction

Compulsive sexual behavior. (2011, September 16). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/compulsive-sexual-behavior/DS00144

Sex addiction statistics. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.myaddiction.com/education/articles/sex_statistics.html

Link to picture used:

http://www.harmonygroup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sex-addiction.jpg

Pick Your Poison

LSD Overview:

LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide is the most common hallucinogen. It is one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals that is known. The drug is created from the lysergic acid, which is found in ergot. Ergot is a fungus that grows on grains, such as rye. LSD is usually found in the form of small squares of "blotter" paper (pictured above). These squares are also called "tabs" and typically have designs printed on them. LSD can also be found in the form of a clear liquid or squares of gelatin. LSD is typically taken orally, however the liquid and gelatin forms can be insert by the eyes. Street names for LSD include doses, acid, hits, microdots, tabs, sugar cubes, and trips ("Lsd," 2013).

Medicinal Use:

Currently, there is research being conducted about possible medicinal use of LSD. At the University of California at San Francisco and Harvard University, studies are underway for the use of LSD as an aid in the medical setting, for things such as chronic headaches and psychiatric uses. Also, in Switzerland, researchers were studying the use of LSD to relieve issues suffered by people with extreme anxiety, such as those suffering from a life-ending illness (Biddle, 2010).

Side Effects:

The effects of LSD are unpredictable and can vary depending on the amount consumed, the personality of the user, their moods and expectations, and the environment ("Lsd," 2013). Effects of the drug are possible 30-90 minutes after taking it. Taking LSD is referred to as a "trip" and a negative experience is considered a "bad trip." These effects could be longer if the dose is higher, lasting 10-12 hours at most ("Lsd: Consumer information," 2013).

Short term:

Short term physical effects of LSD include an increase of body temperature, dilation of the pupils a rise in blood pressure and heart rate, sweating, loss of appetite, restlessness, tremors, and dry mouth. However, the sensations and feelings from the drugs is stronger than the physical effects. Rapid changes through emotions is likely. If taken in larger amounts, LSD can also cause delusions and hallucinations and the user can lose a sense of time, depth, and self. There is also an effect where sensations cross over, where a user make thing they hear a color or see a sound. The size and shapes of objects may change to the user. These changes could all frighten the user and cause panic ("Lsd," 2013).

Long term:

LSD is not an addictive drug and does not produce compulsive drug seeking behaviors ("Lsd," 2013). However, users of LSD can build tolerance, causing users to take doses repeatedly or higher ("Lsd: Consumer information," 2013). Users of LSD may experience flashbacks a long time after their experience with the drug ("Lsd," 2013). LSD can also cause acute anxiety and depression and even schizophrenia in the long term ("Lsd: Consumer information," 2013).

Prevalence in the U.S. :

LSD is not a widely used drug and most users just try it once. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that more than 200,000 people use LSD for the first time each year and only 9.7% of the population over the age of 12 has used LSD in their lifetime. Overall, the use of LSD has declined in all ages. However, ages 18-25 are still most likely to use it. The NSDUH reports that 12.1% of people ages 18-25 have used LSD at least once ("Lsd addiction," 2009).

History:

LSD was discovered in 1938 by Albert Hofmann, a chemist who was attempting to develop medicines from the fungus ergot. When LSD failed, he set it to the side until 1943, when he discovered that it could create a state of intoxication. One day that he ingested the drug, he rode home on his bicycle and experienced hallucinations and paranoia, followed by relaxation. This day is known is "bicycle day" ("Lsd addiction," 2009).

LSD was brought to the United States in 1948 to be studied for its possible use in psychiatric medicine. When it began to look promising, doctors began to experiment not just medically, but also in a recreational way. Soon, with the help of chemists, LSD was produced in large amounts and distributed for free to young people. In the 1960's it was the drug of choice and was believed to give a positive experience ("Lsd addiction," 2009).

LSD was used by a number of musicians, including the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Jimi Hendrix. The popular Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is even said to be about LSD, and stand for it. These artists lead to the development of "acid rock," a genre of music that incorporated LSD and the Beatles are credited for making it popular. LSD was also linked to violence in the 1960's, such as the Charles Manson murders ("Lsd addiction," 2009).

The use of LSD declined in the 1980's, yet had a slight come back in the 1990's with its use at parties about drugs and music called raves. However, law enforcement increased and the popularity of raves decreased, causing the drug to fall out yet again. Today, LSD is still used and is still a concern, but it is definitely less prevalent than its history ("Lsd addiction," 2009).

Sanctions for Use:

LSD is considered a Schedule I drug and in 1966, the federal government made LSD illegal. However, it is not banned of use in research (Biddle, 2010).

The following sanctions are current for LSD use (“Federal penalties and,” 2013):
For 1gm or more mixture:

1st Offense:
• Not less than 5 years. Not more than 40 years.
• Supervised release at least 4 years.
• If death or serious injury, not less than 20 years or more than life
• Fine of not more than $5 million individual, $25 million other than individual, or both
2ND OFFENSE
• Not less than 10 years. Not more than life.
• If death or serious injury, life imprisonment.
• Fine of not more than $8 million individual, $50 million other than individual, or both
• Supervised release at least 8 years

For 10gm or more mixture:
1ST OFFENSE
• Not less than 10 years. Not more than life
• If death or serious injury, not less than 20 years or more than life
• Fine of not more than $10 million individual, $50 million other than individual, or both
• Supervised release at least 5 years
2ND OFFENSE
• Not less than 20 years. Not more than life.
• If death or serious injury, life imprisonment
• Fine of not more than $20 million individual, $75 million other than individual, or both
• Supervised release at least 10 years


Treatment Options for Abuse:

Because LSD is not an addictive drug and users do not experience withdrawal, treatment for LSD is very different than treatment for other drugs and is based on psychological treatment, not physical. These treatments may include behavior modification, counseling, or psychological therapy ("Lsd addiction," 2009).

My Thoughts: The Impact on Family and Society:

Overall, I think because LSD is not addictive and not widely used, it does not have a huge impact on family and society. However, when it is used it is very dangerous and can have horrible effects on both. Someone under the influence of LSD can act in outlandish ways and experience some scary things. If LSD were to once again become prevalent in society, it could be a negative effect on families and communities.

References:

Biddle, T. (2010, May 18). Medical uses for lsd. Retrieved from http://www.qualityhealth.com/health-lifestyle-articles/medical-uses-lsd

Federal penalties and sanctions for illegal trafficking and possession of a controlled substance. (2013). Retrieved from http://commonsense.uchicago.edu/page/federal-penalties-and-sanctions-illegal-trafficking-and-possession-controlled-substance

Lsd. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/lsd

Lsd addiction. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.lsdaddiction.us/content/what-is-lsd.html

Lsd: Consumer information. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/lsd.html

Links to Pictures Used:

http://www.norcas.org.uk/youth/drug-info/lsd-youth.aspx

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_medudxWluq1qiljkzo1_500.jpg

http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/enthusemarc/10708626/188082/188082_original.jpg

Habits - An Experiment

Habit Post #1: February 1st.

For this class, I had to choose one habit that I would be willing to break for the duration of the semester. This experiment is a simulation to experience what it is like to break a habit. While the habit I have chosen is not as serious as some of the addictions I will see in practice as an Occupational Therapist, I believe going through the process will be extremely beneficial. I will be editing this post with my progress and reflections throughout the semester.

I have chosen to give up the habit of constantly checking my phone. I have an iPhone and I find myself constantly looking at it to see if I have received any new texts, calls, emails, tweets, facebook posts, or snap chats. Half of the time, I know that it will have nothing on it, but I still feel the need to look at it in order to respond immediately if there is a notification. I chose this habit because it is very distracting when I am doing school work, driving, when I am in class, or even when I am speaking with someone. This change could help me to be more focused and to make others feel that I am more focused on them.

On a scale of 1-10 based on committment, I would say that I am at a level of 7. I want to change this happen to stop being so connected to my phone, and being more connected to in-person relations. However, I do not believe that this habit has an extreme negative impact on my life, so I do not think that it is absolutely necessary for me to stop.

My specific goal is to check my phone when it is appropriate and not to feel the need to answer things immediately. I plan to make this change through strategies like putting my phone on loud, so I know if there is definitely a notification. I also plan to keep my phone in my bag during class or while driving. I will try not to have my phone immediately with me at all times. For example, if I am in the living room talking with my roommates, it should be okay that my phone is upstairs and I may not see notifications for a short amount of time. Overall, I plan to slowly become less connected to my phone. I may turn off some notifications that are distracting when studying.

In order to be successful in this change of habit, I think I will need the support of my own will power. I will also need the help of people around me. When everyone else is also on their phone, it is hard not to be on yours. If the people around me can be more connected on a face to face basis, rather than sitting in a room all in separate conversations through texting, it will be easier for me to not feel so compelled to constantly check my iPhone.

Habit Post #2: February 8th

I made some progress this week. I used the stategy I mentioned last week of putting my phone on loud, rather than silent when I am at home or not in class. This helped me because I often knew it did not go off, so there was nothing on my phone to check. However, there still were times where even though I heard no noises, I felt the need to check my phone.

There are several triggers to this behavior that are difficult to overcome. One is if I am waiting for an important email. Another is if I am having a texting conversation with someone and I am waiting for their reply, or waiting for a phone call back. I also constantly check my phone when I am bored.

To become more successful next week, I want to start leaving my phone in a different room of the house just for a short amount of time so that I start to become less attached to it.

Habit Post #3: February 15th

This week, I decided to let my roommates in on the experiment. I told them about my assignment and what I am trying to do. I asked them to please firmly tell me to stop if I check my phone while driving or if it ever gets in the way of one of our conversations or something important around the house.

I also started to leave my phone upstairs in my room some of the times I am downstairs in the house. This is heard for me because last week I put my phone on loud to hear when I have alerts. Our house is old with thin walls and sometimes when I am downstairs I can hear that I received a text or email and I want to go upstairs to check it. Sometimes I am successful in resisting, but other times I feel the need to check right away depending on if I am waiting to hear from someone or if I am not doing anything else particularly important.

Next week, I want to count how many times I check my phone in class and be sure to reduce that number.

Habit Post #4: February 22nd

This week, I honestly have not paid much attention to my habit experiment. Games have started for lacrosse and the time of exams has come for the semester. I have been stressed and busy and have not had the energy to count how often I check my phone like I wanted to do this week.

I have still been following the other coping mechanisms I addressed earlier in the blog. However, I want my goal for this upcoming week to actually pay attention to the number of times I check my phone when I shouldn't.

Habit Post #5: March 2nd

This week, I really paid attention to when and how often I am checking my phone. I noticed that in class, it depends on what we are doing and if I am waiting for something specific. For example, last night in class I was waiting for texts regarding my ride home from class, so I was checking my phone pretty often. In another class, we were doing small group activities where we were discussing with peers, and I checked my phone more often in that than I do in lectures. While driving, I only have been checking my phone at long red lights or if I am again waiting for something specific. I noticed I really slip up after fieldwork on Fridays. During fieldwork, I am there for 8 and a half hours and have no access to my phone, not even during lunch. When I am done for the day, I have all kinds of messages and emails piled up and I find that while I drive home I am on my phone more, which I know is terrible and dangerous and needs to stop. This week at fieldwork, I want to sit in the parking lot before I leave and answer what I need to. When this is done, I will put my phone on silent for the rest of the ride back to campus.

With spring break coming up, I will have more time to be on my phone, as I will not be in class or doing too much school work. I want to make sure that I do not lose the progress that I have made. While I am at home, I want to leave my phone upstairs in my room for portions of the day so that I can spend  time with my family. This will be my goal for the 2 days I have at home for spring break. The rest of the break I will be in South Carolina with the lacrosse team. I will probably use my phone a lot then because everyone else will likely be on theirs. However, I would like to be able to bond more with my teammates and not focus on my phone when I should be having face to face conversations.

Habit Post #6: March 22nd

These past couple weeks, my lacrosse team has traveled on several long bus rides, including to and from South Carolina (11 and a half hours). I used this time to try to not be on my phone and interact with my team members instead. My one teammate who was sitting behind me on the long bus rides and I started a competition. We both have iPhones that have a percentage of battery. We had a contest of who could have the most percentage of battery left at the end of the 11.5 hours (aka who could use their phone less). This competitive aspect really helped me to focus on not using my phone as much. Also, because this was my last lacrosse spring break I wanted to spend time with my teammates and cherish the bus rides we have. Now on other bus rides, my teammate and I ask each other how much battery percent we have left. This has really helped me to engage in team activities instead of listening to music, texting, or playing games.

Habit Post #7: April 3rd

Over Easter break, I got to see my friends from home that I don't get to see often during the school year. When I was with them, I wanted to make sure I really caught up with them and paid attention to what we were saying and doing, rather than being on my phone often. Usually, when I am at home I am texting my boyfriend because we don't see each other like we do at school. However, I realized I get to spend most of my year with him and should really focus on my time with my friends who I won't see again until summer. My friends and I had a lot of plans together and the one night at the bar I noticed we were all on our phones a lot. We all agreed to put them away for a majority of the night and enjoy our time out. Having friends who agree to challenge themselves really helps me to keep working towards my goal. I really think my phone use has significantly decreased, especially during important times like these. I still have days of "relapse" where I don't put in as much effort and continue to go back to my old habits, but that is totally normal.

Habit Post #8: April 11th

Last week, I challenged myself to do what I talked about in a previous post and sit in the parking lot after fieldwork to reply to what I needed and then drive with my phone on silent. This was easy for me because I drove two other classmates to fieldwork and could socialize with them so I didn't even think to look at my phone. It's a lot easier to not use my phone when I am around other people who aren't constantly on their phone. The next challenge I have for myself is to watch a movie without checking my phone. While relaxed and watching a movie, I always find myself texting or on twitter. I want to truly engage in and watch a movie, meaning paying attention the whole time.

Habit Post #9: April 19th

This week, I watched a movie without using my phone at all during it. It was hard to do as at first I could hear all the notifications I was getting, so I had to put my phone on silent. It was nice to relax and watch a movie without thinking of a million different things. Putting my phone away gave my busy mind a break and gave me a chance to focus on something I enjoy, rather than emails from professors or peers texting me about irrelevant things or school work. Because this week was the last week I would write a post for, I wanted to really challenge myself. Friends live in the house next door to me, and when I was going over there to hang out the other night, I left my phone at home. It was hard because I was waiting on a text from someone and was not sure if I had received it or not. However, it was nice to be around my friends without any distraction. When I came back to check my phone I had the text I was waiting for and no other important notifications, indicating that it was fine to be without it for a little while.

Summary:

I selected the behavior of constantly checking my phone because it was behavior I was willing to change and felt that I needed to change. I feel as though it was interfering with important things, such as school work and social interaction. My mom always tells me to get off my phone and preserve the social skills of my generation. I think she is right that this is a problem for people my age and I wanted to change it before it got worse. I felt as though this was a challenge that was possible for me to do in small steps and therefore achieve even with my busy schedule.

It was very difficult at first for me to abstain from being engaged in the behavior. Although it was easier towards the end, in the beginning I felt restless as if I should be doing something more because I was so used to multitasking. It was hard for me to ignore my phone when I know that important emails, texts, calls, and less important things such as tweets, snapchats, and facebook notifications come through. Towards the end, as I got used to the feeling of being relaxed and disconnected, it was easier and less overwhelming.

I had support from my friends and roommates, who were sometimes willing to challenge themselves with me. It was much easier to achieve my mini goals when I had someone pushing me and reminding me. It also was easier for me at times like Easter break where if all my friends didn't agree to do this with me for the night, I would have been the only one not on my phone and felt the need to constantly check it. Having a support system really makes a difference in any situation, but especially situations that bring about change.

Through this assignment, I learned that I like to multitask and it is hard for me to focus on just one thing. However, it is important to focus on only one thing most of the time. I think I use my phone as a distraction not only to procrastinate sometimes but also just to have more to do because I like to be busy. I also learned that I can challenge myself to things like this and succeed, even if it is hard at first. I do think that was a great behavior to start with, as now I know more about the gradual process if I ever want to stop a more serious behavior.

This assignment helped me to realize how hard it is for something who struggle with an addiction to give up their behavior. My behavior has no physical dependence and it was still hard just to break a habit. I can't imagine trying to break a habit that not only consumes someones life, but could also have a physical dependence. I imagine that it is very hard to break an addiction that is a huge part of your life. However, through this assignment I have realized that it is equally as hard to break something that is not a huge part if your life. For example, I am a full time college student and athlete and I also work and make time to have fun. It was hard for me to focus on breaking a habit when I had so many other things going on and I was so busy and overwhelmed. The addiction cycle can be present in any situation, even if it does not totally consume someone's life.

I think to someone who is trying to change a behavior, the strength-based approach is best. If I were working with someone with an addiction, I would always try to focus on the positive things to build on their confidence. I think this approach is a way to really understand the client's point of view and make the treatment individualized. There are many ways to approach the situation through this approach and all of them are client-centered.

I believe that habits can be broken, although it is never easy. Habits can also be picked back up very easily and it takes a lot of determination and motivation to stay away. I do not think that addictions can ever be fully cured. I believe that it is a disease of the brain and the tendency is always there. While the addictive behaviors may end, I think the temptation and sensitivity to triggers is always there. Someone can totally cut out their addiction behaviors for the rest of their life, but I think they still are technically addicted and will never fully break away from the experience.