Introduction
The tendency towards the further rise of the number of cases of drug abuse and the high diversity of patients needs demands an in-depth analysis of the intervention which is chosen to assist a patient in his/her recovery. That is why regarding Emilia Sanchezs case and her need for socialization, improved family relations, and drug abstinence, inpatient long-term care with the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) supported by family sessions and specific educational and job training could be considered an appropriate intervention.
In general, CBT was founded in the 1960s by Aaron Beck, who originally used the classic form of psychoanalysis (Wenzel, Dobson, & Hays, 2016). However, analyzing the results of this approach, he concluded that they were unsatisfactory and showed low efficiency among patients with depression. For this reason, a new and more efficient method to help this category of patients was needed. Using his experience, Beck noted that negative thoughts among patients appeared automatically without their control.
Under these conditions, their improved comprehension of the nature of these actions and reasons which triggered individuals wrong behaviors were the first step towards recovery (Wenzel et al., 2016). Patients also had to look critically at these thoughts and evaluate their relevance. In such a way, this process of analyzing thoughts and motifs assisted patients in their investigation of negative moods and attained critical behavior alterations (McHugh, Hearon, & Otto, 2010). The given approach was called cognitive behavioral therapy as it combined the enhanced work of patients conscience with changes in behaviors.
Despite the fact that the intervention was designed to help patients suffering from depression, specialists started to use it to treat addictions, obsessive behaviors, etc. because of positive results and the CBTs focus on unconscious acts that resulted in the further deterioration of the problem.
Selection
As stated above, the choice of an intervention is a complicated process that demands consideration of all aspects of a particular case. If to speak about Emilia Sanchez, the process of selecting the method rests on her current needs and desires. It is apparent that she wants to avoid using drugs; however, she cannot do it because of the nature of addiction and her inability to control her thoughts that make her use substances to leave reality and forget about current problems. That is why CBT, family sessions, and job education are chosen to assist the patient and teach her how to control wrong behavioral patterns.
For me, the choice of the intervention was evident because of numerous documented cases of CBTs successful use among drug-addicted patients (Carroll & Smethells, 2015). For this reason, soon after Emilia Sanchez cases analysis, I started looking for the peculiarities of CBTs application to situations similar to Emilias ones. Moreover, regarding the patients desire to start treatment, she needed the approach that would support her in this struggle. For this reason, I started looking for supportive therapies and analyzing CBTs peculiarities. It preconditioned the appearance of the initial idea to consider CBT as one of the possible methods. Emilia realized the vulnerability of her position and the crucial deterioration of relations with relatives and society. She demonstrated a desire to rehabilitate; however, she failed to do it. These facts gave me the initial idea of using CBT to support Emilia.
I used several reliable resources to collect data about central aspects of this intervention and whether it could be applied to our case. Firs, databases like SAGE, NCBI, or PubMed were researched to find articles describing the impact CBT might have on drug-addicted patients. Second, books and reports were also used. Finally, educational sources and articles provided for us were also investigated.
Therefore, I am sure that the use of CBT, family sessions, and job education will be the best approach as they will help to fulfill Emilias needs for the job, enhanced family relations, and long abstinence periods.
Implementation
Thus, regarding the patient, long-term intervention should be suggested. It is critical to establish the timeframe to monitor results and evaluate the patients state after each phase. The complexity of the case and the need to cover many aspects, including social and family lives stipulate the introduction of the 12 months rehabilitation process. First, the plan should be introduced to Emilia for her to understand its main peculiarities and be ready to follow all prescriptions. It is crucial to explain that CBT remains the most efficient approach that can help her to rehabilitate (Filges & Jorgensen, 2016). It could also increase the level of her motivation. At the same time, while presenting the method, it is critical to assure Emilia that it remains entirely voluntary and it will be terminated if she wants to stop. In such a way, all sessions will be canceled, and a new investigation will be initiated. Second, the consultation with a therapist is needed to ensure that the patient is informed about all peculiarities of CBT and its impact on her personality.
Moreover, the specialist will determine the scope of the problem and initiate treatment sessions which will last for about 12 months. Cognitive behavioral therapy will help to determine reasons for the appearance of wrong behavioral patterns and eliminate them. Additionally, during these 12 months, the patient and her family should participate in multidimensional family therapy that is a home-based program assisting patients in improving their relations with relatives by demonstrating positive shifts in their behaviors and teaching individuals how to cooperate with each other to attain best results (Filges, Andersen, & Jorgensen, 2015). At the end of every month, the patients and readiness to continue rehabilitation should be investigated through a face-to-face communication and assessment of her current state. It is crucial for the intervention to remain safe and attractive for the patient. She should participate voluntarily. For this reason, Emilia should be asked about her current state and satisfaction with her participation in the program. If she resists, the approach should be altered or canceled.
Finally, CBY sessions should be supported by job education for Emilia to engage in a particular activity that will help to earn money and forget about using drugs as the way to avoid reality.
In 12 month, the clients progress could be measured using three treatment goals suggested below.
Treatment Goals
It is evident that the use of particular interventions should be preconditioned by particular treatment goals. In this regard, discussion with a client helps to determine the following goals: long abstinence periods and complete refusal of using drugs in future (the plan for its achievement includes a long-term CBT focused on the development of the patients sobriety and ability to resist addiction); enhanced family relations and Emilia ruination with her close people (the plan includes multidimensional family therapy with the focus on Emilias achievements and her desire to stop using drugs); socialization through acquisition of the needed job skills and education (the plan includes involvement in different activities with the central aim to acquire needed competences and experiences).
The reasons for choosing these goals are peculiarities of Emilias case and her desires. First of all, she has a son which means that she must earn money to support him and provide with the environment that will guarantee his comprehensive development. Second, she will not be able to care for her child if she remains addicted. The same goes for her family. Analyzing the case, it became obvious that I could help a patient to formulate the most important goals because of their evident character and her current desires and needs. For this reason, the given goals are chosen.
Conclusion
Altogether, Emilias case stipulates the use of CBT along with family sessions and job training programs to attain the best positive outcome. The choice of the intervention comes from Emilias desire to rehabilitate and reunite with her family. Therefore, CBTs is known for its positive results in cases similar to this one as it assists patients in their attempts to understand reasons which trigger the evolution of addicted behaviors and eliminate them. Under these conditions, the approach is applicable to this very case as Emilia demonstrates her desire to recover; however, she is deprived of opportunities to do it. Having formulated the three central goals which rehabilitation, enhanced family relations, and socialization through the acquisition of the needed job skills we also introduced the particular plan to guarantee final success. CBT turns out to be the most potent method which could help Emilia to recover.
References
Carroll, M., & Smethells, J. (2015). Sex differences in behavioral dyscontrol: Role in drug addiction and novel treatments. Front Psychiatry, 6, 175. Web.
Filges, T., Andersen, D., & Jorgensen, A-M. (2015). Effects of multidimensional family therapy (MDFT) on nonopioid drug abuse: A Systematic review and meta-Analysis. Research on Social Work Practice. Web.
Filges, T., & Jorgensen, A-M. (2016). Cognitive–behavioral therapies for young people in outpatient treatment for nonopioid drug use. Research on Social Work Practice. Web.
McHugh, K., Hearon, B., & Otto, M. (2010). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for substance use disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 33(3), 511-525. Web.
Wenzel, A., Dobson, K., & Hays, P. (2016). Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and strategies. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.