PART 1

Review and reflect on the Inner Rage Theory Discussion Board below. Based on your review and reflection of new learnings in this course, write at least 400–600 words on the following:

• What have you learned from others’ responses?
• What were the most compelling points from the interaction with your fellow students?
• How did participating in this discussion help in your understanding of the Discussion Board task?
• What approaches could have yielded additional valuable information in the students’ networking?
• What is still unclear after the discussion with your classmates that needs to be clarified?

Some people believe that addictions come from the inability of addicts to self-soothe the inner rage they experienced as a child.   This is not something that I personally believe.   Yes, it can happen.   Some people can have a wonderful childhood and grow up to become an addict.   There are multiple reasons as to why someone becomes an addict.   “No one factor can predict if a person will become addicted to drugs   (Abuse, 2016) .”   The environment can have a lot to do with addiction.   If you are around a lot of drugs growing up or even as an adult, there is a chance that you will fall into this pattern.   Economic status can also play a part in someone becoming an addict.   Poverty as well as high social status can push someone down the wrong path.   There are people that grow up in abusive homes that may feel drugs are the only way to take that pain away, but there are also people that take their experiences in life and make a better outcome for themselves.   Those people are the ones that can take that abusive home life and educate someone else about it.   They can show others that just because things were not great back then they can be great now.   Everyone is different and things effect people differently.

Addictions can be learned.   “ The learning theory of addictions is also backed up by neuroscience because addictive drugs activate dopamine -based reward systems that are designed by natural selection to strengthen naturally-rewarded behaviors such as feeding and mating   (Barber, 2013) .”   This theory makes complete sense to me.   When you do drugs, they give you that rush that you may not get otherwise.   When that rush comes down, you want it again, therefore you become addicted to the high.   The learning theory of addiction shows that at any age you could get addicted because of how it makes you feel.   There are other reasons that could make someone think it is ok to use drugs which in turn addiction sets in:

1.


People suffering from anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression or other mental illnesses use drugs and alcohol to ease their suffering

2.


People see family members, friends, role models or entertainers using drugs and rationalize that they can too

3.


People become bored and think drugs will help

4.


People think drugs will help relieve stress

5.


People figure if a drug is prescribed by a doctor, it must be ok

6.


People get physically injured and unintentionally get hooked on prescribed drugs.

7.


People use drugs to cover painful memories in their past

8.


People think drugs will help them fit in.

9.


People chase the high they once experienced

(Sharon, 2011)

As you can see, there is no one reason why someone may become addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.

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Some people believe that addictions come from the inability of addicts to self-soothe the inner rage they experienced as a child. There are many different opinions and views on addiction and some also believe it is a choice. I believe that addiction is a disease and can’t be cured but only controlled and managed with the proper care and treatment as well as support. I believe that many people become addicted to substances or alcohol because of past experiences or trauma in their life and they have not been able to cope. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction risk. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to addiction. (NIDA,2016) This means that some people become addicts because it is in their genes or could be the way they were raised by their parents. They may have witnessed substance abuse in the home and it could be all they know. They could also become addicted because of their environment and the friends they hang around with.

Mental illness is also a reason for addiction. Some people go through trauma and may become depressed and feel alone so they use and abuse drugs or alcohol to make it easier to cope with life and the daily struggles. Gender can play a role in substance abuse as men and women react to drugs or alcohol differently. Depression for a female can come from a variety of physical factors from postpartum blues to menstrual issues. Therefore, they react to and may self-medicate mental illness or life stress differently. Combined with other characteristics, gender is an important factor in treating the individual. (MUSE,2013) Many of these clients may have unresolved issues with their families and may turn to drugs or alcohol as their safe place and what helps them soother their anger or frustration.

Based on what I found about addiction and the many factors to take into consideration, I would need to consider each factor such as gender, culture and age. Some clients can have mental and physical disabilities that we would need to consider as well. Treating these clients is important as many people are addicted because they don’t feel they can stop. Therapy and support is needed to ensure the client can feel safe. We need to get to the bottom their unresolved issues and raise their self-esteem so they can learn how to cope better and get the help they need willingly. I think anything is possible and we may not be able to cure this disease but with the right tools, can be managed and controlled better by the clients.

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Does Addiction Equal Self-Soothe

Addictions can take many forms over many different types of substances.  Individuals can become addicted to psychoactive drugs, substances, and behaviors.  The complexity of an individual’s addiction can be brought on by several different factors such as; genetic factors, behaviors, social situations, psychological, cultural views, and religious beliefs (Committee on Addictions of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, 2002).  There seems to always be a method of how an addiction form, but not a clear path to the why.  The reason for this is that not every addiction happens the same way or for the same reasons in an individual.  This in turn brings up a point in addiction that some people believe is try in regards to an addict not being able to self-soothe due to childhood trauma which has translated into the individual becoming addicted to a substance or behavior.

When an individual does not receive the proper care when they are babies and kids, they can tend to seek ways to receive the attention and emotions that they did not experience.  This can have an influence over their behaviors and reactions to situations that they may face as a teenager and older.  Some individuals will experiment with substances to help fill an empty spot in their lives, while others will become addicted to a substance that fills their void in life.  This in turns will cause their brain to response differently to the substance and will start graving the substance to the point that they do not have the willpower or control to stop using and this will result in adverse consequences to them and society (Helpguide, n.d.).  The addict will be going through changes that are happening inside their brain with the addiction due to the structure and functioning of their brain changing because of the substance of use.

Personally, I feel that there are many different explanations that are brought on to try, use, and abuse substances inside of every individual.  For some individuals that resulting trauma from their childhood could factor into their decision to try and use substance to self-medicate themselves from their past trauma events.  While others could have a genetic predisposal to use substances due to childhood events as well, say a parent that was always using substances in the house or the living situations that they grew up in (Gold, 2000).  Any of these factors could play a part in an addiction for an addict.  That does not mean that there is not help available to the individual to overcome their weakness and successfully deal with their past trauma that could have consequences in their future.  In conclusion, I think that there are many factors that play a role in one’s addictions and to say it is brought on by the inability to self-soothe is just one characteristic that could play in the foundation, but is not the only factor that needs to be addressed.  They can either let their past trauma be the one thing about them, or they can let their past trauma be just one item and move on.