Substance Abuse and Treatment Plans

When designing a treatment or prevention plan, singling out treatment and prevention efforts to the individual is virtually ineffective due to the multiple issues that is entangled with substance abuse. Without taping into unresolved issues, treating only the substance abuser still leaves room for sparks to fuel the cycle of abuse (Fischer & Lyness, 2005). Fischer and Lyness (2005) further emphasize this statement by stating, “Helping parents to manage a behaviorally dis-inhibited child effectively may interrupt the negative sequence of events from childhood to young adulthood. Helping parents cope with a substance-abusing child or adolescent is as critical as helping children cope with a substance-abusing parent” (as cited in McKenry & Price 2005 p. 169). Researchers have determined inadequate parent/child relationships correlate to patterns of substance abuse whether it is the beginning cycle of substance abuse, increased patterns, or revert back to past substance abuse behaviors (Rowe & Liddle 2003). When designing a treatment plan, questions necessary to ask are the amount of social support, friends, and extended family that is available.

Research suggests that peer pressure and impulse control are major factors in predicting adolescent alcohol and substance abuse. Adolescents are strongly influenced by what their peers are doing. My friends are drinking and experimenting with drugs, why shouldn’t I (Fischer & Lyness, 2005)?
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Adolescents sometimes exhibit a complex set of behaviors and personality dispositions that are variously labeled, but at their core invoke the idea of dies-inhibition” (Fischer & Lyness, 2005). Further evidence that peer pressure plays a major role in predictors of substance abuse is my experience in high school. If you wanted alcohol, it was easy to find an irresponsible adult that would purchase alcohol for minors. If you were “in” with an adult, you were popular with your peers because you knew how to acquire alcohol and other illegal substances.

Open parent child communication, guidance, direction, and nurturing are all positive factors in reducing adolescent substance abuse (Fischer & Lyness, 2005). Researchers “found reduced levels of substance use among high school-aged adolescents who had such a parent” (Fischer & Lyness, 2005 p. 168). More access to Boys and Girls Clubs along with other after school functions all have a positive influence in reducing levels of adolescent substance abuse.

Family based therapy has significant benefits including a larger family participation rate. Research suggests that almost 90% of families involved in family based therapy actually attended the first meeting as opposed to parent only treatment centers (Rowe & Liddle 2003).

Researchers also suggest that family therapy may be the best route for family recovery, but no one single approach has shown significant recovery improvement from substance abuse. The largest reason is addicted adolescents hang out with peers that frown on prevention and typically deny the degree of their problem. After detoxifying, many adolescents continue behaviors that lead to substance abuse in the first place. If the family unit is fairly stable, treatments that teach adolescents to cope with physical maturation and raging hormones may prove to be a positive moderator in prevention or intervention (Rathus 2006).

Gender Correlation of Delinquency

According to Siegel, Welsh, and Senna (2007), “there are also some distinct gender differences in the effect. For males, the path runs from delinquency to problems at work and substance abuse: For females, antisocial behavior in youth leads to relationship problems, depression, tendency to commit suicide, and poor health in adulthood” (p.151). They also contend that when we discuss gender differences we must keep in mind that there is little evidence that proves “males are more impulsive than females” (p. 151).

Siegel, Welsh, and Senna (2007) also claim that there are gender differences in violent behavior. Male juveniles are more likely to use a gun in a murder of a friend or acquaintance. “In contrast, the typical female is as likely to kill a family member as an acquaintance and is more likely to use a knife” (p. 178).
Humes (1996) discussed the gender differences in sentencing for male and female criminal delinquent behavior by stating, “Of the four people involved in the failed robbery of Shorty’s house, George has fared the worst. Bambi and JoJo, whose criminal records were no better than George’s, were under sixteen; she got straight probation, he went to a probation camp in the mountains outside of LA for six months” (p. 119).

One of the earliest researches conducted in female delinquency focused on Trait Theories. Dr. Mosher stated that early views of female delinquency were that females who were involved in criminal behavior where inherently evil or physically maladapted. Dr. Mosher went on to discuss Cesare Lombroso’s theory on female delinquency. Lombroso claimed that women were lower on the evolutionary scale than men, more childlike, and less intelligent. According to Siegel, Welsh, and Senna (2007), Lombroso came up with the masculinity hypothesis “suggested that delinquent girls had excessive male characteristics” (p. 179).

Penis envy was one of the earliest claims of female delinquent behavior. According to the video tape lecture (2), Dr. Mosher said that ‘Freudian Theories claim that little girls lost their penis and therefore are vengeful. Seigel, Welsh, & Senna (2006) also interpret the Freudian Theories as followed; Sigmund Freud maintained that girls interpret their lack of a penis as a sign that they have been punished. Boys fear that they can be punished by having their penis cut off, and thus learn to fear women. From this conflict came penis envy, which often produces an inferiority complex in girls, forcing them to make an effort to compensate for their “defect”….

At mid-century, psychodynamics theorists suggested that girls are socialized to be passive, which helps explain their low crime rate. However, this condition also makes some females susceptible to being manipulated by men; hence, their participation in sex-related crimes such as prostitution. A girl’s wayward behavior, psychoanalysts suggested, was restricted to neurotic theft (Kleptomania) and overt sexual acts, which were symptoms of personality maladaption (p. 183).

Humes (1996) discusses the correlation between the losses of a parental figure at a young age to the possibility of adolescent delinquent criminal behavior. Humes (1996) stated, It was tough for Carla’s mother to get a handle on her daughter. The girl had always been closer to her father…She was his little sidekick, working on the car, mowing the lawn, walking to the hardware store to mess with the bins of bolts and nuts and tools: if Dad was doing it, Carla wanted to do it.

His death in a car accident when she was nine devastated Carla leaving her depressed and withdrawn for many months, then resentful of her brothers, sisters, and mother when they picked up the pieces of their lives and tried to move forward (p. 48).

New Bedbug Book Hit With Youngsters

Not all bedbugs bite . . . and is bedtime always for sleeping?

The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite is a spin on the classic: "Night, night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite." In this engaging tale, a sleepy bedbug doesn't want to bite . . . and an active child has no plans for sleep. What transpires is sheer hilarity: shenanigans and bedtime delaying tactics where the tables are turned on sleepy Bedbug.

Reading is something that should invoke imagination and curiosity in children. Books that are funny do even more to capture interest and instill a love of learning. The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite pulls out all the stops. The tale gets young ones giggling and begging for the story over and over again; the rhymed verses make it an easy story for young ones to master.

The book offers eye-grabbing colors sure to appeal to young ones. Each book comes with a fuzzy TOY BEDBUG and a BAG for easy carrying. Pkg. is the approximate size of a CD.

Read more about The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite at The Bedbug Blog


The publication of this first book, by author Melody Rhodes, launches the Bedbug Children's Book Series.

Where Are The Doctors?

According to MMV Abad In the Philippines, while rich and powerful people get the most privileges, little people are deprived of almost everything- and would you believe even with their government doctors?

I work as a pharmacist in a generic drugstore designed for people who want cheaper medicines. Every day, I talk to customers explaining to them the difference between the generic and branded drugs. Most of my customers are from the lower class- still ignorant and in need of assistance regarding the concept of medicine. Sadly, these people usually undergo self medication- bad that they are not being diagnosed by a registered physician and worse that they are always buying the wrong medicine for their ailments. For more click here: Where Are The Doctors?

Social Transitions in America

According to Eshelman & Bulcroft (2006), “Five social transitions that have affected or continued to affect Americans are:
1. Africa to the United States
2. Slavery to emancipation
3. Rural and southern areas to urban and northern areas
4. Negative to positive social status
5. Negative to positive self image” (p. 180)

Color, cultural discontinuity and slavery are three transitional factors from Africa to the United States. Many African Americans who “look White” are often treated better in American society. The darker the skin color or tone, the more likely they will have unfair interactions in our society. This sadly is a reality when it comes to educational, economic and employment opportunities.

Many African Americans experienced cultural discontinuity. Eshelman & Bulcroft(2006) state “The system of behavior that was socially learned and shared by members of African society was not applicable to the social conditions they faced in the United States. It is perhaps difficult if not impossible find any other group who came or were brought to the United States and faced such a description of cultural pattern” (p. 180). Thus the term African American arose as many of the “African cultural patterns” were held together.

The history of slavery continues to be an issue of controversy today. Researchers Eshelman & Bulcroft (2006) note that many researchers believe that the lack of a husband and wife, two parent home and the disruption in the Black family life have a connection to the history of slavery. It is believed that more families remained intact during slavery and the mothers were and still are the authority figures due to the high mortality rates in Black men. Many of these women with children had difficulty remarrying. Too often mother and father relationships were only symbolically and loosely held together. The men typically congregated together going place to place searching for work. After the emancipation, many of the freed slaves were left without resources for survival and therefore remained tenants, sometimes unpaid to the former owners.

From Negative to Positive Social Status:
According to Eshelman & Bulcroft (2006), African Americans consistently been viewed by society and by Daniel Patrick Moynihan as a weakened society with deteriorating families in low socioeconomic level. Research shows that the Moynihan Report was incorrect as the recent gains for African American men and women in employment, income opportunities and education have increased in recent years. Research has often failed to discuss the African American middle class. The middle class African American household is typically headed by a dual parent family unit with stable marriages and white collar or educational jobs. Males typically have “a high school education or better and occupy positions in business, government, or education. These families have more similarities than differences to the overriding white family form that society has created in the United States.

For more societal issues, you may also be interested in Land Rights and Cultural Differences in Pacific Northwest History
Make reading time enjoyable with your child with Athlyn Green's The Bed Bug That
Wouldn't Bite

Rambler's Way Worsted Wool

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Ramblers Way. All opinions are 100% mine.

Rambler's Way Wool

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Ramblers Way uses recycled material in the packaging and shipping needs. The trucks and tractors operate on bio- fuel and they invest heavily in manufacturing their own geo-thermal energy and renewable solar power resources. All package materials are use minimally and only recycled materials are used. These materials must be compostable.

This product helps me “Go Green” by reducing travel and harmful vehicle emissions to traditional stores because this company is entirely web based. I am purchasing a product that will strike a chord me to recycle materials I have at home more. By purchasing this product, I am assuring that our American farmers will work with American Manufacturing companies which will stimulate our economy with American “Green Jobs”. Rambler’s Way worsted wool product gives us so many reasons to invest in their product while protecting our earth. It is definitely worth your time to check out this amazing product.