I was awake, and I seemed OK; the paramedics were asking me the date and the time, and I knew the answers. The Truth About Liquid Courage: Finding Confidence Without Alcohol. The answer starts with a combination of two key concepts: >stimulationorarousalofthemind,feelings,etc,tospecialor unusualactivityorcreativity, >thestateorqualityofbeingsostimulatedoraroused, Inspiration is a combination of motivation and insight, which are at the very core of the Escalator. Visit website. A compulsion is different from an addiction. Should someone who uses heroin be treated exactly the same as someone who smokes marijuana? For example, research suggests cross-sensitivity is possible for sugar and alcohol among some individuals. For example, people who compulsively wash their hands get no pleasure from doing so. 9 Sources. There is no way of knowing if other individuals developed or would develop a substance use disorder at a later time. There were three questions/goals of the study: The findings have some interesting implications regarding the notion of cross addiction: In fact, the researchers concluded that the opposite of the notion of cross addiction was more likely that individuals who have successfully negotiated treatment for a substance use disorder were less likely to develop another substance use disorder. From this viewpoint, the most crucial thing is to avoid new addictions, not all substances. How to Get Everything You Want Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible. 37 views, 1 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Taking the Escalator: Taking the Escalator - Addiction Group Therapy Tools that are Super, man! When it comes to abstinence and substance abuse, there are some undeniable facts: >Abstinence is the ideal. But in the hospital they discovered a blood clot on my brain and operated that evening; they also put in a metal plate to stop my skull collapsing. Buidling motivation and insight for inspiration and progress Excessive drinking has numerous impacts on your body and mind, ranging from mild to severe. A compulsion is different from an addiction, which is a physical or chemical dependence on a substance or behavior. [1] However, for the purpose of including the many more people who are involved with overcoming substance use issues who are not yet ready to accept abstinence as their goal then the goal of this process needs to be of a broader scope. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Often there was a choice to be made for those who did not fit in to 12 Step recovery. A few hours later, some time around midnight, I realised I would have to rush otherwise I'd miss the last tube. ), >People who have tried the 12 Steps and may like the 12 Steps, but alone the 12 Steps just is not enough (The Escalator can be used in conjunction with or as a supplement to 12 Step recovery). When I started in this field most substance abuse programs were still 12 Step based. "The Escalator method provides an array of specific tools and techniques for this challenging engagement process. You should be receiving an order confirmation from Paypal shortly. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Last Updated: March 4, 2021 It is a situation where an individual has more than one addiction or uses more than one . 594 pages, Kindle Edition First published June 11, 2013 Book details & editions About the author Kenneth Pecoraro 3 books Ratings Friends Following The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding. Its not always easy to tell if youve developed a cross dependence, especially when it comes to behavioral addictions. Cross addictionalso known as addiction interaction disorder or addiction transferis a phenomenon you mightve heard of in recovery. We have all heard the warnings from our sponsors, counselors or friends, that there is no safe way for "the addict" to ever drink alcohol, take prescription stimulants, or use cannabis for the rest of their lives. Keep in mind that this phenomenon is not the same as dual diagnosis (when a substance use disorder coincides with another mental health issue, such as depression or PTSD). In statistical terms, individuals with a history of successfully addressing their substance use disorder were significantly less likely to develop another substance use disorder compared to individuals who were unable to address their substance use disorder in the time period covered by the study. But is cross addiction real? For all of the success that the 12 Steps have had there are still a huge number of individuals who have not responded. The researchers concluded that evidence that individuals who recover from one substance use disorder are more vulnerable to developing a cross addiction in the future is not supported by the data. There are others however, who still can exhibit a degree of progress with reduced substance use without abstinence at least for a time period if not longer. Unfortunately, however, for many individuals faced with a situation where they must look at their own substance use issues, striving for the ideal recovery may be out of reach for a variety of reasons. The Escalator, takes this into account and is therefore designed for repeated use for as many times as needed until our goals are achieved. Taking the Escalator. So, by extension, someone who is not abstinent cannot be sober either. They were terrible, violent.. But epilepsy and alcohol dont mix, so I had to give up after my accident. With that said, however, is addiction the best way to truly define this problem? Another way to examine the same question is to ask: Do people who cannot or will not abstain from using drugs and alcohol need treatment even more than those who are sober? Getting back the concept of sobriety, however, the second key aspect of sobriety is abstinence. Other methods are very much needed for this population. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Psychology and the Mystery of the "Poisoned" Schoolgirls. Over the years I saw that this younger group had progressively become more and more resistant to 12 Step groups and philosophy. As touched upon earlier, the Escalator focuses more on the. This blog is a space for sharing ideas, experiences, links to books, articles, and websites in relation to recovery from alcohol & drug addiction. >People who are not convinced that abstinence is the only way to get better. Therefore even when someone does not achieve the ideal outcome (sobriety) any attempt at upward change is still valuable and often brings with it a degree of progress. I was running down the escalator, and I was drunk, so I must have tripped and . In one, there was a man who was covered in soot and holding a massive book, and he went up to this other guy and said, Youre going to die. And then he came up to me, and I said, I dont want to die, I want to stay alive, and he replied, OK, off you go.. The Escalator however seeks to include the full range of individuals who are facing the prospect of either wanting to or needing to change their patterns of substance use or other similar behaviors for whatever reason. Ive got a garden, so Im often out and about, thinking about what I can plant. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Along the same lines of reasoning as the legal system, many insurance companies and other funding sources that pay for substance abuse treatment began viewing 12 Step programs as a mandatory part of the recovery process. Abstinence is often the ultimate goal, however people, often guided by their level of motivation and insight, often take many different paths toward that goal. Labels in themselves are not wrong or harmful. Why should it be any different for the often fatal disease of addiction? Taking the Escalator is an easy to understand method developing the inspiration to overcome the struggle with managing addictions. Time is such a valuable resource and it is important to stay in the habit of using it wisely by reserving time on a regular basis for taking care of our physical, emotional and spiritual health and growth. You will see in future chapters that the needs of many individuals with substance use issues in todays ever-changing world have indeed transformed with the times. This amazing method will change the way the world looks at addiction which is long overdue. I found myself growing in my concern for those individuals who disagreed with or had difficulty grasping the 12 Steps and other similar or related concepts. In fact, many escalators ban the use of any wheeled device on the escalator, such as strollers. It did not take long for me to curiously wonder about those people who could not make it in treatment due to an inability to accept key 12 Step concepts such as powerlessness or Higher Power. That would be even more reason for someone to develop alternative treatments for the disease. However, abstinence isnt always practical for everyone. The 12 Steps have been the ideal when it comes to recovery from substance abuse issues and addiction for a long time. While they have some characteristics in common, addictions and habits are different from compulsive behaviors. Cross addiction, also known as addiction interaction disorder, is when a person has two or more addictions. I live on my own in sheltered housing in London, and Im much happier now. I used to be a big drinker, but epilepsy and alcohol dont mix. >People who have given the 12 Steps a sincere, honest try but they continue to feel like they just dont fit in because their unique personal situation just is not a good match for the 12 Step methodology, >People who just dont like groups. Toxic Positivity: How It Relates to Unhealthy Relationships, 3 Possible Reasons Your Partner Isnt Connecting With You, The Ambiguous Loss of Loving an Addict and Letting Them Go, 5 Ways "Food Addiction" and Drug Addiction Intersect.
The farther down the road we go, the closer we get to our destination and goal. The hope is that there can be a little inspiration to look at things differently (increasing insight) and also some inspiration to consider changing and working on these issues (motivation). If followed wholeheartedly, success in recovery is not far off.
No, Cross-Addiction Isn't Real (And Other Myths - Drug Rehab Options In any case, theres cause for concern when a behavior or substance creates any level of harm in your life (or meets any criteria for addiction). Fortunately, there are solutions. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. Still, once again, what about those individuals who do not experience a benefit from 12 Step meetings? I couldnt go back to work.
This is instead of relying upon an expert based model where those individuals with more experience or sober time are in a position to teach the less experienced based solely on their own personal experiences which may be completely different. For example, when considering going on a diet, think about how many times a person may experience little bursts of inspiration until finally one day they stick with the diet and actually start losing weight.
Taking the Escalator: Express by Kenneth Pecoraro | Goodreads 400+ Curated Sober, Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Apps, Podcasts & Resources. TheBoozemusings CommunityBlogis written by a diverse group. To learn more, view ourPrivacy Policy. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 70,994 times. However, more and more people who use substances in a problematic way are starting younger. The Escalator also is designed for those who do not want help or do not want to change as well as those who are unsure what they want.