Jennifer needs to receive treatment for both her psychiatric and substance abuse issues. An integrated dual disorders treatment approach would be able to simultaneously address her issues and offer her the best chance of success (Gil-Rivas, Grella, & Prause, 2009). With the same team addressing both issues at the same time and in the same location, Jennifer’s chances of successfully coping with her substance abuse and mental health issues increases. In this type of program, Jennifer will have the same clinicians for both issues. These specially trained clinicians are trained in psychotherapy, assessment, and treatment strategies for substance abuse and mental health disorders. Additionally, the clinicians are able to offer mental health treatments that are specifically geared for consumers who have substance abuse issues (sccmha, 2012).
After Jennifer successfully completes detoxification, she will attend individual and group counseling sessions. She will need to work through the issue of the devil taking her soul and then move into attending 12 Step meetings and working a 12 Step program. At the same time she will participate in psychotherapy sessions. While in a residential setting, she will also be able to focus on the social component of treatment, since addicts isolate themselves, and while in a residential setting, she can have the support of family therapy, including her children as well as her spouse, enabling her to have a therapist support her as she works through the separation she is facing from her husband.
Jennifer and her family will also need to learn how to not enable her. This includes allowing Jennifer to not continue with her substance abuse but also how their behaviors perpetuate Jennifer into the desire to use alcohol. Instead, Jennifer’s family needs to learn to be supportive and understanding of her illness and know how they can be positive during her recovery (Bogenschultz, Geppert, & George, 2006).
References
Bogenschultz, M. P., Geppert, C. A., & George, J. (2006). The role of twelve-step approaches
in dual diagnosis treatment and recovery. American Journal On Addictions, 15(1), 50-60.
doi: 10.1080/10550490500419060
Phillips, P., McKeown, O., & Sanford, T. (Ed.). (2009). Dual diagnosis practice in context.
Wiley-Blackwell.
http://www.sccmha.org/quality/Integrated%20Dual%20Disorder%20Treatment%20(IDDT)%20 Slide%20Presentation.pdf
