Addiction Clinicians

A big fine, for instance, isn’t necessarily a better deterrent than a lesser one that is administered quickly and effectively.

But if the client also conveys a strong desire to get a degree or a worthwhile job, or start a family or get out of debt – these also constitute motivators for success.

If Bob gets a job, his mom will ask him to move out of the basement, and he’ll have to get a roommate, which he doesn’t want, so better to remain unemployed.

One large survey of alcoholics found that some 14% had actually become dependent within a year of the first drink. The percentage almost doubled when the time period was extended to two years.

Would have been easy enough to avoid, had I seen it coming. Unfortunately the brain I was using to make decisions was the addicted one. It was not a friend to recovery.

It’s not just what you present to your client — it’s how you present it. By following a few simple rules, you get better results. It’s not a perfect system, by any means. But it should improve outcomes.

It’s as if the addict is so accustomed to just acting on impulse that he/she has lost touch with the source of the impulse — ordinarily a negative emotional state such as anxiety, anger, sadness, etc.

Clients will test boundaries just to see what will happen when they do. If you’re prepared for such tests, and can avoid some predictable errors in response, you’ll find that the course of treatment runs smoother.

Seeking evidence, and applying practices based on evidence to your clinical interventions, can help making decisions that increase the chances of a desired outcome

Call it a bribe, call it an incentive, call it a clever idea… Giving a reluctant client a reason to comply can help treatment along.