How To Help Someone With Meth Addiction

What A Treatment Plan For Help Looks Like

Today we will be sharing a treatment plan of how to help someone with meth addiction that hasn’t used for 8 months.  Due to being locked up this individual remained clean after adverse actions, like incarceration, prevented his continued use. In order to “break free” completely and avoid a possible relapse, certain steps need to be implemented for preventive maintenance and we need to know what the plan would hypothetically look like. For all intended purposes we will be looking at a random and nameless individual for this scenario. This individual who has made the FIRST STEP in the direction of making a 180 degree turnaround from active addiction could actually be you…or maybe your brother…possibly a father or even a son. The first step, however, is only the beginning toward treatment for his addiction. This is meant to be inspirational as well as “right down to earth where the reality lies”. To the ladies, you may also place yourself as this random and nameless individual as well as the men. You see, the gender, the sex, the names, the places, the ethnicity, the drugs involved, the days, months or years that have been utilized, the sexual preferences, the status quo and any other self-identifying aspects of an individual which you could think of are really irrelevant when it comes to addiction. The reason is that addiction doesn’t care, first of all, and, secondly, addiction does not, nor will it ever, discriminate against anyone…EVER! It could give two hoots or care less about whom, what, how, why or where you are. Addiction will meet you whenever, wherever and whoever you are. Let’s look at this plan as it unfolds and follow the curriculum:

Identifying & Personal Data: The Individual 

Client is a single, 35-year old Mexican-American male. Client states that he currently resides alone and has a 6-year old daughter from a previous relationship. Client explained that he has shared custody (not joint) in which his daughter spends weekends with him as well as unsupervised visits as mutual consent from the daughter’s mother, whom the daughter resides with legally. Client appears to be in a rational state and receptive during this interview. Clients personal appearance is well groomed, with good hygiene noticeable. Client appears to be alert, focused and concerned with his current situation of being court ordered for Intensive Outpatient Program placement.

Drug Specific Data: What Is The Use Disorder History 

Client admits to having a 17-year history of drug/alcohol abuse and/or use disorder, with methamphetamine being the primary and alcohol being the secondary. Client states that he was age 22 when he first used primary drug and that he has used it on a weekly basis for the past 10 years. Client states that he was age 18  when he first used alcohol. Client states that he has used alcohol heavily approximately 8 days out of the month for the past 5 years (weekends regularly). Client  has had no prior treatment episodes and no sobriety periods prior to now. Client currently has 8-months sobriety (incarceration) as of this interview. Client further shares that he has no history of mental health or current suicidal ideations. Client has elaborated, however, that homicidal ideations were frequent for him between the ages of 20-22, but no attempts were ever exercised, only ideations.

Presenting Problem: Court Order For Use History

Client has no present physical substance abuse problem, as he has been abstinence from drugs/alcohol for 8-months due to incarceration. Regular and random  urinalysis testing of client while in SAP for past 8-months confirm client’s abstinence report. Client does admit other strained family relationships that currently exist due to his previous substance abuse. Client prefers not to elaborate. Client is court ordered by the Los Angeles County Probation Department and referred to his agency by CASC due to arrest for possession and DUI, which has afforded formal probation. Client is to complete an IOP program due to history and longevity of drug use without intervention. Client has been self-employed for the past 5 years and states that he has no current financial hardships, health issues, or any other legal matters pending other than court ordered treatment.

Family Background History: Predisposition Relevant

Client reports no physical or sexual abuse history. Clients mother has history of depression, for which she received past treatment. Client expressed that his  mother has not had a depression episode in 7 years. Client explained that his childhood was fatherless, and that his mother suffered from depression, as a result of the father’s abandonment of his family. Client was 7-years old when his father left. Client has 2 older brothers and 1 younger sister. Although client is not a documented gang member, client shared that his older brothers were and had some influence on his early childhood, which he participated in criminal activities at the age of 11. Client shared that his mother had several boyfriends that sold drugs, and even though he did not participate at that time, he feels that maybe a “seed” was planted that maybe later got “watered” as client expressed. Client expressed a loneliness of being the middle child. Client stated that his older brother or either his younger sister always got the attention from their mother. Client shared that he felt “invisible” at times.

Summary Of Ongoing Treatment

Client has a 17-year history of substance abuse, with methamphetamine being the primary and alcohol being the secondary choice of use. Client treatment plan  will consist of short term goals, long term goals, and action steps to enforce goals. Client will achieve abstinence, learn the facts about his addiction, and  understand how client’s addiction has caused his life to become unmanageable and dysfunctional. Long term, Client must maintain total sobriety and receive  further education about his own addictive behavior and personality. To achieve this plan of action, client will attend group meetings three (3) times a week. Client will further participate in one-on-one counseling once a week. Client will also participate and submit to regular/random urinalysis as directed. Client will also participate in three (3) outside recovery meetings a week.

Client Observation 

Client states that he witnessed quite a bit in “The Barrio”, from gang beatings, to sexual abuse, drug abuse, and fatal shootings, even though he was not a direct  victim of these circumstances. Client said that “my mom did the best she could under the circumstances and pressure of raising four kids by herself”.  Client  makes no excuses for his actions, and takes responsibilities for his choices, that he now says “I realize were the wrong ones”. Client states that his drug and  alcohol use started late in his early adulthood so he really could not be honest in connecting his decisions and choices solely based on his childhood. Client shared
that “my meth use was an experiment that went sideways and never ended. It was an experiment that never ended until I got arrested”.

Client Prognosis

In prognosis, client shows favorable odds for recovery. Client displays a willingness to change a destructive pattern that has rendered his life “dysfunctional” for  too many years. I believe if client stays the course, the outcome will be favorable for client. In explanation, client is receptive to the process in which he is involved in. Client is willing to participate in his own recovery. Client understands that his current situation warrants professional help and understands the ramifications of not taking advantage of the help provided. The most important factor, I believe, that will serve this client in positive regard is that the client makes no excuses
for his behavior. Client does not play the “victim” card and realizes that his situation is a direct result of his own decisions. Client assumes full responsibility for his change to take place and is optimistic that this agency will guide him in the direction that must be taken. Client is willing and will continue to attend group
counseling, one-on-one counseling, outside meetings as directed and comply with monitored abstinence with regular, as well as random, urinalysis testing. This client’s prognosis is positively favorable at this level of care and recommendation for the next level of care with the following modalities are as follows:

Recommendations – Continued Outpatient Programs

Further treatment modalities that would benefit this client by his own admission are:

1. Effective Parenting – client expressed his desire to become a better parent for his daughter.
2. Anger Management – client expressed funnels of agitation and impatience at times. I believe this would serve as a safeguard, and continued education
   in recovery. Resentment can become the number one offender of relapse.
3. Health/Fitness Program – client stated that while incarcerated he found a peace in exercise. Continued fitness will benefit stress levels and frustration. These ingredients need to be channeled in a positive way.
4. 12 Step Work – A program of any recovery will involve a fearless inventory of yourself and an effort to make amends to any persons that you have harmed.
5. Grief/Loss Coping – Client is definitely impacted by the absence of his father. Client does not want to become the father to his daughter that his father was to him, which was “absent”, but with no new information, that is what could certainly take place (I believe).
6. Domestic Violence – Client could benefit from this class as to model “what NOT to do” in his future relationships.

In closing, simply put, if the work is put in, the results will follow and have a destination.  My question to you is…have you put in as much work in your recovery as you have put into your addiction?  Because the truth is that this hypothetical scenario is reality to someone, if not many. Do your footwork…stay out the results. Leave your comments and feel free to always direct any questions or concerns…or even if you just need to reach out and talk about it ~Timo Therapy~

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