tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6886575137375451769.post5927060748701033657..comments2023-08-08T00:53:58.434-07:00Comments on Garth Kroeker: AddictionsGKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14714377295981745087noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6886575137375451769.post-55902334344818554822011-01-10T14:01:54.008-08:002011-01-10T14:01:54.008-08:00I believe that active addictions prevent other for...I believe that active addictions prevent other forms of therapy from being effective (e.g. medications, various types of psychotherapy, etc.). Sometimes, dwelling on these other types of therapy can be "enabling" with respect to the addiction, in that they delay a focus on a core problem, while (because of the addictions swamping out their benefits) not being very helpful in themselves.<br /><br />Therapeutic progress is metaphorically similar to building a new structure, perhaps like a carpenter (the patient) building a new home, with wood, nails, concrete, etc. (Here the therapist could be like an adviser or assistant). Addictive behaviours are like having your new structure be cut or burned down every few days or weeks, or having your carpentry team deprived of food. It dampens the morale involved in continuing the construction project, and leads to repeatedly having to start from scratch. It may foster the belief that it is not really possible to construct the home.<br /><br />So, as a therapist, it is hard to commence therapeutic work without having a clear plan around ending addictions. If there is no plan around the addictions, I don't believe this is sound therapy, in the same way that it would not be a sound construction plan to continue on building without finding ways to prevent your structure from being torn down in the middle of your work. In fact, such a therapeutic plan could become part of the addictive cycle rather than part of the cure (addictive forces in the mind seem to love it when a new structure is toppled town).<br /><br />I guess part of the good news, for me, is to learn more about addictions medicine, to know that addictive problems are just as solvable as anything else; but we must never underestimate the difficulty and challenge involved.GKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14714377295981745087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6886575137375451769.post-92148795532170335072011-01-09T20:37:22.080-08:002011-01-09T20:37:22.080-08:00Can you elaborate on your first sentence.Can you elaborate on your first sentence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6886575137375451769.post-30534390186314962502010-07-23T12:00:39.134-07:002010-07-23T12:00:39.134-07:00"The communicative power of metaphors: an ana..."The communicative power of metaphors: an analysis and interpretation of metaphors in accounts of the experience of addiction."<br /><br />ABSTRACT<br />http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19712543Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com