>People who are on Medication Assisted Treatment for substance use issues (Methadone, Suboxone) who do not feel comfortable with the 12 Steps or the meetings as a result of their using these or other medications. Schedule a private call with a Ria Health team member and we can help you get started. ThoughtCo, Aug. 1, 2021, thoughtco.com/psychology-of-compulsive-behavior-4173631. So if change is to some degree inevitable, we might as well focus on changing for the better which is what the Escalator is all about. And I had epileptic fits every day. An ambulance came and took me to hospital. The answer is most assuredly YES. The Escalator is for the more modern substance user who tends to have more complex issues, and different viewpoints and attitudes than in years past. Both addiction and cancer are viewed as having the following disease qualities: >Are influenced by Genetic Predisposition, >Recovery is a process requiring lifestyle change. That would be even more reason for someone to develop alternative treatments for the disease. Taking your stroller on the escalator can be dangerous for kids. Although it was a very bad accident, it turned out also to be quite a good accident. Nonetheless, individuals in recovery should remain vigilant and follow the treatment regime of their aftercare program in order to ensure that they enjoy continued success and abstinence. These situations are not as easy as setting basic, one size fits all limits on people. Ive got a garden, so Im often out and about, thinking about what I can plant. >A resource for a variety of skills, ideas and techniques that are easy to try and then apply to your own personal situation and circumstances, no matter how unique or outside the box your personal situation may seem. Instead focus on behavior change which will influence better decisions in the present and future. Longley, Robert. The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding. Taking the Escalator: Express by Kenneth Pecoraro | Goodreads Secondly, the data was self-reported data, which can sometimes be unreliable. Have you signed up for Taking the Escalator? Even if inspiration is short lived, those inspired moments we might have can bring us closer toward self improvement. However, the Escalator accepts people exactly where they are at and uses the principle some change is better than no change .Therefore if the only thing that someone is willing to do is reduce their use for now, then it is better to start from there than do nothing at all. 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. Let the front wheels rest on lower step and the back wheels rest on a higher step. The Escalator allows each individual to determine their own starting point based on the unique circumstances that brought about a need for change. Why Does My Stomach Hurt After Drinking Alcohol? Alicia is a Minnesota-based freelancer who writes for Ria Health and various other brands in the health and wellness space. The study is one of the few studies that looks at the actual notion of the development of a cross addiction in individuals and is able to make solid conclusions based on real data. I was really selfish before, and I used to cheat on everyone. Do you have an experience to share? Did You Know Anxiety Can Enhance Our Relationships? mason.script.plugins.twitterTweetPlugin.tweet. In persons with OCD, however, these feelings become so consuming that the fear of failing to complete the repeated action causes them to experience anxiety to the point of physical illness. The field of substance abuse has been oriented toward the very sick for far too long. Shame is a basic feeling of inferiority. While there are good habits and bad, unhealthy habits, any habit can become a compulsion or even an addiction. Listen to friends and family like the original addiction; it is common for people with cross addiction to minimize the reality and to make excuses for the behavior. The person does the best that they can to buy the tools to build the house and then try to use these tools for the actual construction of the house. Abstinence is indeed a good thing and quite often it is the least complicated road to take. *Do not be mislead by this statement: For many abstinence is the only way, but not everyone is ready to embrace that possibility, especially early in the process. What Is Cross Addiction, and Is It a Real Thing in Recovery? - Ria Health But when I tried working again after my accident, I couldnt even tell customers the names of the fish. I havent had a fit for several months, and although I still have aphasia, its not as bad as it used to be. Renaming the Process Taking another Look at Recovery. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a form of anxiety disorder that causes a recurring, unwanted feeling or idea that a certain action must be done repetitively no matter what. While many people compulsively repeat certain behaviors, those behaviors do not interfere with their daily lives and may even help them structure their day in order to complete certain tasks. I know it was June 2007, and after I had finished work at the fishmongers, I went to the pub to drink, as I did every day. 1 The . The term substance use issues is not only significantly more expansive and inclusive than other commonly accepted terms or labels, but it is also much less threatening, which is aligned with the overall philosophy of the Escalator as we will discuss later. However, a commitment to abstinence is not a requirement for all to engage in the upward change process. To the contrary, groups when functioning like they are supposed too are the most effective modality for substance abuse treatment for the vast majority of people However, those individuals who do not feel comfortable with groups should not be left out by a method that caters only to groups. Social psychology is a rich and varied field that offers fascinating insights into how people behave in groups and how behavior is influenced by social pressures. I was in an induced coma for a week, and I remember having these powerful, vivid dreams. Special Message for People Who Have Signed Up, Simple Questions During Complex Challenges. Even small, intermittent bursts of inspiration can have a cumulative effect and can even strengthen over time. These same individuals in treatment can become preoccupied with repeatedly asking their counselor, Do you think that I am an addict? Without even answering, in some cases it may be glaringly obvious (like for example, the daily fall-down, blackout drinker or the several hundred dollar-a-day crack user or the guy who has been arrested a dozen times for substance abuse related crimes). towardahigherormoredistinguishedcondition,rank,level, etc. This amazing method will change the way the world looks at addiction which is long overdue. In other words, abstinence is the direction toward which the Escalator guides people but abstinence is not an automatic requirement to work within the Escalator, especially early in the process. Thus, individuals who were unable to address their original substance use issue were more vulnerable to developing other substance use issues than individuals who were successful in addressing their substance use disorder. The notion that most forms of substance use disorders share some similar brain pathways, such as the reward pathway in the brain that is primarily mediated by the neurotransmitter dopamine, would reinforce the notion of a neurobiological substrate that is responsible for a vulnerability to developing a cross addiction. The notion of a dual diagnosis generally refers to an individual who has two very different and unrelated psychological disorders, such as depression and an alcohol use disorder. The Truth About Liquid Courage: Finding Confidence Without Alcohol. That leads directly back to the subject of how to look at abstinence. Still others have tried some traditional self-help or recovery programs and just never really felt able to fit in for whatever reason. 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. And is it really always a bad thing to find a substitute to replace a more harmful behavior? However, as a substance abuse and mental health counselor for many years, I have always been fascinated with those unfortunate individuals who just couldnt get it when it comes to the 12 Steps. Visit website. In other words, the policy is definitely not abstinence or else! Of course, risk always plays a factor when it comes to this issue. What Is a Human's Psychological Makeup for Ergonomics? Its not always easy to tell if youve developed a cross dependence, especially when it comes to behavioral addictions. Consider an example . Once again, to summarize, abstinence is good but it is the ideal and is therefore not the only way to determine progress. Nonetheless, if you do not have another option, you can use the tips in this article to take your stroller on the escalators more safely. What is Cross Addiction? (Signs & Statistics) - American Addiction Centers Should someone who uses heroin be treated exactly the same as someone who smokes marijuana? 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. Other people may hear of some of the expectations involved with traditional recovery models and consider these goals to be unrealistic, unreasonable or out of reach. In other words, you really can have too much of a good thing. For example, the good habit of exercising regularly can become an unhealthy compulsion or addiction when done to excess. 7. Common habits often develop into addictions when they result in a chemical dependency, as in the cases of alcoholism and smoking. Thus, there are a lot of recommendations regarding individuals with past alcohol use disorders not being prescribed narcotic medications for pain control, individuals recovering from benzodiazepine disorders not drinking alcohol, etc. Take what you can from feedback and leave the rest The rules for people answering questions are: Use polite and respectful language - Speak to others the way you want to be spoken too Do not be insulting or hurtful (When in doubt, leave it out- If you think the person may be offended then do not say it) Focus on the inner person, not appearance, Half of the accidents were kids falling, while about a third were kids getting something caught in the escalator. The Escalator itself is designed so that even when activities or stages are repeated there is always something new to learn about ourselves and there are always different ways we can learn to develop and sustain motivation and improved coping abilities. 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. The Escalator will take you where you want to go in your own personal upward change process, YOUR WAY. The Escalator therefore was born from a desire to provide an alternative but reasonable, sensible, yet comprehensive and effective option for those with substance use issues who fall into one or more of the following categories. In fact, many escalators ban the use of any wheeled device on the escalator, such as strollers. I couldnt go back to work. Sherry Gaba, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist/author specializing in addictions, codependency, and underlying issues such as depression, trauma, and anxiety. It may or may not line up with what we traditionally call alcoholism.. Since so many people have goal setting and making changes on their mind, take some time to review some of the things outlined in the Taking the Escalator methodology for overcoming addiction and other hard to quit habits. One cannot recover what they never really had. There are many ways to try to define addiction but they all mean just about the same thing. A few hours later, some time around midnight, I realised I would have to rush otherwise Id miss the last tube. A compulsion is different from an addiction. The habit of having a glass of beer with dinner, for example, becomes an addiction when the desire to drink turns into a physical or emotional need to drink. We change with time whether or not we even want too. It is important to note that the Escalator is primarily focused on substance use however, any difficult to stop, compulsive habit can be interchanged with substance use issues. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is an inability to control or stop drinking despite experiencing negative consequences. It is also consistent with many strict disease models of addiction where individuals are unable to make rational choices regarding substance use due to changes that occur in the brain. This could lead someone who quits drinking to crave sweets, and develop sugar addiction. Still, the same issue comes up for those who fail to adopt the 12 Step methodology. Many people will continue to benefit from the wisdom of the 12 Steps and the 12 Step philosophy. Are you confusing a low probability with a high probability? 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.. Habits typically develop over time through a natural process called habituation, during which repetitive actions that must be consciously initiated eventually become subconscious and are carried out habitually without specific thought. The former is an overwhelming desire (or sense of physical need) to do something, while an addiction is a physical or chemical dependence on a substance or behavior. Consider another example: If there was a fatal disease that had an available course of treatment that could cure two thirds of those inflicted with the disease, would it be fair to cast off the other third who did not respond to the accepted treatment as hopeless? Learn which signs to look out for, and how to care for your well-being. >People who believe that their other issues, particularly mental health or other behavioral issues, prevent them from benefitting from or embracing the 12 Steps. Thus, based on the available research, it appears that most individuals who successfully complete a substance use treatment program have developed sufficient coping skills to deal with relapse, whereas individuals who have not been able to successfully address their substance use disorders are at a higher risk to develop even greater difficulties. Surely, abstinence would be better, but progress is progress and it should be viewed that way. >People who are not convinced that abstinence is the only way to get better. Taking a stroller on an escalator can be risky. A cold can mean a lot of things across a wide spectrum. The Escalator therefore defines the process by which someone gets better, improves, and develops healthy skills for managing their issues as The Upward Change Process, In sticking with the analogy of an escalator, moving us upward is what an escalator is often designed to do. In other words, you dont have to start at a specific point and then try to make progress by following the predetermined steps in successive order. In order to better explain how this new method works, a great place to start is to actually look at some of the key terms often used in the world of substance abuse, addiction and recovery. In other words, many individuals start using drugs and alcohol so early in life that they never had a truly developed a state or level of functioning that they could recover to. For example, it is unreasonable to compare someone who relapsed by using heroin and someone who relapsed using marijuana as equal situations. More lives have been saved by the 12 Steps than can be counted. It is unreasonable to expect a behavioral issue to improve without some degree of change. Our challenges are designed to help people change their relationship with alcohol by shifting mindsets. I was running down the escalator, and I was drunk, so I must have tripped and fallen, and I ended up in a heap on the floor at the bottom. In actuality, recovery is a lot easier for those who can accept that they are powerless over their addiction (Step 1) then believe in and turn over their will to a Higher Power (Steps 2 and 3). Be open to what family, friends and coworkers are saying and seek help to avoid a cross addiction issue. Some compulsive behaviors are symptomatic of the psychiatric condition called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Shes at university shes amazingly intelligent. Sometimes it is important to remember that the journey is often not as important as the destination. How many of the participants with a substance use disorder developed a new substance use disorder in the three-year period? (Keep in mind; this is not meant to say anything against group therapy. A compulsion is different from an addiction, which is a physical or chemical dependence on a substance or behavior. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Even if the now 350 pound man is still considered morbidly obese with a cholesterol level twice the acceptable limit, his doctor and family likely would still embrace his progress in a positive encouraging way with the hope he will continue in that positive direction. There is no way of knowing if other individuals developed or would develop a substance use disorder at a later time. Although, experience is commendable and highly useful, someone does not automatically merit more consideration as being an expert based only on clean time. Some of the more potentially damaging compulsive behaviors often associated with OCD include eating, shopping, hoarding and animal hoarding, skin picking, gambling, and sex. However, it can also be safer than letting your kid go up the escalator out of the stroller. Why should it be any different for the often fatal disease of addiction? The Escalator Viewpoint on Abstinence: Abstinence of course is the ideal. Taking the Escalator : Addiction & Recovery Tools & Resources The 12 Steps have been the ideal when it comes to recovery from substance abuse issues and addiction for a long time. Taking the Escalator - Home | Facebook Other methods are very much needed for this population. Buidling motivation and insight for inspiration and progress Over the years I saw that this younger group had progressively become more and more resistant to 12 Step groups and philosophy. If you're going down, do the opposite. 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). From early on in my career, I found myself having a soft spot and curiosity toward those troubled individuals who just did not benefit from the 12 Steps no matter hard they may have tried. If you successfully overcome an alcohol use disorder, what are your chances of becoming addicted to something else later on? There are many people who are thinking about change and there are others who are being required to change yet neither may be ready to consider that they have an addiction and they may never be ready to accept that label. There is a body of information that is mostly based on anecdotal evidence that recovering individuals are in danger of developing substitute addictions to other substances. only remember little bits and pieces of what happened. Or. Do You Really Need to Avoid Alcohol on Antibiotics? 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. These comparisons disregard a large portion of people who abuse substances. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 70,994 times. At Ria, we offer weekly meetings with certified counselors to help members stay on track and build skills for long-term change. However, more and more people who use substances in a problematic way are starting younger. takingtheescalator.com Addiction and Substance Use Resources, Non 12 Step Motivational Harm Reduction Tools for Substance Use & Mental Health. People in recovery from substance or alcohol use disorders may end up replacing their primary addiction with something else. Taking the Escalator needs you - Click here to see how you can support - (It won't cost you a cent), Finally a New Way to Combat the Opioid Epidemic, Alternative Counseling & Recovery Coaching Tools. ), >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). 10. A huge collection of non 12 step, free addiction and recovery tools, including PDF worksheets, handouts, assessments, and videos. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. If you give someone a label that they do not personally believe often they will become invested in proving how that label does not apply to them rather than accepting it. This post discusses everything you should know about cross addiction, including what it is, the research behind it, and whether or not you should worry about it. Avoid shame. Of course, the key difference between a compulsive behavior and a habit is the ability to choose to do them or not. A huge collection of non 12 step, free addiction and recovery tools, including PDF worksheets, handouts, assessments, and videos. For example, calling someone an alcoholic who does not believe that they are an alcoholic will almost always have the reverse reaction as opposed to getting that person to believe they are an alcoholic. It also hopes to generate healthy discussion on the topic and welcomes diversity of opinion. ThoughtCo. Of course, this person is better prepared as they can learn from past mistakes and use experience from the first attempt for the future. However, abstinence isnt always practical for everyone. For example, many people simply may not feel like their personal situation or circumstances coincide with some of the more traditional views on recovery and self-improvement. For example, suppose a 400 pound obese man had diabetes and was receiving treatment for heart disease. In addition, diseases, like substance abuse or dependence tend to be progressive in nature but not everyone progresses in the same way or to the same level. If you can, take your child out and hold them while balancing the stroller next to you. The more idealistic hope that people need to accept that they are an addict or alcoholic is in actuality not a requirement for self-improvement. In other words, even if someone never stops using substances (abstinence) there still can be a measurable level of progress. As we have stated earlier, for a long time, the 12 Steps have been one of the primary methods for recovery. >Controlled use is impossible for some individuals: There are those people out there who most definitely fit the traditional disease model who no matter how hard they try will never be able to use successfully (or in other words, use without eventual consequences) When it comes to more serious substance abuse issues, this group is the majority. PsychCreatives | Taking the Escalator: Comprehensive SUD Resource As my career and education in the field of substance abuse progressed I noticed another trend that increasingly caught my attention. So if the goal of the Escalator is not limited to just abstinence or sobriety then what is the goal of the upward change process? All movements made in a positive direction are critical aspects of the upward change process. https://www.thoughtco.com/psychology-of-compulsive-behavior-4173631 (accessed March 4, 2023). 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). People who are currently benefitting from 12 Step programs and 12 Step philosophy may not need this book unless they are looking for something additional to supplement their recovery. The Escalator takes into account the whole person, beyond substance use or abuse and it respects ones unique individuality. In reality, if that were the case, someone else would be hard at work looking for another course of treatment for the one third of people who do not respond to the most widely accepted method. Another way to look at this same question when examining the goals of the process of getting better is: The next section searches into this sometimes controversial topic, Answering the Questions about Abstinence . (PDF) 5 and 5 for Change | Kenneth Pecoraro - Academia.edu % of people told us that this article helped them. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Psychology and the Mystery of the "Poisoned" Schoolgirls. However, a different and unsafe way would be to balance the back wheels on the step and use your strength to keep it straight. The Escalator refrains from over-using the term disorder which, like the word addiction, can apply in many cases but also can be a very difficult to accept label for others. -. Hold on to the stroller. The process is easy: Take turns allowing everyone in the group to make a thoughtful statement Then, the group should all say "Well said!" and applaud.