Jack Perkins
Founder of Psuche Education, Counseling & Coaching Services, USA
Title: The Heart of Addiction: An Emerging Paradigm for Understanding Addiction Proposal Application
Biography
Biography: Jack Perkins
Abstract
Statement of the Problem
Adverse childhood experiences contribute to insecure attachments and difficulty regulating emotions, and a high-risk factor for addiction. Emerging research, especially brain research and human development research, is advancing co-occurring counseling to a place where clients will have a better opportunity to thrive. Based upon my studies and experience, I have come to believe we must address the underlying issues of addiction, often attachment disorders.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation
When considering what has been learned about the brain and “what works”, a new way of looking at addiction and recovery is needed. Engaging clients from the perspective of loss, to include the absence of having personal/emotional needs met, and relationships is based upon the belief that a key to resetting the brain involves processing the impact of poor relationships.
Findings
I work in a female residential facility for those struggling with co-occurring issues. Invariably, at least 95% of those served present with abandonment issues, family systems void of emotional bonding, trauma that has destroyed trust, major losses, and a host of other issues that often result in self-medication. The Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress was administered. It, along with the interview, was consistent in demonstrating the issues previously outlined.
Conclusion & Significance
It is this author’s opinion, along with many others, that more work is needed to help clinicians understand the problem, to develop evidence-based treatment models that have a strong sensitivity to the correlation of attachment disorders to substance misuse, and intentional early intervention models. Too often, persons with addiction issues are not provided appropriate treatment and insurance coverage, compared to treatment for other diseases.
Counselors, educators, department leaders, and political leaders have an obligation to bring addiction out of the darkness and treat those struggling with addiction with respect, affirm their personhood, and give them a hand up.