The Escalator allows each individual to determine their own starting point based on the unique circumstances that brought about a need for change. What is your Turnaround story? This new perspective behind the Escalator can be best explained by first expanding upon the way we look at addiction, recovery and sobriety. People with active substance use disorders were about two times more likely to develop another substance use problem (27%) compared to individuals who substance use disorder was in remission (13%). If followed wholeheartedly, success in recovery is not far off. Cross addiction is a concept that implies that if a person has developed a severe substance use disorder (the term for addiction) to one substance, that person is at a higher risk to develop a substance use disorder to some other substance. The Escalator, takes this into account and is therefore designed for repeated use for as many times as needed until our goals are achieved. But I was completely different my daughter brought me a teddy bear and I started biting it. >An alternative method that is well suited for a broad, wide-ranging perspective on spirituality which can work for the Atheist and Agnostic as well as those with more firmly established beliefs while making sure not to alienate those from either viewpoint. Every time we try to move forward we gain some experience and therefore make progress regardless of whether or not we reach our destination. 0 reviews The 2013 book: Taking the Escalator - An Alternative to the 12 Steps, has been a much needed, refreshing new look at substance abuse and addiction in today's modern, ever-changing world. I remember being at a meeting of supervisors of treatment programs in my area and one program manager said At my program, the policy is: Two positive urines and you are discharged! I remember questioning myself quietly how someone could put an arbitrary number on something as complicated as relapse when substance use issues and recovery issues vary such a great deal from person to person. The method expressed in this book is focused on taking a more realistic and inclusive perspective on healing, changing, and developing in a positive direction with regard to overcoming substance use issues that is both individualized and flexible. Consider the definition of Upward . The Truth About Liquid Courage: Finding Confidence Without Alcohol. Because it is balanced on two steps, it can easily start moving, especially since the escalator is moving. It also hopes to generate healthy discussion on the topic and welcomes diversity of opinion. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. For example, although we may be aware that we are brushing our teeth, we almost never wonder why we are doing it or ask ourselves, Should I be brushing my teeth or not?. However, it can also be safer than letting your kid go up the escalator out of the stroller. I recommend elevators instead, because they are a lot easier and safer. >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. I live on my own in sheltered housing in London, and Im much happier now. to get back or regain (something lost or taken away) to regain health after being sick, wounded, or the like: to recover from an illness. Definition & 5 Examples. Taking the Escalator Many people will continue to benefit from the wisdom of the 12 Steps and the 12 Step philosophy. Finally, the Escalator is focused on two of the most critical factors for successful growth in the upward change process: Motivation and Insight. Although it was a very bad accident, it turned out also to be quite a good accident. 10. How many individuals who developed a new substance use disorder had overcome or successfully treated their initial substance use disorder? But in the hospital they discovered a blood clot on my brain and operated that evening; they also put in a metal plate to stop my skull collapsing. Researchers in future should use objective measures of substance abuse in similar studies. 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. Unfortunately, however, for many individuals faced with a situation where they must look at their own substance use issues, striving for the ideal recovery may be out of reach for a variety of reasons. References. A much better disease to contrast with addiction is to compare substance abuse instead with the common cold. 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 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. Required fields are marked *. Abstinence is often the ultimate goal, however people, often guided by their level of motivation and insight, often take many different paths toward that goal. Our admissions navigators are available to help 24/7 to discuss treatment. Avoid shame. They were terrible, violent Id be on the floor, couldnt move my body, couldnt talk, and I would be depressed for ages afterwards. Compulsive Behavior: A Psychological Explanation - ThoughtCo As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). I was really selfish before, and I used to cheat on everyone. The harm reduction perspective understands that some people will not be perfectly abstinent from all substances in recovery. 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. And I take a lot more care on the escalators. Hold on to the stroller. If inspiration is the fuel that moves us forward, then progress is the mileage we accumulate along the road we travel on. At the heart of it is understanding that you do not need alcohol to function and have a good time. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); >Controlled use is impossible for some individuals: >There are and always will be exceptions to the rule, >It cannot be ignored, however that there are millions of people who need help but are unwilling to try or stick with abstinence. I think I was an alcoholic because of my past: my parents broke up and mum left when I was five years old, and my brother fell out of a window and died when I was 17. Inspired Progress The Goal of the Escalator. 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. 1. The reason that formal research methods are employed to develop theories that lay the foundation for practical treatment is to minimize the effect of bias and subjectivity when considering the broader aspects of behavior. Starting and Staying on a Positive Note - Academia.edu Overview Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Taking the Escalator. 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. Good habits, like tooth-brushing, are behaviors that are consciously and intentionally added to our routines in order to maintain or improve our health or general wellbeing. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process. Nonetheless, these weaknesses do not invalidate the findings. Social Psychology Experiments and Studies - Verywell Mind The Challenge of Cross Addiction | Psychology Today The Escalator is designed to be interchangeable and adaptable for both groups and for those who are more comfortable staying out of groups by working individually. If abstinence is the ideal, then we should never allow the thinking that falling short of the ideal is automatically not good or a definitive failure. By definition, the Escalator is a comprehensive, multi-dimensional system for personal development as opposed to a step by step linear program. In the case where someone begins using substances in adolescence and in some cases even in childhood, there is no original former and better state or condition to return to once the drugs are removed. However, a commitment to abstinence is not a requirement for all to engage in the upward change process. But epilepsy and alcohol dont mix, so I had to give up after my accident. >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. "The Psychology of Compulsive Behavior." 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. 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. 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? A matrix-based system as opposed to stepwise system, allows the user to select their own entry point into the paradigm based on ones personal needs and circumstances. The same holds true for those with legitimate pain management issues who may be on medication considered questionable by others in recovery. How many of the participants with a substance use disorder developed a new substance use disorder in the three-year period? This article has been viewed 70,994 times. In a nutshell, it refers to a new addiction following in the footsteps of another. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. 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. A few hours later, some time around midnight, I realised I would have to rush otherwise Id miss the last tube. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Still, once again, what about those individuals who do not experience a benefit from 12 Step meetings? Should someone who uses heroin be treated exactly the same as someone who smokes marijuana? Longley, Robert. 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. This example has a direct parallel when it comes to substance use issues. However, if someone has come to the conclusion on their own that they want to identify themselves an alcoholic or an addict that should not be discouraged once again, provided that the individual has personally accepted the label as true in their personal case. 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. When an otherwise harmless behavior becomes so consuming that it negatively impacts oneself or others, it may be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The term cross addiction is relatively new but is something that has always been seen in clinical practices. The next time this person gets motivated to build a house again do you think that they are in better shape for the next attempt? However, abstinence isnt always practical for everyone. Therefore, borrowing from the Harm Reduction model, the Escalator is abstinence oriented as opposed to abstinence based. 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). Obviously, the greater the degree that an individual is able to sustain inspiration and demonstrate actual progress and upward change then the more successful the experience has become. Taking Another Look at Addiction, Recovery and Sobriety Sometimes it is important to remember that the journey is often not as important as the destination. The participants in the study were surveyed in 2001 and again in 2004. One study showed that only 6% percent of escalators accidents for kids 5 or younger happened when the kid was in a stroller. Therefore going forward, we will just refer to addiction to cover all three similar terms. In a nutshell, it refers to a new addiction following in the footsteps of another. The researchers at Columbia University found that the highest risk group to develop a cross addiction after successful recovery from earlier substance use disorder were unmarried males, who had a relatively early onset of their substance use disorder, and had some type of comorbid psychiatric disorder, especially disorders that were marked by impulsivity. I found myself growing in my concern for those individuals who disagreed with or had difficulty grasping the 12 Steps and other similar or related concepts. Your email address will not be published. What if the number of people who failed to respond to the accepted treatment was growing? 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. >People who have tried 12 Step meetings for a reasonable amount of time with an open mind but have come to the conclusion that they do not feel right now that the meetings are helpful or beneficial enough to keep on trying to attend. The findings would also suggest that the development of a cross addiction is the exception and not the rule, but it is something that individuals in recovery should be aware of. Understanding Withdrawal & Detox by Substance. Some compulsive behaviors can be harmful when practiced to an extreme. PDF Challenging Thoughts Worksheet - University of Washington A compulsion is different from an addiction. only remember little bits and pieces of what happened. I was running down the escalator, and I was drunk, so I must have tripped and . 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. 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. Additionally, make sure you step over it, too. 2K. Escalating and moving upward is all about taking it to the next level so to speak; whatever that next level may be, as long as it is a notch above where you once were. 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. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. But over time, you could begin to obsess over exercise, and may even overexercise your body to the point of harm. The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding. Beside the millions who have benefitted from the 12 Steps there have always been those lost individuals who just didnt catch on to 12 Step philosophy and programming. [1] Moderate marijuana use might help that unique individual reduce anxiety and avoid alcohol relapse, while causing fewer harms than drinking. It is crucial to consider this broader spectrum in order to fully understand the nature of substance abuse and the people affected by it. Experience: I fell down an escalator | Health & wellbeing | The Guardian Whether or not someone is trying to recover what they once lost, or they may be moving upward for the first time, the Upward Change Process is the journey toward self-improvement and self-development that the Escalator is founded upon. Now compare a similar situation with a 20 bag day IV heroin addict. towardahigherormoredistinguishedcondition,rank,level, etc. ), >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). In the rehab community, youll see two common viewpoints: harm reduction and total abstinence. >A variable, adjustable, and flexible process of upward change that takes into account your own needs beyond just substance use including emotional and behavioral issues, struggles with mental health, as well as the broad array of co-existing issues that may effect each unique person. 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. This often happens after a person has quit one substance, and is looking for new ways to cope. Should those people who cannot get past step one be doomed to failure? 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. As explained earlier, the Escalator is an alternative to the 12 Steps and for some the Escalator can even be a supplement to the 12 Steps. The Escalator Viewpoint on Abstinence: Abstinence of course is the ideal. 1 Such addictions may extend well beyond alcohol and other substances of abuse, including compulsive behaviors such as hair pulling, skin picking, gambling and excessive shopping are also addictions. Inspired Progress by definition consists of the two factors we just discussed: inspiration and progress. For example, if someone overcomes alcohol use disorder but smokes cigarettes heavily instead, this might qualify as a cross addiction. This could lead someone who quits drinking to crave sweets, and develop sugar addiction. Both addiction and cancer are viewed as having the following disease qualities: >Are influenced by Genetic Predisposition, >Recovery is a process requiring lifestyle change. Compulsive behaviors are actions a person feels driven or compelled to do repeatedly, even if those actions appear to be irrational or pointless. Are you covered for addiction treatment? Consider the fact that the person who worked on the house now still has some of the tools that they bought. I dont think about my future, I focus on each day as I live it. Not only was I developing an increased empathy for those who were not getting the full benefit of the 12 Steps but I was also noticing an increase in the number of young people entering programs who had difficulty with 12 Step recovery. Most counselors can speak about the experience of working with individuals who actually want to engage in a discussion about whether or not that individual is or is not in fact, an addict. 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. Most places have an elevator in addition to the escalator, and it is much easier and safer to manipulate a stroller on an elevator. Along the same lines of reasoning as the legal system, many insurance companies and other funding sources that pay for substance abuse treatment began viewing 12 Step programs as a mandatory part of the recovery process. What do cross addiction and cross dependence mean? A few hours later, some time around midnight, I realised I would have to rush otherwise Id miss the last tube. Are you taking examples out of context by only considering one aspect of the situation at the expense of considering the entire incident? Quitting alcohol completely can be a challenge, but there are more ways to do it than ever before. Here is our guide to giving up (or cutting back) on alcohol. Suppose someone needs to build a house but lacks the skills to do so. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. >A system for self exploration and mental expansion through learning to challenge your own beliefs in order to learn about yourself at your own pace, on your own terms without fear of judgment or harsh criticism from others. The biggest mistake people most often make is that they often want to be the exception to the rule when it may not be a choice. The Escalator is a highly effective alternative for the growing number of people out there who are using or abusing substances and who are in a position where they need to or must get help, whether that help is wanted or not. Of course, this person is better prepared as they can learn from past mistakes and use experience from the first attempt for the future. Any attempt that someone makes toward getting better from a substance use issue in which there is a degree of inspiration and at least some change in a positive direction can be considered as a positive and valuable experience. (PDF) 5 and 5 for Change | Kenneth Pecoraro - Academia.edu Our program is an affordable alternative to mainstream rehab, and can allow you to work towards change long-term, without turning your life upside down. Robert Longley is a U.S. government and history expert with over 30 years of experience in municipal government and urban planning. That would be even more reason for someone to develop alternative treatments for the disease. Industry Accreditations, Reviews & Ratings. By contrast, people with addictions want to use the substance or engage in the behavior because they expect to enjoy it. For example, it is unreasonable to compare someone who relapsed by using heroin and someone who relapsed using marijuana as equal situations. Does Your Health Insurance Cover Treatment? What I was taught early in my career as a substance abuse counselor was that when people werent working the steps and embracing 12 Step recovery they were viewed as in denial, non-compliant or not ready. And I had epileptic fits every day. The 12 Steps have been the ideal when it comes to recovery from substance abuse issues and addiction for a long time. This desire for pleasure or relief becomes part of the self-perpetuating cycle of addiction as the person suffers the discomfort of withdrawal that comes when they are unable to use the substance or engage in the behavior. Finally I found a charity called Headway East London, which helps people with brain injuries. The best case scenario when it comes to achieving the goal of the Escalator is a degree of sustained inspired progress. 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. (2021, August 1). Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. When combined with counseling, this approach is proven highly effective. 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. Even if we go backward after a period of progress, the next time we travel that road moving forward we know the way a little better. Learn which signs to look out for, and how to care for your well-being. On the surface it makes fiscal sense for those who fund treatment such as insurance companies and government grant agencies to require 12 Step involvement as a way to cut costs and improve outcomes. 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. A compulsive behavior is an action that a person feels compelled or driven to do over and over again. 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. For example, one person may not be able to drink alcohol without going overboard, but may be fine using cannabis occasionally. If you're going down, do the opposite. The Escalator consists of the following areas of focus: Your email address will not be published. Once again, to summarize, abstinence is good but it is the ideal and is therefore not the only way to determine progress. Know what types of drugs may increase vulnerability in cross addiction. If you sign up to the 28, 90 or 365-day challenges then you get daily emails and video support that []. 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? >People who have given the 12 Steps a sincere, honest try but they continue to feel like they just dont fit in because their unique personal situation just is not a good match for the 12 Step methodology, >People who just dont like groups. Drug addiction (substance use disorder) - Symptoms and causes Taking the Escalator - An Alternative to the 12 Steps The hope is that there can be a little inspiration to look at things differently (increasing insight) and also some inspiration to consider changing and working on these issues (motivation). Cross dependence means essentially the same thing. There are those to whom the concept of recovery directly applies but it does not make sense to exclusively refer to this process of getting better only as recovery due to the existence of many individuals to whom recovery does not apply.
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