The Taking the Escalator Method is focused on enhancing and sustaining these three essential qualities in the diagram (Insight, Internal Motivation and External Motivation/Support) to establish and drive the positive changes needed for inspiration and progress toward treatment and overall lifestyle goals www.takingtheescalator.com f Robert Longley is a U.S. government and history expert with over 30 years of experience in municipal government and urban planning. Every time we try to move forward we gain some experience and therefore make progress regardless of whether or not we reach our destination. 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%). Alcoholism, drug abuse, smoking, and gambling are perhaps the most common examples of addictions. Use the back wheels as leverage to help you keep it even. Lost - Taking the Escalator therapy activity intro Taking the Escalator 319 subscribers Subscribe Like 928 views 3 months ago Link to activity - https://takingtheescalator.blogspot.c. Why should it be any different for the often fatal disease of addiction? I had been a manager in the fishmonger departments at Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason, and I used to add all the bills up in my head. When one is taught the disease model of addiction, one of the most powerful illustrations is the comparison of addiction to a widely accepted disease like cancer. Quitting alcohol completely can be a challenge, but there are more ways to do it than ever before. They were terrible, violent.. If youre struggling with a cross addiction in recovery, youre not alone. 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. They may resort to: Additionally, some believe that people with alcohol or substance use disorders are prone to cross addictions involving similar substances. For example, the Escalator and its principles and concepts for self-improvement are designed to be helpful for gambling issues, smoking, overeating, and any other problematic behaviors that are difficult to manage along with any co-occurring mental health issues as well. The notion of an increase in the vulnerability to develop another form of substance use disorder following recovering from a different substance use disorder seems to have some relevance in terms of common sense reasoning. Are you confusing a low probability with a high probability? Because of this, you will find shuttles that can carry people in wheelchairs, but not strollers. 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. Did You Know Anxiety Can Enhance Our Relationships? >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. That is simply not the case. The concept of cross addiction is partially based on the idea that people with past substance use disorders are highly prone to future addictions. Individuals need to be looked at and treated on a case-by-case basis because circumstances are often so different from person to person. For example, suppose a 400 pound obese man had diabetes and was receiving treatment for heart disease. A few hours later, some time around midnight, I realised I would have to rush otherwise Id miss the last tube. What factors could help explain why some individuals with substance use disorders may be more likely to develop new substance use disorders later? I have been trained in a variety of techniques that over the years and I found myself, like most counselors, breaking down and combining in order to utilize an array of the best principles, skills, techniques and ideas from various methods for the variety of situations and problems faced by people I was trying to help. Many past programs that teach controlled use of substances have failed. And I had epileptic fits every day. In addition, the term substance abuse is still used at times in the Escalator not referring to any specific diagnostic criteria, but rather referring to any pattern of problematic substance use in a general sense in which some kind of change or help may be needed. The short term objective at each stage throughout the matrix is to develop increasing levels of insight and motivation, while developing and practicing the skills needed in order to escalate or enhance oneself toward the ultimate goal of Inspired Progress. Typical of the denial stage of addictions, the individuals refuse to admit that their behavior is harmful. Are you drawing conclusions where evidence is lacking? to regain a former and better state or condition. This icebreaker gives people in the group a chance to make a statement and get some encouragement. When combined with counseling, this approach is proven highly effective. It means slightly longer but it's safer. Both addiction and cancer are viewed as having the following disease qualities: >Are influenced by Genetic Predisposition, >Recovery is a process requiring lifestyle change. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 70,994 times. The answer starts with a combination of two key concepts: >stimulationorarousalofthemind,feelings,etc,tospecialor unusualactivityorcreativity, >thestateorqualityofbeingsostimulatedoraroused, Inspiration is a combination of motivation and insight, which are at the very core of the Escalator. When someone ends up staying inspired long enough to maintain the changes, improvement and progress that they made in the upward change process that is the most desirable outcome. On the other hand, you might more easily identify a cross addiction when youve swapped one substance for another. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Researchers in future should use objective measures of substance abuse in similar studies. In fact, many escalators ban the use of any wheeled device on the escalator, such as strollers. I used to be a big drinker, but epilepsy and alcohol dont mix. >A collective approach for building self awareness which considers your own unique personality, circumstances and lifestyle. "The Psychology of Compulsive Behavior." Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. This method is in part designed for the growing number of individuals who are not yet ready or able to strive for the ideal recovery as outlined in the 12 Steps. Shame is a basic feeling of inferiority. If you're going down, do the opposite. Cross dependence means essentially the same thing. The same holds true for those with legitimate pain management issues who may be on medication considered questionable by others in recovery. Should those people who cannot get past step one be doomed to failure? You will see in future chapters that the needs of many individuals with substance use issues in todays ever-changing world have indeed transformed with the times. 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. 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. Get in touch with our team today, and learn how we can support you towards a sustainable recovery. In summary, abstinence should always be considered for its simplicity and basic effectiveness. Some compulsive behaviors can be harmful when practiced to an extreme. Have you signed up for Taking the Escalator? In this example, the person spends weeks working on the house and it is a great struggle. 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. For example, someone with a history of alcohol issues may be more likely to abuse opioids in the future because both substances have depressant qualities. It is the best and most guaranteed long term answer for sustained success in recovery. We change with time whether or not we even want too. This article has been viewed 70,994 times. This example has a direct parallel when it comes to substance use issues. In addition, as time has progressed, this 12 Step resistant population has been on the rise similar to an antibiotic-resistant infection. There will always be stories of substance abuse and addiction that fit this example of recovery in some way. As my career and education in the field of substance abuse progressed I noticed another trend that increasingly caught my attention. However, often there are setbacks on the road toward inspired progress where someone may actually takes steps backward or lose progress or lose motivation and insight and thereby temporarily lose there inspiration. Cross addiction, also known as addiction interaction disorder, is when a person has two or more addictions. Academia.edu uses cookies to personalize content, tailor ads and improve the user experience. 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. The Escalator consists of the following areas of focus: Your email address will not be published. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. These individuals cite numerous cases in their experience where an individual who is in recovery, or who has recovered from one form of substance use disorder, developed a different substance use disorder. The farther down the road we go, the closer we get to our destination and goal. Industry Accreditations, Reviews & Ratings. Often there was a choice to be made for those who did not fit in to 12 Step recovery. More lives have been saved by the 12 Steps than can be counted. 1 But many people feel at least a slight nervousness when contemplating a long elevator . They were terrible, violent Id be on the floor, couldnt move my body, couldnt talk, and I would be depressed for ages afterwards. If you can, take your child out and hold them while balancing the stroller next to you. Although it was a very bad accident, it turned out also to be quite a good accident. >It cannot be ignored, however that there are millions of people who need help but are unwilling to try or stick with abstinence This issue has been a thorn in the side of the substance abuse treatment and 12 Step communities for years. I recommend elevators instead, because they are a lot easier and safer. There are many ways to try to define addiction but they all mean just about the same thing. ), >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). Time is such a valuable resource and it is important to stay in the habit of using it wisely by reserving time on a regular basis for taking care of our physical, emotional and spiritual health and growth. Wherever possible, when trying to increase motivation, it is best to try to avoid both or at least do our best to ignore the discouraging messages we receive from ourselves or others. 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. Our admissions navigators are available to help 24/7 to discuss treatment. 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). 1. Instead, they are just having fun or trying to fit in. Often, it takes a devastating consequence like a drunk-driving conviction, a divorce, or getting fired for persons with addictions to become aware of the realities of their actions. As we have stated earlier, for a long time, the 12 Steps have been one of the primary methods for recovery. Is it fair to cut off payment for treatment just because someone does not respond to the most highly recommended and accepted form of treatment? The Escalator promotes abstinence as the ideal way to stay out of trouble and then make progress and positive change but at the same time this method acknowledges that people have different paths toward their goals that are not all abstinence based. In statistical terms, individuals with a history of successfully addressing their substance use disorder were significantly less likely to develop another substance use disorder compared to individuals who were unable to address their substance use disorder in the time period covered by the study. A compulsive behavior is an action that a person feels compelled or driven to do over and over again. The 12 Steps and 12 Step based programs continued to have good outcomes, however those who refused to embrace the 12 Steps in treatment were often left on the outside looking in. Therefore going forward, we will just refer to addiction to cover all three similar terms. For example, if someone overcomes alcohol use disorder but smokes cigarettes heavily instead, this might qualify as a cross addiction. 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? Still, what about those people who cant even get past Step 1? 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. If inspiration is the fuel that moves us forward, then progress is the mileage we accumulate along the road we travel on. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. While almost any behavior can become compulsive or addictive, some are more common. Help us by submitting your sober resource here >>>, Sober Eastbourne Directory. Let the front wheels rest on lower step and the back wheels rest on a higher step. I do think about my daughters future. But is cross addiction real? *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. The difference between cross addiction and dual diagnosis. Evan ODonnell is an NYC-based content strategist with four years experience writing and editing in the recovery space. Therefore, it is important not to exclude or discourage abstinence as a part of the goal because for many individuals abstinence is the only viable outcome for them. In the results, those who successfully recovered from a substance use disorder were significantly less likely to struggle with a cross dependence after three years, compared with those who did not recover from their first addiction. Therefore, by definition, in many cases recovery is not possible because of the fact that there is nothing to really recover or get back. As touched upon earlier, the Escalator focuses more on the. 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. At first, I would go to the centre and just sit in the corner and not talk to anybody; but then I met people who were in a similar predicament, and who understood what I was going through. 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. How many individuals who developed a new substance use disorder had overcome or successfully treated their initial substance use disorder? In fact, individuals who attempt this process of trying to deal with substance use issues effectively can still make progress regardless of the eventual outcome. Because it is balanced on two steps, it can easily start moving, especially since the escalator is moving. Suppose that over the course of the next year, he lost 50 pounds and lowered his cholesterol 25%. Its not always easy to tell if youve developed a cross dependence, especially when it comes to behavioral addictions. Labels in themselves are not wrong or harmful. 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. There can be success without sobriety if we look beyond perfection as the way we measure success. 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). Two key differences between compulsion and addiction are pleasure and awareness. Evan is a deep believer in fact-based, empathic communicationwithin business, arts, academia, or any space where words drive action or change lives. At the heart of it is understanding that you do not need alcohol to function and have a good time. Labels such as addict and alcoholic are avoided and not viewed as a necessary facet of the upward change process. Still others have tried some traditional self-help or recovery programs and just never really felt able to fit in for whatever reason. A much better disease to contrast with addiction is to compare substance abuse instead with the common cold. Even small, intermittent bursts of inspiration can have a cumulative effect and can even strengthen over time. 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. Below is a simple but effective list of 5 things that can inhibit the upward change process and five things that are helpful with regard to enhancing the upward change process: 5 Things to Avoid - 1 - Discouragement-This includes both discouraging thoughts and discouraging people. This is because of the false belief that having an addiction to one substance puts you at a much higher . 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. Be sure to lift the wheels over the comb-plate. A compulsion is different from an addiction, which is a physical or chemical dependence on a substance or behavior. Longley, Robert. Compulsive behaviors are actions a person feels driven or compelled to do repeatedly, even if those actions appear to be irrational or pointless. 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. Furthermore, just like with other medical conditions, a person may never manifest all of the symptoms of a disease yet they still may benefit from some form of recovery program. (Keep in mind; this is not meant to say anything against group therapy. Its called aphasia instead of saying the word I meant, such as train, something else like bus would come out instead. Researchers interviewed over 34,000 participants at the beginning of the study, and again three years later. % of people told us that this article helped them. All movements made in a positive direction are critical aspects of the upward change process. Are your judgments based on feelings rather than facts? Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. Risk of harm must always be factored into this equation. But, long-term, does a history of substance or alcohol dependence really make you more vulnerable to future addictions? Learn more about our teams approach. Sobriety basically consists of two main aspects; change + abstinence. 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. In most cases, even in treatment environments where a supposed disease viewpoint is accepted, many of this mans treatment providers, along with most of his family would view this person as still an addict and noncompliant with treatment despite in reality the presence of observable, measurable progress. Taking the Escalator. Lets take a look at abstinence: Simply put when it comes to substance use issues, abstinence is an absence of any substance use at all. From day one, Ria Health has offered support for the Sinclair Methoda medication-based approach to moderate drinking or abstinence with a 78 percent success rate. 400+ Curated Sober, Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Apps, Podcasts & Resources. togetbackorregain(somethinglostortakenaway). What makes a lot more sense is to provide the necessary treatment for people at the level where they enter treatment, based solely on their individual needs. When it comes to abstinence and substance abuse, there are some undeniable facts: >Abstinence is the ideal. Give everyone a chance to have a turn Share mason.script.plugins.twitterTweetPlugin.tweet Welcome This blog is a space for sharing ideas, experiences, links to books, articles, and websites in relation to recovery from alcohol & drug addiction. Since then, other non-12 Step methods and techniques have been in use by treatment providers. For instance, exercise may have helped calm your anxiety early in recovery. You can download the paper by clicking the button above. Lift the front wheels over the comb-plate when exiting. On the other hand, people with addictions are often unaware of or unconcerned about the negative consequences of their actions. 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, 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. 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. AdCare Hospital Outpatient - Multiple Cities, AdCare Rhode Island Outpatient - Multiple Cities, Resolutions Recovery Residences - Multiple Cities, The editorial staff of American Addiction Centers is made up of credentialed clinical reviewers with hands-on experience in or expert knowledge of ad , Understanding Addiction: Research Studies, State-Funded Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers, trained clinicians are known to have significant issues with cognitive biases, Journal of American Medical Association Psychiatry, risk to develop another substance use disorder, Signs Youve Hit Rock Bottom in Your Addiction & What To Do, Substance Abuse Among Police & Law Enforcement, Holistic Addiction Treatment Programs & Rehab Centers Near Me, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for Rehab Guide, Fentanyl Addiction Hotline: 24/7 Fentanyl Abuse Helpline, Family Rehab Programs: Going to Rehab When You Have Children. And is it really always a bad thing to find a substitute to replace a more harmful behavior? The other accidents happened when the kid was riding the escalator outside of the stroller. The term cross addiction is relatively new but is something that has always been seen in clinical practices. 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. Cross addictionalso known as addiction interaction disorder or addiction transferis a phenomenon you mightve heard of in recovery. The answer is most assuredly YES. The Escalator is for those people who will benefit from: >An individualized, personalized approach, guided by each persons internal capacity and ability for change, >A method for growing as a person from the inside-out as opposed to an outside agenda dictating the recipe for change. The 12 Steps have been a successful great formula for those people who are able to buy into the process. Make sure you don't tilt and also that no one is in front of you, or check with them to see if it's okay if you do this. I hope she will have a good and happy life. Rather than letting the steps prescribe the path through the change process, the Escalator allows ones changing circumstances and needs to define exactly what is involved in next phase in the upward change process.
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