Over the Influence, First Edition The Harm Reduction Guide for Managing Drugs and Alcohol

by Denning, Patt; Little, Jeannie; Glickman, Adina

• ISBN13: 9781572309470
• ISBN10: 1572309474
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-11-14
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

If drugs or alcohol are damaging your life -- but going cold turkey leaves you cold -- harm reduction may be the answer you've been looking for. Harm reduction is a growing movement in addictions treatment that gives you the tools to gain control over drugs or alcohol at your own pace, on your own terms, whether or not abstinence is your goal. This is where you'll find out how, through the honesty, empathy, and wisdom of three experienced professionals and the inspiring examples of others you'll meet in these pages. Living under the influence has its high points, but not when it leaves you feeling helpless and out of control. This revolutionary book will help you get "over the influence" -- to take care of yourself and take back your power to change. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Adina Glickman is Assistant Director for Peer and Academic Support at Stanford University.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS	xiii
PREFACE: WHO NEEDS THIS BOOK?	xv
INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS HARM REDUCTION, ANYWAY?	1	(12)
Why a New Approach?	1	(1)
And Why Else?	2	(1)
What Does Harm Reduction Do?	3	(1)
What's New about Harm Reduction?	4	(1)
A Snapshot of the Disease Model of Addiction	5	(3)
What's Different about Harm Reduction?	8	(2)
Sources and Suggested Readings	10	(3)
1 ADDICTION: IS IT ALL OR NOTHING?	13	(9)
The Reality of Change	14	(1)
There Are Other Choices Besides Quitting	15	(1)
The Reality of Harm Reduction	16
But What If People Say I Have to Quit?	11	(8)
So What Do You Do?	19	(2)
Sources and Suggested Readings	21	(1)
2 SO IF WE'RE NOT ADDICTS, WHAT'S THE HARM?	22	(18)
A Word about Hidden Harm	24	(1)
Do You Have to Be an Addict to Be Harmed?	25	(1)
A New Way of Thinking	26
What Is a "Relationship with Drugs," Anyway?	21	(7)
Harm Reduction Principles	28	(10)
Not All Drug Use Is Abuse	28	(2)
People Use Drugs for Reasons	30	(2)
Problems Don't Just Come from Drugs Themselves but from a Combination of Factors and Circumstances	32	(1)
You Are Your Own Expert	33	(1)
Change Is Slow	33
You Can Make Positive Changes While Still Using	31	(1)
Just Say Know: Substance Use Management	31	(7)
Sources and Suggested Readings	38	(2)
3 HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?	40	(22)
How Drugs Harm	46	(5)
Special Considerations	51	(1)
Is My Drug Use Really a Problem?: Four Stories	52	(6)
Sources and Suggested Readings	58	(4)
4 SO WHY DO I KEEP USING?	62	(22)
How Drugs Help	65	(1)
So Why Do You Use? What's Outside ...	65	(5)
... and What's Inside	70	(1)
Psychological Theories of Drug Use	71	(1)
The Interacting Nature of Emotions, Biology, and Drugs	71	(1)
And Now for Some Science: This Is Your Brain On and Off Drugs	72	(11)
Sources and Suggested Readings	83	(1)
5 TO CHANGE OR NOT TO CHANGE	84	(30)
The Dilemma of Change	84	(1)
The Choices: To Change ...	85	(2)
.. or Not to Change	87	(2)
How to Weigh the Choices: The Decisional Balance	89	(3)
Normal Difficulties of Changing: Resistance and Ambivalence	92	(2)
The Stages of Change	94	(17)
What to Change?: What Is Necessary, Manageable, and Tolerable	111	(2)
Sources and Suggested Readings	113	(1)
6 HOW DO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MY PROBLEM IS?	114	(77)
Drug, Set, and Setting	117	(9)
Establishing a Hierarchy of Needs	126	(12)
What Next?	138	(1)
Sources and Suggested Readings	138	(1)
WHAT ARE THESE DRUGS, ANYWAY?	139	(52)
Alcohol	143	(6)
Sedatives/Hypnotics and Anxiolytics	149	(4)
Opiates and Opioids	153	(5)
Major Stimulants	158	(7)
Nicotine	165	(4)
Caffeine	169	(3)
Marijuana (Cannabinoids)	172	(5)
Hallucinogens	177	(5)
Ecstasy	182	(2)
Dissociative Anesthetics	184	(4)
Inhalants	188	(3)
7 PRACTICING HARM REDUCTION: SUBSTANCE USE MANAGEMENT	191	(25)
Changing the Amount	193	(5)
Changing the Number/Types of Drugs You Mix Together	198	(3)
Changing the Frequency	201	(3)
Changing the Route of Administration (How You Take the Drug)	204	(4)
Changing the Situation	208	(1)
Planning Your Use	209	(1)
Drug Substitution	210	(1)
Overdose Prevention	211	(1)
Finally, If You Want to Quit	211	(1)
Putting It All Together: Practice Makes Perfect	212	(2)
Sources and Suggested Readings	214	(2)
8 PRACTICING HARM REDUCTION: HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF WHILE STILL USING	216	(18)
Taking Care of Yourself: Body, Mind, Emotions, and Soul	218	(10)
Taking Care of Your Whole Self: Using Drug, Set, and Setting	228	(5)
Sources and Suggested Readings	233	(1)
9 FINDING THE RIGHT HELP	234	(17)
Therapy: What It Is and How to Get the Kind You Want	236	(6)
Drug Treatment: What to Expect	242	(1)
Outcomes of Drug Treatment	243	(1)
Shopping for Drug Treatment	244	(3)
Self Help Options	247	(1)
Harm Reduction Treatment: Training Your Therapist or Counselor	248	(1)
Sources and Suggested Readings	249	(2)
10 IS HARM REDUCTION WORKING?	251	(17)
Thinking about Your Relationship with Drugs	254	(2)
Setting Goals and Knowing What You Want and Need	256	(5)
Making Changes That You Like	261	(4)
You Have Achieved Your Goals	265	(2)
Sources and Suggested Readings	267	(1)
11 HOW TO TALK TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABOUT HARM REDUCTION	268	(11)
Myths	268	(5)
How to Answer Questions about Harm Reduction	273	(1)
How to Respond to Some Challenges about Harm Reduction	274	(1)
Your Own Questions	275	(2)
Some Sound Bites	277	(2)
A LETTER TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS	279	(20)
Understanding the User and the Difficulties of Change	282	(6)
It's Normal to Want to Alter Your Consciousness	283	(1)
Denial and Ambivalence	284	(2)
Powerlessness	286	(1)
The Harsh Self	287	(1)
Understanding Yourself: How Harm Reduction Can Help You	288	(9)
"Promises, Promises": The Reality of Failures and Relapses	288	(1)
There Are No Rules Except the Rules You Make	289	(5)
Now What Do You Do?	294	(3)
Sources and Suggested Readings	297	(2)
RESOURCES	299	(12)
SOURCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS IN HARM REDUCTION	311	(8)
INDEX	319	(8)
ABOUT THE AUTHORS	327