Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation. Creation of Social Change - Research Paper Example

? Final Psychology Final Psychology Specific Group and Purpose of Advocacy The problem of drugs and drug related issues are usually very complicated. Each and every day, there are statistics that show the rate at which people abuse drugs. The world is reporting a crisis in which majority of the citizens are abusing drugs. This are majorly the youth who have sunk into new depths of unemployment and destitution. Many of them have joined rehabilitation projects that are started in communities. These have the sole aim of reducing the number of people who are on the streets that are heavily reliant on drugs. Drug abuse is a very serious and complicated issue. Governments and states have tried to come up with strategies that will reduce the number of people that are heavily addicted to the various drugs on the streets. This is through support programmes and funding to the rehabilitation centres (Tebo, 2007). The general process of rehabilitation is a very cumbersome issue. This is because it aims to change the perceptions and habits of people with the issues. Drug addicts are a special category of people that require special treatment at all costs. The drug and drug abuse crisis centres are set up in communities with a set agenda. They aim at correcting a situation that has gone wrong in so many ways. Drug rehabilitation centres ensure that they have given a second chance where many people have written off. Drug addicts are shunned by the society. In many cases, they are shunned by their families are totally disgraced by the activities and behaviors of their kin (Donaldson, 2007). Drug addiction is a very expensive affair. Most of the addicts have done so much to get the finances to get the fix that they require. As a result, they have hurt so many people who would want nothing to do with them. The centres of rehabilitation take it upon themselves to reverse this observation. They take the addicts in whatever state they are in when they are rescued. They are then given the second chance that they so badly deserve. This creates a loving atmosphere for them as compared to the streets where they face and encounter many problems. This creates a platform for them to have the capacity to be healed (Hoofer, 2007). Each and every individual requires hope to live on in the society in which they are socialized. Life in itself is a cumbersome process that requires very many aspects to be coordinated. Drug addicts require the hope to face life and the many challenges that it has to offer. This is the only way that they will be steered into the path of ultimate recovery. The hope that is given to the recovering addict will give them an active chance to be completely rehabilitated. This is with the knowledge that correction and rehabilitation are two essential components for all those that require help (Chavens, 2004). Correction seeks to alleviate all the wrong things that are done by an individual in any given situation or circumstance. The general process of rehabilitation aims to ensure that the entire path to self recovery is never back tracked. This is because this has the ability to retard the entire process of rehabilitation. Drug addicts’ advocacy is necessary because of very many factors. They are a potential group that requires love, care and concern at all levels. They require an active forum to be heard and forgiven for the wrong choices that they have made with their lives. This is with respect to the steps that are made with the general step to get help. Many addicts have taken the personal step to get rehabilitation (Cohen, 2001). It is important for all the concerned stakeholders to take time and consider this level of selflessness. This is the only way that society and all its aspects will provide the much needed elements of love, care and concern for all the involved parties. This will create avenues for their healing and ultimate inclusion into the society and all its activities. Once this is done, there are chances of full recovery for the patients (Cohen, 2001). Each and every person has individual talents that they profess. Many people are wasting their talents by doing the wrong things at the wrong time. The social fabric is greatly eroded because of this factor. There is a need to take time and understand why many talents are wasting away. This is as compared to the need to ensure that they should be employed in the right place and forum to ensure growth and sustainability in all aspects (Loue, 2003). The general process of advocating for change in the way people conduct themselves aims at societal improvement and strength. This is a very powerful concept for all the involved parties. It is crucial to advocate for the less privileged members of the society. This is by ensuring that they have an active platform to be heard, loved and corrected. This is as they undergo the specifics of what is ailing them or threatening their lives. This is because, at the end of the day, no society or community can thrive if any member of that society is not well taken care of in all means necessary (Young, 2004). Steps to Advocating for the Group In many instances, the community has the power that they do not even realize. If the power was realized by all members of the community, the structure at community level will be very strong. This is because people will take time to help their brothers and sisters through any trying times. Recovering drug addicts need very many aspects of economic, political and social support (Cohen, 2001). The two main areas in which this can be expressed is in the imparting of education and skills and the creation of awareness programmes for them. Knowledge is the key to many choices that are made in the society. It is important to make this special group of people to feel needed in the society. The most important thing is to provide a platform for them to believe in something. Once they have, they will have an active chance to stand firm and recover from their addictions (Lowinson, 2005). The general process of recovery is a very painful one and many people relapse. It is important to remind them of the consequences of continued use of drug abuse, and the effects felt. It is crucial to remind them of all the steps that they have made in respect to recovery (Young, 2004). Education can occur in various forms and means. The best form of education involves incorporating them into the program. Giving them a chance to explain their thoughts and feelings is a step in the right direction. This could be to their peers in the program or to other parties that are involved in the process. This could include counselors and psychologists. If they are able to, they can express their feelings towards their family members. This will ensure that they understand their issues and what they went through and so will all the people around them. Many people start abusing drugs as a result of very many frustrations and issues that they experience in their day to day lives. This creates a platform for them to seek solace in a vice that actually destroys their self worth even more. Educating other people on the various ways that they can improve their self worth is a step in the right direction. This is because it creates a platform that says that the patient understands what they are going through. They are determined to make themselves better. Education also provides an analytical look at all the issues that affect them. This then ensures that they have the capacity to improve on the various sectors of their behaviours (Cohen, 2001). Awareness programmes are a step that also provides the platform for the addicts to understand themselves. This means that they take the time to avoid all pitfalls of drug abuse. In many drug related issues, there are normally suppliers. The suppliers are all interlinked to powerful people that are in many powerful positions, in the society. Awareness programs provide the avenue to ensure that all the relevant authorities are aware of this fact. The awareness programmes then create room for the introduction of many other issues (Hoofer, 2007). These issues include talent and healthcare programs. The talents are to be used when the recovering patient has some free time on his or her hands. The healthcare programmes ensure that it is possible to ensure wholesome treatment of the mind, body and soul. This wholesome treatment is necessary for all the concerned parties as they all match towards healing and behavioral change (Donaldson, 2007). Community Stakeholders The society is made of different people. All these people contribute in one or the other to the success of the community. Without the help of each and every person, it would be practically impossible to have the society as we have it today. The contributions of each and every member in the society are paramount (Chavens, 2004). This is because they acknowledge certain aspects as they ought to be, this is with the general aim of making life much better. When advocating for change in the above mentioned issue, there are very many stakeholders to incorporate. The most important stakeholders to incorporate include the leadership of the community. The leadership has the power and ability to change the way certain things are perceived in the community. In relation to the issue of drugs and drug abuse, it is the leadership structures that have the policy formulation mandate. At all levels of the society, the leader is voted for overwhelmingly because of his capacity to fight for the rights of his people. This rights cover all aspects of the people’s well being at each and every step (Tebo, 2007). The leader also has the power to come up strategies that will ensure that rehabilitation programmes get the funding that is needed. Funds will ensure that the process of rehabilitation is smooth. This means that it will have the capacity to deal with all the issues that may arise at any point. Funding could be at the state or national level. The leader who is also a persuasive entity will have the ability to stand firm and lead in projects that will lead to the allocation of funds (Tebo, 2007). This will go a long way in ensuring that the general activities that are carried out by psychologists and counselors are conducted smoothly. Proper management of the funds allocated will ensure that the projects continue to thrive for a very long time. These will mean that there are systems in place to deal with aspects of rehabilitation at each and every step. Drugs are on the street because there are no policies in place to eradicate this menace. They may also be on the streets because of the loose power of the policies set. It is important for the leadership to participate in all aspects of social change (Loue, 2003). This is by helping in the formulation of stringent policies that will ensure the ultimate eradication of issues from the community level. After they have formed strong bonds at the community level, they will have the capacity to climb higher and ensure the issues are also strengthened at national levels. This is through the process of mobilization. If each leader at the community level rallied behind the other, it would be possible to come up with the most effective strategies at each and every point (Young, 2004). It is not the duty of the leaders to ensure that everything is smooth and perfect for the community members. They should work hand in hand with other stakeholders in the social change forum. This is because the exchange of ideas between mutually agreeing partners is beneficial for all those involved in the process. It creates a chance for the realization of the most exclusive factors surrounding an issue. They contribute to the mindsets and create a chance to communicate in one message and in one voice for all those interested to hear (Cohen, 2001). The communication reaches a wider audience if it is communicated in the same tone by all the parties involved. This includes the leadership, the campaigners of the awareness programmes and the families of all those involved in the rehabilitation. This will create an avenue for the generation and the exchange of ideas on how to improve the issue that has been observed (Chavens, 2004). Families are also an important factor in the general process of social change. The family first sets the forum for the different issues that are embraced in the society. They define what is right and what is wrong in all aspects. This is the only way that it is possible to understand what is required at each and every step (Beck, 1993). In the issue mentioned above, it is practically impossible for the addicts to recover from the problems that are experienced at each and every step. They require the love, forgiveness and care of their family members so as to get back on their feet again. This is the only way that they journey of social change can be felt by everyone in the community. This is at each and every step of the way (Lowinson, 2005). Creation of Social Change The process of creating social change is a cumbersome one. This is because there are very many people who are content with the way things are in the society. They would not want to change the way things are perceived in the society (Cohen, 2001). It is normally a huge challenge trying to alter the status quo of the people in any population. It is necessary to change this mindset especially if it a negative one (Hoofer, 2007). This is because it will not benefit the society or the people in it in any way. In the above issue, education will go a long way on creating and understanding social change. Once this is done, the dangers of drug abuse will be understood by all those that have chosen this path. The connection between the drug abuse and the increase in reckless behavior will be highlighted. This will allow the counselling and testing of all those involved in the drug habit. This will provide an active chance for them to be alerted. If some have sexually transmitted diseases, they will receive treatment and counselling. The issue of the spread of HIV/AIDS is also spread by the use of sharps during the drug injecting process. Many recovering drug addicts are HIV positive (Cohen, 2001). They require the chance to understand what went wrong and what can be done to rectify and remedy the situation. They are educated on how to improve their lives as well as live as positively as they can (Cohen, 2001). The connection will be understood by many who had both previously understood the connection. Society will have the capacity to embrace drug addicts. This is because by shunning them, they are creating a loop hole for them to go back to abusing drugs. This beats the whole point of rehabilitation and counselling (Hoofer, 2007). The general perception that drug addicts are hopeless, and they had a choice is one of the factors that prevent many from seeking help. This is despite the fact that they realize that there are very many issues that are affecting them. The issues require an active platform for their analysis and discussion. This is the only way that certain factors can be achieved at each and every step of the way. It is prudent for the society to note that it has a role to play in the lives of very many people, in the community (Chavens, 2004). Every person deserves a chance to stand firms and advocate for the rights and privileges of the other. This is the platform that will give rise to social growth and change. Once this is done, the society has the power to forge on in all aspects of development (Lowinson, 2005). In conclusion, social change is a very essential component in the strength of each and every community. It takes into consideration the feelings that are experienced by each and every person in the community. The feelings are then dissected to understand the true aspect of matters arising from the issues observed (Donaldson, 2007). Social change is something that can be achieved by family, friends and the leadership structure of the community. This is especially the case of all of them are united in the strongest means necessary. They will understand what they have to deal with and what to do to achieve it (Tebo, 2007). This will have the capacity to yield the expected results at each level in society. Social change is aimed at addressing the issues that arise out of any issue in the society. Once this is done, there are chances that communities will have stronger structures to deal with any issue that they may experience. This will create a forum for overall societal change and growth at each and every sector (Loue, 2003). Once change has been embraced, it is possible for the societies to grow as they are expected to grow at each and every step. Leaders will help in the formulation of policies based on the ideas and suggestions of their people. The society will have the structures in place that will automatically ensure that they have the structures for advocacy (Hoofer, 2007). Tolerance of advocacy and change is as a result of the truth. This truth insists on the need to ensure that each and every step, there are chances to improve the lives of people. This are the people that have been wronged by the choices that they have made or by structures that ought to govern them (Chavens, 2004). This is the only way that communities are able to grow to their full potential. 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