Substance-related and addiction disorders are characterized by an individual’s inability to control the desire to use drugs regardless of the negative consequences. At the practicum site, was a client showing restlessness, excessive sweating, muscle tension, inability to relax, excess worries, and Nausea. After a series of physical exams, and blood and urine tests results showed very high drug toxic levels. Relating to the symptoms, it was evident the client was suffering from anxiety disorder due to progressive substance abuse. The most effective way to help the client recover was through the CBT approach (Summers, 2015). CBT is a form of psychotherapy that addresses an existing mental situation. This approach is a short term psycho-social intervention that effectively changes the way the client thinks and behaves. Moreover, it equips the client with skills to manage stress and anxiety, as well as ways to cope with the strong urge to use drugs. CBT also focuses on educating addicts on how to approach feared situations.
During therapy, it appears that the client also suffers from substance-abuse related stress. Stress could result from the brains’ inability to deal with the sudden withdrawal from drugs or long-term exposure to drug abuse. Failing to address the stress issues will negatively impact the CBT outcome (Summers, 2015). The best way to ensure full client recovery by treating all underlying is by adopting the Prochaska and DiClemente model. The model addresses five stages of change and healing. Pre-contemplation. Contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. The pre-contemplation stage is where addicts underestimate the pros of change. The contemplation stage is where the client recognizes their problematic behavior. The preparation stage involves taking small steps towards change. The action stage is where the client changes their behavior. The maintenance stage is where the client sustains their behavior change for a long time without relapse.