Two clients, both young, frustrated, confused, ashamed and embarrassed. At least that is how they both presented themselves the first time I met them. Now looking at their arms, at one time I saw the marks of needles, scars from cutting, and on him burn marks from cigarettes. From an outsider looking in, one would [...]
Several years ago a well respected man of influence to my life said to me, “You must of had a case of the stupids!” Well check out this Seabrook New Hampshire Police Sargeant, Seabrook Sgt. Mark Preston. But in New Hampshire where DWI is up, others follow suit. Another case of the Stupids, Dori Ducharme, Berlin [...]
Tom Ball, a 50 year old parent of two incinerated himself on the steps of a county courthouse. If you want a perspective of how disruptive an over burdened system is, you have to read this story.
Sitting across from me in my office, he holds his three-year-old child, leans over, and kisses his girlfriend on her head. Looking at her he shares his love and devotion as he promises never to use alcohol again. She sits and struggles with her own addiction, doped up by her prescribed medication for anxiety and depression. As she looks to him then to me, she smiles. Her eyes say it all as she is lost, void of affect, cognitively impaired, disconnected and alone in her own world, she does what she does to exist in that world.
All behavior is goal directed. In other words behavior serves a purpose. Here is the point: Behavior is a pattern of thinking, feeling, and action. When we talk of addictive behavior, we are referring to the thoughts that trigger the feelings of need that spawn the act of substance abuse.
