NAVAL CHAPLAINCY CORPS ACADEMY

(INTERNATIONAL BIBLE MINISTRY SEMINARY-

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SCHOOL FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE)

Substance Abuse Counselling (Soldiers Suffering from Substance Abuse)

1. What is substance abuse?

Substance abuse refers to being dependent on psychoactive substances including alcohol and
illicit drugs. It develops through repeatedly using the substance that results into having the urge and
strong desire to take the drug. The Bible also cited “intolerance” where it is explained that one should
not also abuse the use of alcohol. It is said in Proverbs 20:1 that whoever intoxicated to a “wine” is not
wise. For when a man is intoxicated of such drug or alcohol he can’t think intelligently and would act
foolishly and it is not pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. Yes, our body is needed a percent of alcohol but
one should control the use and proliferation of alcohol.

2. How family affects one psychological health?

There are two kinds of family according to Dr.DeKoven: Functional family and Dysfunctional
family. In a functional family, the environment is filled of love and acceptance, forgiveness, protection,
honesty, freedom (in proper measure) and the parents are truth seekers that they seek what is best for
the proper growth of their children. These kinds of environment, therefore, results in a balanced life -
physically, socially, mentally and spiritually. On the other hand, from the word “dys” which means
unable, Dysfunctional family has an environment that is opposite to what a functional family is
experiencing. There is condemnation, manipulation, neglect, denial and lack of honesty in relationship.
To be in such family could be a threat in someone’s psychological health.
 3. How can a dysfunctional family can walk in the path towards Godliness?

There is a saying that “a family that prays together, grows spiritually together” – thus, in order
to be a family that is becoming one with God they first need to learn how to share their responsibilities.
Everyone has a role to act – the mother as the one who brings light to the family, from her comes the
love and acceptance; the father as the wall of the family that gives protection and stands tall amidst the
storm that would come; and the child as the peace in family who should be honest in what he will do or
say. Then, they should focus their movement towards healthy living, love, gratitude, thankfulness and
obedience and live their life consecrated to God.

4. What is lost in a dysfunctional family?

Four freedoms are usually lost in a dysfunctional family; 1. the freedom to think – where they
choose wrong beliefs, patterns and behaviors based on experience or hurtful events. 2. the freedom to
feel – because they can’t think what is right, most of the family only feels anger, sadness, fear or hurt; 3.
the freedom to talk – where one’s opinion in the family is unable to communicate. It becomes
dangerous to talk outside the family and talking creates fear and that is why they keep quite to prevent
an addict to explode in anger and cause violence and damage to family members; 5. the freedom to
trust - they don’t trust anyone because their primary caregivers are becoming untrustworthy

5. How does intimacy lose in a family?

The lack of intimacy in a family happens when there is an inability to create adequate
attachments to people. For example, when someone died in a family, the length of grieving and
mourning hinders the intimacy because they can’t talk about their feelings and they assume that no one
would hear, that’s why one is being addicted to alcohol or drugs because they channeling their thoughts
to that particular thing to forget that they can’t still let go of that person who is already passed away.
 6. What is mean to “God given appetite being given to man”?

According to Dr. Crossland, God given appetite given to man was the appetite and thirst for
righteousness and the consumption of the Bread of Life. It is given by God through Christ in order to
attain eternal life, that means, we need to gain the knowledge of God through the Gospel of Christ
which is the food of the soul and experience the promises of eternal life through Christ’ssalvation after
heeding and obeying the Gospel.

7. How the devil enslave man?

The devil is enslaving man by tempting the man to commit sin. Once the man committed sin,
they become enslaved from the abuse they are doing – drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes,
homosexualityand lust. These abuses led man to turn away from God. They thought such addiction
brings delight and happiness until such time they could no longer stopped no matter how hard they try
to resist.They become slaves of the devil. The act, therefore, shall be punished with sickness and death.
For the punishment of sin is death whereas it is not only the physical death of the body, but the eternal
death in the flames of hell.

8. How substance abuse (addiction) and repeated sins affect the relationship of man to God?

Addiction and repeatedly committing sins are considered to be a rebellion against the goodness
of God. Legitimate needs are left behind for the delight of using what is unethical or unlawful both in
scriptures and authority. It creates severe wounds in the soul.The over use of substance and repeatedly
committing of sin will lead to impulsive andunaccepted acts in the legitimate power of authority. Thus,
doing these unacceptable acts keeping us away to God and to the purpose of God in our life. We must
offer our body, mind, and soul with purity so we are all worthy in His kingdom.

9. How harmful is substance abuse in our society today?

People who are addicted to such substances have a tendency to be self-destructive and be
impulsive in behavior.That’s why those persons are abusive in alcohol and illicit drugs.They are not
satisfied so they craved for more.According to Romans 7:23 “but I see another law at work in me,
waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me”
which means, indeed, our mind and body is battling with what we want and we should do or should not
do. Nowadays, we, people, are in the battle if what we will obey. Is it our mind? Or body? And most of
the time, because of depressing and grieving situation, younger generations tend to replace their
depressing and grieving feeling by taking drugs and/or alcohol to substitute for the feeling of temporary
happiness until they will repeatedly do that because that’s what their bodies are craving, that even their
mind cannot resist. With being unaware that what they are doing, what they are being addicted to, can
cause their death. Substance abuse, without proper treatment, contributed to the high rate of sickness
and death. It shortened their life by 55 years old because of drunk driving and other fatal road
accidents, liver sclerosis, heart failures, and strokes

10. What makes substance abuse horrible?

A person who is addicted to alcohol and drugs probably lost their mental and emotional
consciousness. Family members experienced fear, alienation and hurt. The members of the family feels
the need to escape from fear and abuse. While the member who is addicted feels the need to escape
alienation, abandonment and betrayal. Another feeling that an addicted person is experiencing arethe
feeling of abandonment and loneliness, fear of success, loss of self-esteem and loss of belief. They are
locked in their thoughts for thinking that life is full of sadness, pain and depression and could possibly
lead to suicidal thought and tendencies.

11. What are the stages of Addiction?

The first stage of addiction is experimenting and learning. It could often encourage by peers or
family members who are also a user. Next is the development of the bond. “The bond” is the intimacy
developed between the user and the drug they are into. The more they intake the drug or use , the
more they are craving for it.Then, the obsessing stage. This is the time when the user is preoccupied
with only getting high and being ecstatic.They compulsively taking the drug. And once they tried to
resist, they would only feel the guilt of not taking it. They will project their guilt and self-hatred to
others until it broke their relationship with family and/or friends. Their rationalization, justification and
denial are in full swing. The last stage of addiction is being consumed by the drug. It is when the user
normalized the intake of drug and the feeling of taking the drug. The abuser become in despair and
often fights suicidal tendencies for they believe that the only way to escape their addiction is to commit
suicide.

12.
How did an abuser of drugs and alcohol affectsit life?

In any possible way, it brings only negative impact to the lives of the abuser. The person will live
on despair and depression for the alcohol and the drug become useful and it leads to more shame and
the usage of alcohol and substance is no longer useful to run away from pain. There is also a disruption
in the major areas of life including work and relationships - they start to lose their work and/or unable
to function in school,domestic violence inside the family and divorce of parents, deterioration of health
is evident caused by over use of the substance.

13.
Why a person over-use drugs and become addicted when they knew the negative
consequences of it?

Drugs like stimulants, depressants and pain killers are made to elevate the emotion of a person.
On the other hand, drugs that are hallucigenic are the type of drug that is dangerous for someone who
is over using it. From the root word “hallucinate” it alters the user’s thinking processes and perception
in a manner that leads to significant distortions of reality. We all know that it is the common type of
drug used by an addicted person. But the question is, why do they continue the usage of such drug? It is
because they want to take away the pain they are feeling and want to exclude themselves in the painful
situation they are in. While under in this drug, they would feel ecstatic and high, they would experience
synesthesia and actually believing what they heard or saw. They will find pleasure, happiness and social
stability. In other words, they feel that it substitutes to the feeling of pain, shame, guilt.

14.
What is the role of “denial” among drug and alcohol dependents?

Denial is a psychological defense mechanism in which the person is avoiding the confrontation
of the problem and the existence of the problem and/or reality. For someone who become and alcohol
and drug dependant, denial becomes a barrier for them to change. They avoid confrontations about
their lifestyle and denying that they are already addicted to such substance. And eventually, denying
the problem would not solve any problem but only deepens the problem.

15.
How should a psychotherapist deals with substance and alcohol abusers in their counselling?

A psychotherapist or clinical therapist must be very direct and harsh in dealing with the cycle of
denial. The counselor usually let the substance/alcohol abusers to form groups wherein each one of
them shall listen to the experiences why does a person became addicted on chemical substance. The
counselor must show patience and understanding and most of he/she must show love and compassion
even if the patient is challenging and blunt. The counselor must be able to break through the denial by
necessitating intervention whereas usually there is use of threat by the head of the hospital to get the
obedience of the patients being treated with substance abuse and the use of forced choice is often a
necessary to force someone in treatment.

16. What are the forms of mask used by substance abusers?

Substance abuse counselling determines “mask” as a basic defense mechanism of a substance

abuser. It is used to hide the guilt and shame but not strong enough to keep the abuser from self hatred
and self punishment. They used it to cover themselves and keep the pain of the soul to be exposed. The
“mask” are usually used to manipulate others and their environment to keep themselves safe. The
forms of mask are: A. Confession - even the abuser has an emotion in telling everything, they won’t still
say the truth or it does not tell you anything;B. Closed communication - the person does not disclosed
anything to you for people are not open for any forms of criticisms, either constructive or otherwise; C.
Self- effacing attitude - people are not feeling on to what to express; D. The “I can’t” mask - the person
says an excuse stating that they can’t live without the substance, they can’t change and so on; E. The
mask of self-pity - the abuser usually acts out in order to get attention of the counselor; F. The “what
about me” mask - the abusers are able to turn any conversation towards their wants and needs and as
if the counselor in the end thinks he has victimized the client.

17. What are the defense mechanisms used bysubstance dependent? How does it affect the
behavior of the victim?
 a. Rationalization- rationalizing their behavior for they thought that it is accepted in the
society, however they told untrue explanations for their inappropriate behavior and they
considered it as not their own personal choice but circumstances or they blamed othersfor
cause of their problems or dysfunctions.

b. Suppression- is pushing away any unpleasant feelings or events at the back of

mindunconsciously, however suppressed memories are recalled when it brings to
remembrance through process of inner healing or hypnosis.

c. Withdrawal- is a deliberate avoidance wherein people avoid communications with their

family, friends peers, colleagues, co-workers and anyone around them, for it is rooted in
rejection and abandonment.

d. Regression-is the reversing of attitudes, feelings, beliefs, behaviors, that belong to an

earlier development stage and most abusers when not under the influence of alcohol or
substance tend to act immaturely for this is usually linked to their early teenage years. This
is the period they began abusing the substance in most cases.

e. Conversion- it is the final defense mechanism and expression of emotional conflict through
physical symptoms and it is a reaction that helps to avoid the physical pain and what is
occurring emotionally in their lives.

18. What is a “Slip”?

Slip is a physical effectto the abuser where they still taste the alcohol in their tongue, and had a
memory of drinking the night before. It causes psychological effects such as causing great panic for
being dry and sober. They likely experience when they thought they had fallen off the wagon but nnot
really. It is what we call“brain slip”which is a transformational process of chemicals in the brain. It
releases memories so vivid that they actually felt as though they were drunk. It affects emotionally by
denial, withdrawal or avoidance, and suppressing memories. It affects the activity in the brain by being
irrational.
 19. What is Coginitive-Behavioral Treatment and Reality Therapy and its benefits for its clients
(drug/alcohol dependents)?

Its goal in addiction treatment is to find connections between thoughts, feelings and actions,
and increases awareness of how these things impact the recovery of dependents. It is a highly structure
approach which focuses on day to day problems of different substance addiction as the victims struggle
to stay free from their drugs and can be adapted towards a group therapy setting.

20. What is Family Therapy?

Family Therapy is another therapeutic approach which is usually begins with the intervention
between family. Most of the time, when there is a substance abuser among the family, it weakens the
ties of each member of the family. Therefore, family therapy helps the family to get along with the
substance user because it enables them to understand the root cause of his disorder.
 ”For every thing in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -
comes not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:16
In the modern days, we, unknowingly, conforming to the standard of the society. When we are
sad, have problems in life, in mourning and grieving or even self-hatred, we indulged on what the world
has to offer - leisure and entertainment, drinking alcohol, overtaking of drugs, smoking cigarettes, sex
addiction - everything that could bring pleasure and substitute for the temporary empty feeling, but not
on what God has to offer for us.
I have found out through this module that usually people who are either drug dependent or
alcohol dependent, might be rooted from the family history. Family has a great impact on how a child
grows. Children imitate whatever they saw from adults. So when a child always sees his father drinking
lots of alcohol, when he grow older, without correcting his point of view, might be an alcoholic
someday. In another situation, one of the member in the family feels neglected, betrayed, unworthy or
hopeless because of the family is chaotic, he will find something to channel those negative feeling, so he
will take drugs or drinks alcohol. Drug/Alcohol addiction may also lead to peer pressuring. Since that
person feels negatively, he will seek attention to his friends, and if unfortunately, his friends are all
using the drug or drinking alcohol, he will be probably do the same. So, it is important that a family
should have a strong bond with each other. They should love, accept and forgiving to each of them to
harmonize their relationship.
With that, I have also found out that to approach with someone who has this kind of situation, I
should be gentle and not be confrontational. For they are using “mask” on communicating to people
especially when they start to undergo treatments. Denial should be the first to break because without
acceptance to what is happening to them, they will not be treated. I have also learned that we must
gain their trust. We must be trustworthy so they won’t tell lies, fake their emotions, or make an excuses
to avoid the help they are needing.
Lastly, we should help them to be with God again. As a Christian, we should reach their hands
so they can walk in the light of God. They must first understand that temporary pleasure is nothing.
Conforming to the norms of society to ease the pain is nothing. But with God’s hand and His purpose to
us, every pain we are experiencing will come a great joy and eternal pleasure,