By Jason Wu, Ph.D.
The way that the United States of America views drugs has shifted dramatically in the past decades or so. We went from “Reefer Madness” and other widespread misinformation/propaganda to legalizing marijuana in a growing number of states, including here in California. A while ago, LSD was actually considered by some as an adjunct to therapy and was used in a number of circles before it was banned, but now LSD, MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine are going through clinical trials to explore their effectiveness in mental health treatment (see MAPS link below). Needless to say, alcohol, drugs, and addiction treatment, as well as society’s view on drugs, has changed a lot over the past few decades. It’s been quite the trip…pun intended!
In my clinical training, I have worked with alcohol and drug use/abuse in a number of different settings, including an outpatient clinic/treatment program for addiction at Kaiser Permanente, an alcohol and drug prevention program at Washington State University, and in the mental health ward of a prison, as well as with individual clients presenting with a range of substance use and addiction problems, including pornography addiction.
Personally, I believe that treatment for alcohol and drug use should be highly individualized, and that the treatment is based on various factors, including certain characteristics about the person, the type of use, and their personal goals for therapy. I have training in both abstinence- and harm reduction-based treatment, which have two different goals:
Abstinence: The goal is to stop using completely, maintain sobriety, and prevent relapses from occurring
Harm Reduction: The goal is to reduce the risks and negative consequences of said substance use, whether the individual stops using, moderates, or continues to use the same amount
Look, people use drugs for various reasons (coping with emotions, pleasure, social factors, ritual practices, curiosity, boredom), and some do experience what is called addiction, which involves physical, mental, and emotional changes and can result in chaotic and unhealthy lifestyles. This can happen with alcohol, stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamines, opiates like heroin or painkillers, and yes, with marijuana as well. The truth of the matter is, there are noticeable changes in numerous parts of the brain that can make it hard (though not impossible) to stop using, and treatment can involve a major reexamination and restructuring of one’s lifestyle to break free of the cycle.
However, some people also use drugs for other reasons and can do so in a less harmful or risky manner – they might want to learn more about themselves, answer existential questions or for spiritual/religious purposes, or practice expanding their consciousness and self-awareness. I have experience in helping people process or better understand those experiences, particularly in regards to psychedelic and marijuana use. For others, I have experience in helping people rediscover themselves amidst the chaos of addiction and begin their paths to recovery and maintain sobriety.
For more information, here are a few links/resources that may be interesting or helpful for you:
- AA.org
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- NA.org
- Narcotics Anonymous
- LifeRing.org
- Secular recovery group in case the AA or NA groups are not a good fit due to religious reasons
- RefugeRecovery.org
- Buddhist recovery group similar to AA/NA groups but incorporate Buddhist principles
- MAPS.org
- Association that conducts psychedelic and mental health studies
- Erowid.org
- Harm reduction resource – if you do decide to use drugs, please take the time to learn about what you are putting into your body (and testing it if possible) and plan accordingly/create a safety plan, possibly with a trusted friend who is willing to care for you if needed
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call (650-517-3213) for a free phone consultation or email me at jasonwu87@gmail.com – note, email is not a secure form of communication but we can always use email to schedule a free phone appointment.