SOWK 2020 - Assignment one PDF

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BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days

Saturday, October 12th, 2019 Professor Gallagher SOWK 2020

1 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days Bio-psycho-social model which is also known as BPS+ is used to describe the factors that cause addiction. This model helps understand why people are inclined to start using and abusing substances. BPS+ model has five components which help understand addiction and substance abuse. Components are biological, physiological, social, cultural and spiritual dimension of understanding addiction. This model helps identify addiction beyond the understanding of it only being considered a ‘brain disease’ but as having psychological and social aspects (Skinner, 2016). In the film ‘28 Days’ the main character Gwen Cummings is an alcoholic. In the beginning of the film she is seen partying and getting drunk with some friends. However, the next morning she wakes up with her boyfriend, Jasper and does not remember anything that happened the night before. That same morning it is the wedding of her older sister, Lily. Gwen is late and before the ceremony she is already drinking and taking some sort of pill. In the beginning of the reception, Jasper and her are completely drunk to the point that they start dancing and bump into various people. At one point, Jasper grabs her and tosses her, and she falls into Lily’s wedding cake and said she would fix it. Gwen than goes out to get a new cake. Where she finds a limo and drives away drunk. She ends up crashing into a home. The judge states that she needs to pick either 28 days in jail or rehab. This is than where all these different factors as to why she is alcohol-dependent comes out. The film ‘28 Days’ portrays Gwen’s life and how the bio-psycho-social plus method is seen as a way to explain why she is an alcoholic.

Biological Dimension In the BPS+ model biological dimension is shown to be a “brain disease”. This means that people choose to be addicts and they can choose to not be. It can also be examined as it being in someone’s genes and inherited from the mother. However, it is seen that male children of an alcohol-dependent parent have four times more likeliness of becoming alcohol users than

2 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days their counterparts that do not have parents who are alcohol-dependent (Skewes & Gonzalez, 2013). Female children on the other hand who have alcohol-dependent mothers have three times the greater risk of becoming dependent as well, which leads to 30% of people whom struggle with alcohol-dependency have at least one parent that was dependent (Skewes & Gonzalez, 2013). Biological dimension could cause addiction if people are getting less sleep, malnourished and not exercising (Skinner, 2016). In the film, Gwen goes to rehab because of her driving under the influence of alcohol and crashing into a home. The spectators view Gwen turning on her shower and touching the water to see if it is the perfect temperature. Once she touches the water her hands start trembling. This than leads her to sit down and think about her childhood and think as to why she began drinking. This is the first time people begin to see her having withdrawals and feeling like her body needed something or as though something was missing. It also protrays that she has become so dependent on alcohol and the drugs she has been taking. Her councillor begins to comfort her about her feelings because he states everyone who gets sober feels the feeling of “…their skin screaming, hands shaking and stomach feeling as though it wants to jump out of their throat” (Thomas, 2000). However, this all leads her to feel as though she does not belong in rehab and states that “she can control herself if she truly wanted to and put her mind to it” (Thomas, 2000). It is believed that many people are capable of choosing recovery rather than their addiction however they have to truly want it bad and truly put their minds to it (H., M., E. & Cooper, Nd). However, in this part of the film Gwen was not ready to commit to getting clean she was still feeling dependent on the alcohol and drugs. This is how the biological dimension part of the BPS+ model is seen in Gwen’s addiction to mainly alcohol but also to drugs. It also shows what substances can do to someone’s brain.

3 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days Lastly, this portrays how someone can get so dependent on something and when it is not given to the body it starts to have withdrawals which causes them to have ill feelings and want to get their hands on the substance to stop those feelings. Psychological Dimension Psychological dimension of addiction is the study of the mind and the ways in which human experiences and behaviours help shape and evoke addiction (Skinner, 2016). Large amounts of people who become dependent on substances sometimes are those who cannot control their feelings, experienced trauma, have been victimized or have low self-esteem. People tend to use substances for two main reasons to experience pleasure and to relieve suffering (Nutt, 2012). However, once they start using that substance over and over again, they begin to no longer feel the pleasure of it and begin to use it to relieve stress from work, school and other factors that would push someone to use substances (Nutt, 2012). This dimension also portrays how someone would be inclined to start using a substance and how someone would be inclined to stop using a substance. ‘28 Days’ portrays the psychological dimension of addiction through Gwen’s childhood. Gwen’s mother was an alcoholic, she would have days where she would drink so much she would pass out. Gwen and her older sister Lily, become used to always having to wake up their mother by slapping her when she is passed out. Their father left when they were smaller and never cared for them. To the point when Gwen’s mother passes away and they have to go live with an aunt. Lily never once got affected by her mother’s addiction and actions. However, Gwen became an alcoholic and dependent on substances because of the trauma from her childhood. She would use alcohol as a way to deal with her depression from her mother dying since she had a close bond with her mother. Alcohol is the most widely used depressant out there (Nutt, 2012).

4 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days Alcohol in many situations is used as a way to deal with depression due to the effects it has on someone’s mood. It makes people feel happy and causes them not to think about their experiences or the stress in their lives. Many people would think that after a while when your body has no longer found it pleasurable someone would stop however that is not the case. As seen in the novel ‘Addicted’ by authors Lorna Crozier and Patrick Lane. Lane speaks about his struggle with being an alcoholic and even though he would throw up anything and everything, even blood he would still go back to the bottle. “…my forearms rest on the rim of a mottled white bowl. It is six o’clock in the morning…my body shakes and trebles with a terrible palsy. I am covered with thin sweat. My feet and hands are cold…I look at the bedside table and reach for the bottle of vodka…take a small drink, anything to stop the shakes and nausea.” (Crozier & Lane, 2016). Lane states that his body would give up on him sometimes he would feel as though he had no feelings in his body. Even though that happened many times he would drink, throw up and drink again. He would continue this cycle of drinking and throwing up. Therefore, like Lane, Gwen also threw up because of drinking alcohol and taking drugs, however she still wanted more to the point in which she jumped out a window to get pills that she had previously thrown out. Gwen’s roommate in rehab had died from a heroin overdose. That was when it began to hit her that she could at any point die as well if she continues drinking and using those substances. Her drive to start drinking was a way to cope with her mother’s death. Gwen became depressive after the death of her mother and she believed that the only way she could cope was by drinking. As the phycological dimension of addiction states that people have urges and drives that cause them to do something or stop doing something. Gwen’s drive to stop being alcoholdependent was seeing her roommate die from a heroin overdose. This is when she understood that what she was doing day in and day out was not healthy for her.

5 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days Social Dimension In the BPS+ model social dimension of addiction is defined as being influences from people close to the person who test their vulnerability and resilience to addiction (Skinner, 2016). If that person abuses certain substances than the other would be most likely to follow in their footsteps. There are three groups of people that are part of the social dimension due to being those whom can influence substance abuse. First group is the family, they are believed to have an influence in an adolescent’s life. Parents actions towards a substance can affect the ways in which the adolescent reacts to that substance. Adolescents parents whom have positive attitudes towards substance use are more likely to use that substance that the parents agree with such as alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, etc. (Skewes & Gonzalez, 2013). It is also seen that if parents use a substance their children have a higher chance of using it also because they have been observing their parent or parents doing it. However, parents who monitor their children regularly and consistently discipline them cause the adolescent to have lower risk of substance abuse (Skewes & Gonzalez, 2013). Second group of people who have influence in substance abuse are peer groups. Peers are seen to have the highest effectiveness in influencing someone else to use a substance. Many people drink alcohol and smoke tobacco as a way to socialize with friends. Peers also have this effect that cause people to want to conform. If one person is doing something nobody wants to be the odd one out, so they conform to them so they are also seen as being “cool”. This is highly seen in adolescent stages however it could be seen in adulthood. Lastly, the third group is highly influential in adulthood. Spouses and intimate partners are most important and influential social connections people have as being adults (Skewes & Gonzalez, 2013). If someone’s spouse uses a certain substance the other partner is most likely to start using that substance. The other partner would start using it as a way to have something in common with the spouse.

6 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days In the film, Gwen is influenced by all three groups; her family, peers and partner. Family is influential in Gwen’s life due to her mother being an alcoholic. As stated, the actions of parents can influence their children to use and abuse a particular substance. Gwen never once saw her mother not being drunk. Her mother’s actions lead to her becoming an alcoholic. The film portrays the influence of the family when Gwen was in rehab and she starts having flashbacks of when she was little and the things her mother would do with her (Thomas, 2000). Her mother once took Gwen sledding down a hill that lead onto a road, her mother was drunk and they went down together and it shows a car drifting away from them so it wouldn’t hit them (Thomas, 2000). All her mother would do is laugh and have dangerous games for the girls to play. Second group that influenced Gwen to use substances constantly was her peers. Gwen and her friends would always go partying and that would lead to drinking alcohol and using other substances. Shown in the beginning of the film, Gwen is dancing and drinking, which is what she considers as a good time and having fun. Gwen would come home all drunk that she would not even remember what she did last night (Thomas, 2000). Her friends would go out to parties and drink and would try all these different substances, Gwen basically conformed to what her friends were doing. Drugs are social and are usually consumed in groups where the feelings of becoming more talkative helps groups of people bond (Nutt, 2012). However, when Gwen got out of rehab she was eating at a restaurant with Jasper and her friends come up to them and said, “Thank God you are out and back in action…” (Thomas, 2000). When they stated that they meant she is back and ready to start drinking again. Even though she had just gotten out of rehab her friends were already influencing her to relapse. This is how peers influence each other into doing things that they should not. Lastly, the third group of influential people are spouses and intimate partners. This group has the most influence on adults. Jasper who is Gwen’s boyfriend is portrayed to have

7 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days a great deal of influence on Gwen’s addiction. Both of them would go out partying and get blacked out drunk they would come back home and not even know what they are doing. In the beginning of the film, they come home from partying the night away with friends and they lit candles and Gwen’s bra had come in contact with the fire causing there to be a small flame. All Jasper and Gwen did was laugh about it and take the bra out the fire (Thomas, 2000). However, it comes to show that they did not even see a wrong with their actions. Another example of how Jasper was an influence on Gwen’s addiction was when she was in rehab and he would bring her pills and take her to get drunk when they had visiting days. If he truly wanted her to get better, he would tell her no to bring her pills and would not take her to get drunk. This is how the social dimension of addiction through the influences of different groups is portrayed in the film ‘28 Days’. Family, peers and spouses are main influential groups on testing the persons vulnerability and resilience to addiction. Gwen’s mothers’ actions and what her daughter saw was one of the reasons Gwen was addicted to alcohol. Gwen’s friends were another influential piece in her addiction due to constantly making her feel bad if she did not go party with them or drink with them. Lastly, Gwen’s boyfriend Jasper was also influential in her life and her addiction. He would promote her substance abuse by bringing substances to rehab on visitation days or by taking her to get drunk. Cultural Dimension The cultural dimension of addiction as seen in the BPS+ model is examined as being the social environment which people find themselves and its relation to their personal identity (Skinner, 2016). Researchers have found that there are certain groups of people who have higher rates of addiction than other groups (H., M., E., & Cooper, Nd.). This is caused by different cultures having completely different norms compared to other cultures. There are cultures where people are not allowed to drink meaning it is against your culture and religion. This tends to be a

8 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days factor for no alcohol dependency in that group of people. Not only is that a factor however, it is believed that the way society treats someone could cause it to be a pathway leading to addiction. If someone feels as though they are not welcomed in society, they would become depressed and not want to even leave their home this would all lead to using alcohol and drugs to make someone feel better. ‘28 Days’ portrays how the way society treated Gwen could be a reason as to why she used alcohol as a way to feel better about herself. Gwen had always felt as though Lily and family felt embarrassed by her. The film begins to portray a divide between Gwen and Lily, at Lily’s wedding Gwen gets super drunk to the point that she gets swung by her boyfriend and is tossed into Lily’s wedding cake. Lily and her family were looking at her in embarrassment. This makes spectators understand how the treatment of society has come into play in Gwen’s life due to having a sister who did not approve of her and never understood why she was abusing substances. The feelings of Gwen are also the leading feeling of oppressed people which are hopelessness, lost, fear, distrust and despair (H., M., E., & Cooper, Nd.). Gwen once in rehab had called Lily to let her know they were having these family therapy classes where they basically just state how they are feeling. Lily begins to say that “she should not drop everything for her sister because Gwen would not do the same and because she never wanted the help she was willing to give her” (Thomas, 2000). Lily made Gwen believe that she was never good for anything. The lack of love given from Lily and Gwen’s family lead to Gwen not stopping her drinking or getting the help she needed until the courts forced her. However, one day Lily shows up for Sunday visitations and they spoke about why Lily feels the way she does towards her sister. Lily told Gwen that when they were younger, she felt small around her sister because everyone would gravitate towards her no matter what. Lily apologized for always telling her

9 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days sister that she was a pain in the ass and not telling her how much she truly means to her and how much she loves her. She also was sorry for not helping her with her homework or not walking home with her when she would see her walking all by herself (Thomas, 2000). When Lily apologized and told her why she led on that feeling of not liking Gwen. After, this it gave Gwen some sort of peace in her mind and this helped and pushed Gwen to truly get the help she needed. In the cultural dimensions of the BPS+ model culture is seen to also be related to the way people have been treated by the society. Gwen has always been treated poorly by Lily. However, once Lily apologized for always treating her sister poorly that helped Gwen put her mind at ease. This also helps her know that her sister is there for her no matter what and she has some sort of support through her last days in rehab and after rehab. The cultural dimension states that people feeling as though they are not welcome causes them to be at higher addiction rates. This is also a reason why Gwen’s addiction continued because she did not feel welcomed. Spiritual Dimension Spiritual dimension of the BPS+ model argues that people who have strong religious affiliations are less vulnerable to addictive behaviours (Skinner, 2016). Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) is a form of not only treatment but also to have people connect with their spiritual life. This could be God or any other religion or even just finding someone’s true identity. Rehab is a way to get people clean by having certain programs that help treat them and understand ways they are feeling. However, it is also similar to AA in the sense that it helps someone lead onto the right path with getting them involved in religion and understanding of a higher power. For Gwen, rehab at first was a bit of a shook, she called Jasper as soon as she got there and told him “these people are singing…I should have gone to the rehab in the city” (Thomas, 2000). However, what the people were actually doing was using song as a way of connection

10 BPS+ Model Seen in 28 Days with something more powerful that it was truly hard to explain. In rehab they are constantly praying to a higher power and believing that this higher power was going to help them get through their addictive ways. In rehab and in AA it is believed that religion is a form of a guide that is going to purify the person and they will no longer have this “disease”. People believed that addiction was considered to be a “disease” and not something that is truly more complicated and mainly something that happens within someone’s brain. In the film we start to notice that the further into the 28 days we begin to see Gwen becoming happier and following what the rehab program has for her to do. However, they make her work towards getting clean they do not just sit back and watch her do the program they truly push her to do her best. The rehab she was in had these classes in which it would inform people of what happens if they continue using the substances that they have been using in the past. It is seen how the spiritual dimension of addiction can help someone truly get better. They push people to do the program and to truly take advantage of the days they are there. They have classes to inform them of what their life would be like if th...