bunnypaw

I have 21 years clean and sober. I am a newly certified addiction counselor working in out patient treatment. These clients are living in their own accomodations and usually working or going to school. they are under 6 months sober but very engaged in life. Many clients are not really ready for recovery but are in treatment still to appease parents/work/spouse and are always trying to push the envelope in re-creating their old party lifestyle to "enjoy" sobriety. This includes hookah parties, making energy drink punch with package of caffeine pills dumped in (like the drugged punch provided at raves here in california), non-alcoholic beer, and a client yesterday who wanted to order a vodka and energy drink and then say "without the vodka" at her upcoming 21st birthday party in vegas. lol By the way all these reports of mimicking behavior is rampant at the AOCYPAA convention which is All Young Peoples in Orange County Group convention in Vegas last weekend. They just love doing the activities that mirror previous substance abuse. Obviously this sets themselves up to be triggered to use/drink again, or triggers other clients who would have not otherwise been seeking these "mirror" or mimiciking using behaviors. Most of them are young people and I counsel them about triggers and romancing the using lifestyle and gateway behaviors, about replacement new party behavior, but i feel like i just come off as an old fuddy duddy haha. I want them to have extrme fun if thats what theyre into...I dont care if they have a jello wrestling party at their house, but the root beer pong is just a longing for excesses they cant have anymore. Does anyone have a good snappy or provoking or convincing response or counsel for these clients? Id love to do a whole group on the topic but dont know where to look.

TheOnlyDryPaddy

Do you know if any off your clients have co-morbid psychiatric disorders?

People who suffer from personality disorders, especially the Cluster B PDs and in particular borderline personality disorder and anti-social personality within Cluster B, are prone to substance abuse and poor impulse control. Simply telling them to stop may not work because of the psychiatric comorbidity.

TheOnlyDryPaddy

Do you know if any off your clients have co-morbid psychiatric disorders?

People who suffer from personality disorders, especially the Cluster B PDs and in particular borderline personality disorder and anti-social personality within Cluster B, are prone to substance abuse and poor impulse control. Simply telling them to stop may not work because of the psychiatric comorbidity.

doggonecarl

I don't envy your position. Can you hit them? <kidding> And I'm afraid I have no advice. There are a lot of "mature" recovering folks here on SR who have just as much a difficult time letting go of their old lifestyle and habits, and don't take advice. So it's apparently not an age thing. It must be tied directly to their addiction and denial.

Db1105

I got sober in my late teens a long, long time ago. There were no energy drinks or hookah parties, but, we smoked cigarettes (2 to 3 packs) a day and drank coffe non-stop. We stayed up all night, went to clubs drinking tonic water and lime to see bands or dance. We were wild and some said out of control. We were also not drinking or using illegal drug. Caffeine, nicotine, and sugar never got me locked up or blacked out. Also, a lot of "grown ups" did not like our crazy, out of control AA meetings.

Eventually, we grew up. Quite a few of us are still sober and active in AA. Quite a few are sober and not active. Some are back out, some are back with no problems, some are just out there, and a few are dead. What would I tell them? Have fun, you only live once. Make the best of what you have. Work hard, play hard, and treat others with respect.

sugarbear1

Someone near me just died from drinking too many energy drinks with caffeine in them. Read the labels carefully!