Aaron Beck, the Father of Cognitive therapy, suggests that addictions stem from addicted individuals not having a biological disease but rather being in possession of negative and painful psychological 'core beliefs', which are often inaccessible to immediate consciousness without the support and guidance of a therapist. These painful 'core beliefs' tend to be short rigid statements such as 'I am unlovable' or 'I am a failure'. When these beliefs rise to the surface a system of addictive beliefs are activated. The addicted individual will start to believe there will be significant benefits to using their substance of choice. For example, the individual may believe 'I cannot cope with this situation, if I have a drink/use a drug I will cope better'. These beliefs result in increased drink/drug cravings. Once craving begins, an individual may start to engage in 'permissive thinking', such as "I'll just have one drink tonight to help me through this. I can handle drinking just this once." Following permissive thoughts, the likelihood of drink/drug seeking and consuming behavior is greatly increased and the addicted individual may begin to use.
Given the concept that addiction and addictive behaviors stems from these core beliefs, how has the current prison system perpetuates these beliefs? What are some policies that you suggest should be adopted by the criminal justice system to address the root of substance use and addiction? Include citations from the text.
Full Answer Section
- Isolation and Shame: The isolation and shame associated with incarceration can exacerbate negative feelings, making relapse more likely.
Alternative Policies to Address Root Causes:
- Focus on Rehabilitation: Shift the focus from punishment to rehabilitation. Offer evidence-based treatment programs that address the underlying core beliefs and equip individuals with relapse prevention skills.
- Increased Access to Mental Health Services: Provide inmates with access to mental health professionals who can help them identify and challenge negative core beliefs.
- Therapeutic Communities: Implement therapeutic communities within prisons, creating a supportive environment where individuals can learn positive coping mechanisms and develop a sense of belonging. (Glaser, 2021)
- Education and Reintegration Programs: Offer programs that focus on education, job training, and life skills development to prepare individuals for successful reintegration into society. This can build confidence and provide a sense of purpose, fostering positive self-beliefs. (World Health Organization, 2021)
Citations:
By adopting these policies, the criminal justice system can move away from simply punishing addiction and toward addressing the underlying causes. This would provide individuals with a better chance of overcoming their addiction and successfully reintegrating into society.
Sample Answer
According to Aaron Beck's cognitive therapy model, addiction stems from negative core beliefs that individuals use substances to cope with (Beck as cited in the prompt). Unfortunately, the current prison system often reinforces these negative beliefs rather than addressing them, hindering the path to recovery. Here's how prisons perpetuate these core beliefs and some alternative policies:
How Prisons Perpetuate Negative Core Beliefs:
- Focus on Punishment: The primary focus on punishment in prisons can solidify negative beliefs like "I am a failure" or "I am unlovable" (Beck). Feeling ostracized from society reinforces the sense of worthlessness that may underlie addiction.
- Lack of Treatment: Many prisons lack access to comprehensive addiction treatment programs. This leaves individuals without the tools to address the core beliefs driving their addiction.