The Minnesota Model As A Response To Problem Drug Use
Outline and discuss your understanding of the Minnesota Model as a response to problem drug use.
Student No: 109495185.
Introduction
Addiction is a chronic disease, and can be progressive, relapsing and fatal (Heyman, 2009). There are many models of addiction theories. The disease model, which sees addiction as a medical condition along the same lines of diabetes and arthritis, is the most widely known in the public due to its depiction in media and film as a result of the popularity of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). It is also the most dominant treatment model in the USA (Rasmussen, 2000).
The aims of this piece are to outline and form an understanding of the Minnesota model (MM), which incorporates the disease model, as well as its use as a response to problem drug use. Linking to the Irish perspective throughout, The MM will be looked at in three different contexts, the origins of the MM and its development in both America and Ireland, an outline on the elements used within the MM and lastly, a critique of the MM in its response to drug users. Firstly, I will put forward a definition of a problem drug user for the purposes of …show more content…
The AA was established in Ohio, USA in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith. Both had identified as being drunks and found by reaching out to each other they could stay sober. By 1939, AA had reached out to many other states within America and other countries overseas. The founders created a model of twelve steps to form sobriety (appendix 1). The first AA meeting in Ireland took place in late 1946. Following this first meeting, AA grew within Ireland steadily. It is important to say that, although AA had religious roots, it wasn’t as readily accepted by the Catholic Church as one would expect. Instead it was seen as a threat to the role of the Catholic Church (Butler, 2002). Since its introduction, many similar models of treatment based upon AA have been
Student No: 109495185.
Introduction
Addiction is a chronic disease, and can be progressive, relapsing and fatal (Heyman, 2009). There are many models of addiction theories. The disease model, which sees addiction as a medical condition along the same lines of diabetes and arthritis, is the most widely known in the public due to its depiction in media and film as a result of the popularity of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). It is also the most dominant treatment model in the USA (Rasmussen, 2000).
The aims of this piece are to outline and form an understanding of the Minnesota model (MM), which incorporates the disease model, as well as its use as a response to problem drug use. Linking to the Irish perspective throughout, The MM will be looked at in three different contexts, the origins of the MM and its development in both America and Ireland, an outline on the elements used within the MM and lastly, a critique of the MM in its response to drug users. Firstly, I will put forward a definition of a problem drug user for the purposes of …show more content…
The AA was established in Ohio, USA in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith. Both had identified as being drunks and found by reaching out to each other they could stay sober. By 1939, AA had reached out to many other states within America and other countries overseas. The founders created a model of twelve steps to form sobriety (appendix 1). The first AA meeting in Ireland took place in late 1946. Following this first meeting, AA grew within Ireland steadily. It is important to say that, although AA had religious roots, it wasn’t as readily accepted by the Catholic Church as one would expect. Instead it was seen as a threat to the role of the Catholic Church (Butler, 2002). Since its introduction, many similar models of treatment based upon AA have been