Group Treatment Plan
How do you identify the group’s problem?
A group treatment plan is an instrument where the common objectives for a group intervention treatment are established and that is the most essential that clients can have within the group intervention. First, the identification of similar problems within the group must be carried out and this is based on the information collected during the evaluations (Griffin, 2015). To achieve the identification of the group problem first the therapist must observe the significant problems present in the client’s life since substance abuse appears as the main problem that has consequences in their daily life. Through the DSM-5 we will make the diagnosis to help develop comprehensive assessments of the level of functioning of clients since mental disorders affect people in different ways and areas of life and also be able to identify if the problem that occurs affects the psychological, environmental or biological aspect.
What psychosocial aspects should be considered when diagnosing?
Substance abuse, addiction, and inadequate conflict resolution within the community impact the enormous social, economic, and personal costs on an individual and within a group that finds a very close relationship within a community. For example, psychoactive substance abuse can be identified as one of the problems within a community group.
I consider it a very important point that the intervention on substance abuse is not only at the level of individual therapy but also that group psychosocial intervention is considered within the psychiatric treatment plan that allows the development of treatment plans oriented to adequate social integration plans in the medium and long term.
We can identify psychosocial factors in patients of psychoactive substance abuse such as psychiatric disorders, personality, peers, family, and environmental disorders that can increase the risk of increasing the use of psychoactive substances that can increase or decrease addiction or as well as reduce the risks of consumption.
How do you choose and justify an intervention model?
When choosing an intervention model, it is always done based on the symptoms or complaints presented by the client. For example, for patients with symptoms of depression and knowing that depression arises from negative thought patterns and affects the emotions and behaviors of those who abuse drugs, in this case, cognitive behavioral therapy should be used can help modify negative thoughts that can worsen depression, anxiety, and emotional difficulties that affect the moods of individuals.
In this sense, cognitive behavioral therapy identifies thoughts, challenges them and replaces them with realistic and objective thoughts that is what is ultimately sought in the process of therapeutic intervention with patients who make drug abuse.
Once the group problem to intervene within the group is defined, the group treatment plan is developed and then the process of implementing the plan is explained to the entire group.
To implement the group treatment plan, you must meet certain requirements. For example, it should contain the patient’s personal information, demographics, and psychological history. Second, the diagnosis of the current mental health problem must be documented, treatment goals must be of high priority, and goals must be measurable. Finally, the plan should have a timeline for treatment progress and recovery (Lambert and Harmon, 2018). After this, the treatment plan can be reviewed and signed by the clients and the counselor.
Group Treatment Plan for Substance Abuse
Group Treatment Plan for Substance Abuse
Complaints/Symptoms Goals Interventions Proposed Time
Constant urge to drugs abuse. Relive or suppress constant urges Medical detox or withdrawal, inpatient treatment at rehab centers 10 days of detoxification
3 months of inpatient rehab
Suicidal thoughts Eliminate suicidal thoughts Crisis intervention
Cognitive therapy 4 months
Depression and lack of motivation Reduce depression feelings and improve motivation Cognitive therapy 4 months with weekly therapy sessions
Family conflicts Recognize new communication methods Family and couple therapy 8 weeks of therapy sessions
References
Crowley, J. S., Geller, A. B., Vermund, S. H., & National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2021). Psychosocial and Behavioral Interventions. In Sexually Transmitted Infections: Adopting a Sexual Health Paradigm. National Academies Press (US).
Griffin, T. (2015). Treatment planning for substance use disorders in a juvenile correctional facility (Doctoral dissertation, Mississippi College).
Hartney, E. (2020). The Symptoms Used to Diagnose Substance Use Disorders. Verywell Mind. Retrieved 23 May 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/dsm-5-criteria-for-substance-use-disorders-21926.
