All posts by : Clayton

What is Sex Addiction?

Sex is part of the human experience. Not only is it natural but it is also part of our health. Sex is a dominant force in media and can be seen many advertisements, tv shows, movies, music, etc. Many cultures embrace sexuality and normalize it and often times people don’t have a problem with engaging in sex. However, there are some people that become addicted to sex and are ruled by their sexual desires. These individuals have a sex addiction and act out sexually in ways that they cannot control. Sex addiction can be very detrimental to an individual’s health, relationships and can lead to criminal activity and dangerous activity. Diagnosing someone with a sex addiction can be difficult since there is no set diagnosis in the DSM and often times people with other illnesses like substance abuse disorder will act out sexually when under the influence. Furthermore, differing social norms make it difficult to diagnosis someone with a sex addiction. For example, someone who engages in certain sexual behaviors may be viewed as problematic by someone who is very conservative, while others may not see any problem with certain behaviors. Some professionals don’t even think sex addiction is a real addiction. In fact, only a small percentage of the U.S. population are actually diagnosed by a mental health professional with a sex addiction.

Symptoms: what happens

Sexual addiction is also known as hypersexual disorder or compulsive sexual behavior. Symptoms for sexual addiction are found in the International Classification of Diseases. Symptoms must exist for a period of at least six months and include: recurrent sexual fantasies, urges, desires, impulses, sexual behaviors that affect normal day to day living, sexual desires or fantasies occurring when negative emotions occur, difficulty controlling sexual urges, and sexual urges and fantasies that cause significant distress. Some behaviors that can be seen in someone with a sex addiction is excessive porn searching and viewing, excessive masturbation, illegal sex acts like pedophilia, infidelity, increased isolation, becoming controlling and demanding during sex, mood swings after sex, less affectionate and emotional disconnection, easily angered when asked about sex, hiding porn and justifying their behaviors. These behaviors and symptoms vary however, there is often a cycle of these behaviors that consist of five stags. 1) Pain-when a sex addict feels pain, whether they are aware of the pain or not, there is then a desire to escape the pain. 2) Fantasy- this then leads to fantasy to escape reality. 3) Ritual- this occurs when the individual attempts to physically act out their fantasy. 4) Acting out- this involves the individual actually engaging in the sexual activity. 5) Shame and guilt- once the sexual act has been enacted, the individual then goes through a shame and guilt spiral and reflects on the consequences of their behaviors. This cycle is very similar to other addiction cycles.

Causes:

Understanding the causes of sexual addiction are difficult to understand. However, there are individuals that are more likely to engage in negative sexual behaviors if they have been abused, specifically sexually abused, have experienced trauma, and are more biologically vulnerable to addiction. Similar to other addictions being associated with other mental illnesses or disorders, sex addiction is associate with depressive disorder.

Substance Abuse:

Like drug and alcohol addicts, sex addicts experience the same chemical changes in the brain when engaging in the addictive behavior. Often times sex addicts will use substances while engaging in sexual behavior to enhance the experience. Or those engaging in substance abuse will engage in risky sexual behavior. Substance abuse and sex addiction will often feed off of each other. Both aspects must be addressed in treatment. Both sex addiction and other forms of addiction have the same root; the need to escape negative emotions and experiences.

Treatment:

Recovering from sex addiction is possible through treatment. The first step to take is getting screened for sex addiction or other disorders that mimic sex addiction. Various treatment modalities can be successful and helpful to individuals. Certain medications like antidepressants and mood stabilizers can help reduce acting out sexually. Different forms of therapy like CBT, family therapy, rehabilitation programs, and support groups like, Sex Addicts Anonymous or Sexaholics Anonymous, are part of recovery.

Attachment Theory

“Attachment is a unifying principle that reaches from the biological depths of our being to its furthest spiritual reaches.”

― Jeremy Holmes, John Bowlby and Attachment Theory

What is Attachment Theory?

Attachment theory was developed in 1958 by an American psychiatrist John Bowlby. Bowlby developed the attachment theory after spending years researching and treating emotionally disturbed children and noticing the distress that children experienced upon their mothers separation. Bowlby considered the importance of the child’s attachment to their main care provider and how that affects their emotional, mental, behavioral and physical health. He defined attachment as a lasting psychological connectedness between human beings and thus the attachment theory was developed. According to Bowlby, maladjustment behaviors as seen in children and adults can be traced back to the separation in early life between the infant and it’s “mother”. Bowlby suggested that all infants, across all cultures, have an inherent need to seek close proximity to their “mothers” when under stress or threatened and learn how to behave in order to get their needs met. In order to survive and flourish, an infant and child must attach to the mother for security and safety and a mother must respond accordingly in order to reduce anxiety and danger for the child. Attachment theory has been tested in various studies with many children across all cultures and even with animals. A study with monkeys showed that primate infants and babies also have an inherent need for emotional comfort and touch. Attachment theory emphasizes the importance of developing an attachment between the ages of 0-5 years old. Children without a main attachment figure during this time can develop maladaptive behaviors and are negatively affected in various ways. Attachment theory is often emphasized in many therapeutic settings since our earliest attachment affects our relationships and the quality of our relationships later in life.

Styles of Attachment:

A child can have many attachments, however there is usually a main attachment figure. The main attachment figure is not necessarily the one who feeds and changes the baby, but the one who responds, communicates, and plays with the baby most often. The main attachment figure acts as the security base for exploring and experiencing the world.

Different styles of attachment are developed depending on the way and the consistency of which the mother or main attachment figure responds. According to attachment theory, there are four different types of attachment styles.

Secure Attachment- This is the ideal form of attachment. Children show distress when the mother or main attachment figure leaves but then are easily comforted upon the mother’s return. These children use their main attachment figure to seek comfort when upset or frightened, are able to separate and explore the world,  greet parents with warmth, and prefer their main attachment figure over strangers or other people. A secure attachment is developed when a mother or main attachment figure, responds consistently, sensitively, does not interrupt the child’s exploration too often and provides emotional and physical security. Children with this type of attachment are more likely to grow up as empathetic, friendly, non aggressive and with healthy relationships.

Ambivalent Attachment- Not all children grow up with secure attachments and are often times ambivalent towards their mothers or main attachment figures. Children with ambivalent attachments are insecure and are not soothed upon their mother’s arrival. They are wary of strangers, reluctant to become close with others, and have intense separation anxiety. Children with ambivalent attachments can be misread as secure since they also become distressed when the mother leaves. However, children with ambivalent attachments are not comforted when their mother returns and may even reject their care giver or show aggression. These children can grow up to have problems with becoming close to others or become too clingy. This style of attachment is developed when a mother or main attachment figure is inconsistent in their response to the child. Sometimes they are responsive to the child’s needs and sometimes they are unresponsive. This leads the child to distrust because they do not know whether their needs will be met.

Avoidant Attachment- Children with this type of attachment tend to avoid their mother and people all together. They do not seek nor reject their mother and tend to show no preference to a stranger or their mother. These children can grow up to avoid intimacy all together, invest very little in relationships, and are unable to share their thoughts and feelings. This type of attachment can occur when a mother or main attachment figure has been absent for an extended period of time or is for the most part unresponsive to the child’s needs.

Disorganized Attachment-  Also known as an insecure attachment, is characterized by showing a mixture of avoidant and resistant behaviors, and may act dazed, confused and apprehensive. Many of theses children become parentified and take on the role as caregiver towards the parent or main attachment figure. This form of attachment is developed when a child feels both comforted and fearful of the attachment figure. A mother or main attachment figure may act as a source of comfort at times but may also abuse the child leading the child to be both comforted and afraid of the attachment figure.

Attachment Theory and Substance Abuse:

Depending on the attachment style, children with non secure attachments are more prone to developing maladaptive behaviors such as a substance abuse, risky sexual acts, aggression, criminal acts, and intimacy issues. Children that grow up with a dysfunctional attachment such as an insecure or avoidant attachment, are at a risk for developing depression, anxiety and PTSD. An insecure attachment style can often lead to emotional distress and relationship issues, which in turn can lead to unhealthy coping strategies like drug and alcohol abuse. In addiction or substance abuse treatment, mental health professionals will most likely learn one’s attachment style and will focus on healing a severed attachment while in treatment. Helping those that struggle with addiction or substance by repairing an attachment can increase their likelihood of recovery and living a healthy and happy life.

Attachment Disorder:

Attachment disorders are mental disorders that develop when individuals have difficulty developing attachments with others. Most children with attachment disorders have had a severely dysfunctional attachment in early childhood and may have been abused. Attachment disorders consist of two types: Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED). Individuals with RAD appear to not trust anyone and do not want to engage in any relationship, while those with DSED are not afraid of strangers and are too trusting of people.

Healing Attachment Wounds:

Attachment wounds are usually healed in a therapeutic setting. Therapists will oftentimes become the main attachment figure for the individual and can help the individual develop a secure attachment. The individual can also discuss and understand their original attachment style and how that has affected their life. Therapists may even suggest family therapy to help the individual repair any wounds with original attachment figures. Couples therapy can also be used to help relationships understand the attachment styles that exist in both individuals.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Substance Abuse

What is it?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most widely used form of evidence based practice for improving mental health and was developed in the 1960’s. It is a form of psychotherapy that addresses the way individuals experience situations and their reactions. CBT attempts to help the client change unhelpful and negative thinking and behavior. CBT therapists work with patients to help them disclose, examine and adjust their own thought patterns and responses. According to CBT professionals, our thoughts and our responses to our thoughts are actually what cause our perceptions and govern our behaviors. The CBT therapist helps the client develop personal coping strategies that replace unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. This time-sensitive, structured, and present-oriented psychotherapy differs from psychoanalysis in the sense that it doesn’t focus on childhood wounds and instead focuses on solutions and emphasizes problem solving.

What disorders benefit the most?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was originally designed to treat depression however it has been successful in treating a number of mental illness and has also been one of the most researched therapy modalities for a number of problems. Everyone can benefit from CBT however, the following cases are known to benefit the most from CBT:

• Depression and Persistent Depressive Disorder  
• Psychotic Disorders such as Schizophrenia
• Substance Abuse Disorder and Addiction
• Bipolar and Manic Depression  
• Somatic Symptoms
• Anxiety
• Eating Disorders
• Insomnia
• Personality Disorders
• Anger Problems
• Criminal Behaviors
• Stress
• Low Self Esteem
• Chronic Fatigue
• Physical Pain
• Hormonal Issues

CBT and Addiction/Substance Abuse Disorder:

Research has shown that CBT has been very affective in treating addiction and substance abuse with substances such as alcohol, opioids, gambling and especially nicotine. Negative and destructive thinking patterns, like all-or-nothing thinking, are known to lead to substance abuse behaviors. CBT aims to change these thinking patterns into more positive ones and replace substance abuse behaviors with healthier behaviors. CBT can help those struggling with addiction or substance abuse to identify and become aware of their triggers and learn how to cope with these behaviors in productive and positive ways. Here is an example of how CBT can be used in an addiction setting:

When is it used?

Cognitive Behavior Therapy can be used in addiction treatment centers along with other therapy modalities. Many therapists are trained in both CBT and other forms of therapy and will often times use CBT along with another modality. CBT is also used by CBT therapists and at CBT centers.

How does it work?

CBT professionals believe that our own reactions to events are within our control and dictate the quality of our lives. This form of therapy is based on the Cognitive Model and uses a variety of cognitive and behavioral techniques to change thoughts, actions and feelings. These coping strategies are borrowed from many psychotherapeutic modalities such as, mindfulness. CBT professionals and therapists take a step by step and practical approach. First professionals help clients identify troubling or triggering situations or conditions. Then, clients must understand and see their core beliefs behind these situations. For example, what you tell yourself when a negative situation occurs. Next is recognizing negative or unrealistic thinking. Finally, clients are supported by therapists to reshape their thinking patterns through goal setting and homework. CBT is meant to be a short term therapy and usually lasts between 10-20 sessions, however if CBT is used in addition to other therapy modalities it may take longer.

We all have negative thinking patterns at times. CBT can be beneficial and encourage us to adopt a positive mindset and healthy coping skills. For more information on CBT visit CBT centers like:

https://beckinstitute.org/get-informed/tools-and-resources/

“Negative thinking is an obstacle to self—change.”

Cognitive Therapy Guide Health Professional Resource

Overview:

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a disorder often times found in children, however if undiagnosed teenagers and even adults can be diagnosed with this. Everyone can be rebellious and at times challenge authority however persistent defiant behaviors can be an indicator of ODD. The DSM lists numerous characteristics in which at least four must be consistently occurring in order to be diagnosed. Characteristics include: losing one’s temper, arguing with adults, actively defying or refusing to comply with the requests or rules, deliberately doing things that will bother other people, blaming others for their own mistakes or misbehavior, quick temper or irritable, being angry and resentful, or being spiteful or vindictive. ODD can vary from mild, moderate and severe.

Symptoms:

Often times ODD is diagnosed and identified during early childhood. The characteristics listed above in the DSM are what separates a strong willed child vs a child with ODD. This disorder can cause a lot of stress on the family, relationships and school. These challenging behaviors are also often recognized and shared by other school professionals in which children are then referred to see a school psychologist.

Causes:

Although there is no set cause for ODD, a combination of psychological, biological, genetic and environmental factors can contribute to the development. Children that grow up in homes with little supervision, harsh discipline or inconsistency can develop ODD. Furthermore, ODD often runs in families with members that have ADHD, substance abuse, depression or bipolar.

Risk Factors:

Because ODD is a complex disorder, those with ODD and their loved ones are often at risk to certain factors. Risk factors include severed relationships, poor and intense reactions to situations, negative reinforcement from others, etc. Symptoms of ODD usually resolve within a couple years, however some children will develop Conduct Disorder, a disorder much more severe than ODD and rarely some children will even develop Antisocial Personality Disorder.  

ODD and Substance Abuse:

Oppositional Defiant Disorder does not cause addiction however some of the behaviors in someone with ODD can lead to substance abuse or addiction. Behaviors like being spontaneous, careless and harmful to the self can lead to substance abuse and addiction. It is imperative that both are treated to better the chances of recovery. Some of ODD’s features are that of a compulsive disorder. Upon entering addiction treatment, it is essential that a young person be screened for Oppositional Defiant Disorder. It is imperative that professionals know if a young person has a history of ignoring or deliberately pushing back at authority or breaking rules and laws. Failing to emphasize this behavior can prevent substance abuse recovery all together.

Treatment:

Treatment for ODD is a combination of individual and family therapy that often times lasts for months or longer. The earlier ODD is diagnosed the easier it is to treat. Families play a big role in treatment and strategies to cope with the defiant behaviors are emphasized in treatment. Modalities used include individual cognitive-behavior therapy, family and parent training, parent-child interaction therapy, collaborative problem solving and vive (a program used for older children). Additionally medication is only used when there are co-occurring disorders such as ADHD, anxiety and depression. There is no medication that solely treats ODD, however supplements like Zinc can help stabilize and regulate mood. Treatment is very possible and often times children recover from ODD however it is important that ODD is recognized early.

Prevention:

With so many different factors leading to ODD there is no guaranteed and proven way to prevent ODD, however early intervention is very important. Additionally certain parenting styles can encourage children to behave more positively. Parents can reinforce positive behavior, set realistic limitations and consequences, provide structure and consistency, and be aware of the symptoms of ODD.

Chronic Impulsivity

It’s impossible to be in in complete control of yourself 100% of the time. Most of us lack some self control in areas of our lives. It’s part of the human condition to act out of impulse from time to time. Examples include an angry outburst, or overly indulging during dessert, or even impulsively buying that pair of shoes that you don’t need. These occasional impulsive acts usually don’t have a large influence, however if done repeatedly, there can be large negative impacts. Chronic impulsivity is a severe lack of self control and occurs when individuals constantly struggle with impulse control.

Chronic Impulsivity can take on many forms, such as, difficulty controlling immediate reactions, trouble concentrating and completing tasks, and interrupting conversations. Often times, those who struggle with being impulsive, have a difficult time considering consequences of actions. This continuing lack of self control can have profound effects on lives in many ways. For example, someone struggling with chronic impulsivity experience difficulty learning in classrooms and may struggle to move through the education system. Or perhaps, someone may affect their health negatively through impulsive eating.

Some causes of chronic impulsivity vary from poor modeling during childhood to other psychiatric disorders. Males are often times more likely to struggle with chronic impulsivity than females. Chronic impulsivity is not necessarily a mental illness, however it is considered a disorder in the DSM and is a characteristic of many mental illnesses. Impulse control disorders include kleptomania, pyromania, and intermittent explosive disorder. Chronic impulsive behavior is commonly seen in OCD, ADD, ADHD, BPD, ODD, Conduct Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and more. Most of the time those struggling with chronic impulsivity are diagnosed with another mental illness. Impulse control disorders frequently occur with issues involving substance abuse. A lack of impulse control can lead to substance abuse and substance abuse can lead to a lack of impulse control; at one point were even considered in the same category of the DSM. Additionally, similar regions of the brain may be involved in both impulse disorders and substance abuse.

Those who struggle with impulsivity are vulnerable to many negative experiences such as anxiety, low self esteem, anger, depression, dysfunctional relationships, etc. Whether or not chronic impulsivity is the main issue for someone, it is imperative that it is addressed and explored. It’s important to explore whether the lack of impulse control is a symptom of another mental illness like OCD or an indicator of an impulse control disorder.

Therapy and medication can help alleviate the effects of chronic impulsivity and can prevent impulses from happening. A therapist can help an individual understand the root of their impulsivity, develop coping skills to curb impulsive behaviors, and improve self esteem. There is no cure for chronic impulsivity however treatment and recovery is always possible.

What is Family Systems Theory?

Family systems theory is a theory of human behavior and was developed to better understand individuals and the complex relationships and dynamics within families. In the 1950’s an American psychiatrist, Murray Bowen came up with the Family Systems Theory. After a long time of observing and analyzing patterns and relationships within families, Bowen noticed that individuals are best understood in the context of their families and families are best understood when they are viewed as a whole unit. Furthermore, individuals within a family are interdependent on one another; their thoughts, emotions and behaviors are heavily influenced by each other. This interdependence between members creates cohesiveness and an equilibrium. This is not to be mistaken for a “healthy” family. All families have a homeostasis or a norm to function consistently. Each individual’s role in a family feed off of each other to make a cycle that can be both detrimental and beneficial.

Family Systems Theory is built off the idea that individual’s personalities, behaviors, and emotions are a result of birth order and the role that they play within the family. It is important to note that families are not just solely based on shared genetics and instead can comprise of anyone who is considered to be part of that unit. For instance, a household may consist of parents, children, grandparents and a non-related member such as a friend. Each family is defined by its own unique members.

Why is this theory important?

Family systems theory is used often in therapy especially when addressing an individual with depression or anxiety. When one family member gets anxious, let’s say for example a mother, the anxiety can spread like an infection and eventually another member feels overwhelmed and tries to defuse the anxiety/tension and often times it is one of the children. This can be accomplished in a number of ways such as through humor or taking on the role as the fixer. The individual that does most of the accommodating becomes absorbed with the family’s anxiety. And these are the individuals that are most vulnerable to depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorder, and more ailments. Thus family systems therapy can be useful for anyone and extremely helpful for those struggling with issues like depression or substance abuse.

There are multiple approaches to family systems therapy. Structural family therapy looks at the patterns and dynamics as they are played out during therapy. Strategic family therapy involves problem solving within the family unit outside of the therapy session. Multigenerational family therapy acknowledges the intergenerational influences on current family dynamics.

Family Systems Theory and Substance Abuse

When using a family systems lens, mental health professionals view substance abuse as a symptom of dysfunction within the family. Additionally, professionals recognize that the whole family is affected by someone’s substance abuse. Oftentimes individuals in treatment for substance abuse recover independently and are solely focused on as an individual. While this is important, it is also imperative to understand how the individual’s family influences the substance use. If the family members are open, bringing about positive change within a family can have positive effects on those in recovery. For example, oftentimes family members can be enabling to those struggling with substance abuse. A therapist can help members recognize those enabling behaviors and replace them with more helpful ones while gaining insight. Many treatment programs like Thrive, focus on both the individual and the family systems involved to assure that recovery not only occurs for individuals but also the family members.

Young Adult Drug Treatment Program

What is young adulthood?

Young adulthood, also known as “the in-between age”, is a pivotal stage in life. This stage of life includes anyone ranging from the age of eighteen to thirty-five. Young adulthood is described as rapid changes in emotional, cognitive, physiological, sexual and relational development. For most young adults, this chapter includes features like identity exploration, instability, self-focus, feeling intermediate, and endless possibilities. Individuals in this developmental stage can prosper and thrive or struggle because of the complex transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Young adulthood is unique in the sense that people’s lives can vary drastically from one another. For instance, you may find an eighteen-year-old enlisted in the army, or someone may be getting married and having their first child, another traveling the world, perhaps someone else landed a big job and moved across the country, while others may be living at their parent’s house, going to school or working a minimum wage job. Social media like Facebook and Instagram make it easy for young adults to compare themselves to other young adults which can lead to negative emotions. More often than not, this stage leads to isolation, loneliness, shame, low self-esteem, lack of motivation, etc. Social expectations are confusing in this stage and can be extremely overwhelming for some.

It is not uncommon for young adults to turn to substances and alcohol to cope with the stress of this transitional period and the negative emotions that can come with it. Many emerging young adults who are struggling in this stage have faced past difficulties such as trauma, lack of resources and previous mental health/ behavioral health issues. In addition to large socio-environmental changes such as moving out of your childhood home, the brain is still developing until about twenty-six years old and. This makes young adults even more vulnerable to struggles and challenges. Further more, many mental illnesses emerge during late adolescence and in the early to mid twenties. Unfortunately, if a mental illness, like anxiety, occurs during adolescence, that individual has a 90% chance of having that same mental illness in adulthood.  

Young Adult Drug Treatment Program:

The combination of biology, genetics, past trauma and the big changes that occur during young adulthood can push many young adults into substance abuse and addiction. Treatment programs specifically catered to young adults are common and beneficial to those struggling with substance abuse issues. Young adult treatment programs give individuals the opportunity to relate, connect with other peers in their struggles and create a sense of community. Furthermore, professionals working at young adult treatment centers are experts in understanding and working with young adults struggling with substance abuse and this stage of life. Professionals may focus on a young adult’s fear of independence, their dependence on their parents, and setting goals. An age-specific treatment program provides individuals with the possibility to thrive into adulthood through relating personally to the other members in the program and professionals.   

Check out The Last House for our Young Adult Drug Treatment Program.

Also take a look at Thrive Treatment for IOP services

Young adults are having a harder time moving out their childhood homes and are continuing to live with their parents well after high school and college. Now the average age to move out is 27! In fact, out of the 10 million millennials in the U.S., about 32% live with their parents. This phenomenon is called Failure to Launch.

So why is Failure to Launch a big deal you might ask?

Besides a negative shift in the economy such as educational debt, low homeowner ship and rent, low wages, etc., there can also be negative emotional affects on the young adult and the family. Negative emotional affects that affect the millennial include, lack of self efficacy, shame, anxiety, boredom, and lack of motivation. Additionally, having a young adult remaining in the parent’s home can cause dysfunction and stress for the rest of the family system. This isn’t to say that anyone between the ages of 18 and 34 should never live or move back in with their parents. In fact, sometimes it is necessary to move back home. But is important to be aware of the multi layered effects this phenomenon has on the economy, families and inviduals.

Why do people fail to launch into the “real” world?

There are many reasons this phenomenon has taken place. However, it began with the recession. The recession hit which led to higher unemployment rates and tighter credit markets. It was tougher to qualify for a mortgage and millennials instead began to go back to school to receive a higher education. Higher education led to increased school debt, lower wage jobs, higher cost of living, and thus an overall difficulty leaving the nest. Failure to launch can also be enabled by parents by continuing to treat their adults like children which can continue the cycle of this phenomenon.

How is failure to launch connected to substance abuse?

Some argue that continuing to live with your parents well after high school calls for an extension of adolescence. This stage of life typically leads to more boredom and a curiosity to try new things such as substances and alcohol. The increased availability of substances, particularly opiods, leaves these young adults more at risk for developing substance abuse issues.

What can be done?

It’s important to keep the main focus on the young adult and the secondary focus on the family since it is a systemic problem. Education and an understanding of the issues within a family system are crucial as well.

Substance abuse treatment centers, schools and families should emphasize the goals, ambitions and dreams of the young adults. Welcoming these ideas into treatment and daily living can help motivate the individual to find purpose and develop healthy life style choices.

It’s an easy thing to be tough on crime in American politics. “Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time”, “Three-strikes-and-you’re-out”, and other phrases captured the spirit of the time on crime in America, especially in the 1990s. They were not idle words.

An Individual’s Crime, An American Sin

From 1980 to 2013, America’s prison population had tripled, reports The Economist Magazine.[1] You may read this and wonder, what does that mean? It means that the United States, which presently has about 5% of the world’s population, has 25% of the world’s official prison population. A little less than 1% of Americans are imprisoned at any given time. The US has an incarceration rate so high that multiple newspapers have reported problems, including basic questions about how the prison system will care for inmates with Alzheimer’s.[2] More troubling, perhaps, is a substantial for-profit prison system that has evolved to accommodate an escalating political demand for prisons.

An astute reader may ask further, isn’t this old news? It is, but the past is ever with us and The Economist, The Guardian, The New York Times, and others continue to report on the issue because it is not going away and might actually be getting worse. There wonderful piece in The Economist book review on the politics of wrongful convictions and what it’s like inside private prisons in America today.[3] The Guardian also published a riveting excerpt about how prisons in America are effectively being used as alternatives to hospitalization for the mentally ill.[4] The Article notes that:

“The racial inequity of the criminal justice system has been widely noted: it is estimated that one out of every three African American men and one of every six Hispanic men born in 2001 will be arrested in their lifetimes.

“But for Americans with serious mental illness, it is estimated that as many as one in two will be arrested at some point in their lives. It’s not just arrests. One in four of the nearly 1,000 fatal police shootings in 2016 involved a person with mental illness, according to a study by the Washington Post. The Post estimated that mental illness was a factor in a quarter of fatal police shootings in 2017, too.”

 Drugs, African Americans, and Modern Incarceration

Perhaps one of the best books on the War on Drugs and race is The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander.[5] Alexander’s argument is essentially that The War on Drugs and Tough on Crime policies devastated African American communities. To put this claim in perspective, African Americans represent roughly 40% of the US prison population and are incarcerated at a rate nearly six times greater than non-Hispanic Whites.[6] This is despite the fact that African Americans are 13% of the total population, according to the 2010 Census.[7]

There are two claims that we will examine by Alexander: that the War on Drugs has dramatically expanded the prison population and that the War on Drugs has disproportionately impacted African Americans.

A report by the Brookings Institute shows that drug offenses constitutes the majority of all incarcerations in U.S. prisons. These can be seen with Federal data in Graph 1, although Drug Crime Admissions were declining in the late 2000s. It should be noted while going through these statistics that there is very little in the way of transparency. These Brookings numbers were published in 2015 but are using 1990s and 2000s data.

Having established that most admissions are for drug offenses, why is there any debate? A consequence of lack of transparency is that most people were looking at the left-hand part of the Graph 2. Some experts concluded that since drug offenses comprised only 20% of the prison population at a given time, that the War on Drugs was not an overwhelmingly significant source of incarcerated persons. This is clearly false when one considers the rate at which non-violent drug offenders are processed by the criminal justice system—there are fewer of them in prison at a given time because their sentences are shorter.

The second part of the claim is also easy to validate. Using Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) figures, we can clearly see that African Americans are incarcerated at much higher rates than any other racial group. Incidentally, these figures are much higher for Africans Americans aged 18-19 than their peers in other racial groups—11 times as high.[8] It is entirely possible that the decrease in African American incarceration could be attributed to more lenient enforcement and sentencing for minor drug offenses, of which young African American men are hit disproportionately hard.

Do Drugs Cause (Violent/Property Related) Crime?

Now that we have talked about some of the biases of the criminal justice system, we ought to ask ourselves: why might drugs cause crime and do they actually cause crime?

We start with the first question because theory better informs facts. In the field of criminology, (spoiler) it is well known that many types of illicit activities are correlated with each other. There are basically two models for thinking about causality: (1) persons who abuse drugs are likely to engage in other crimes to fuel a habit that is costly and (2) the type of person who would abuse drugs will also engage in other crimes because they cannot control themselves.

There is no real consensus as to whether drug abuse causes (non-drug related) crime. The problem is that both theories presented above could be true simultaneously—drugs could be a motivating factor in some crimes but inherent personality traits could be in other crimes. One study suggests that different types of drugs are associated with different crime types: abusers of benzodiazepines and methamphetamines being more likely to commit opportunistic property crime and abusers of alcohol and heroin being more likely to commit violent crimes.[9] In either case, acting under the influence of drugs was noted in over 70% of property and violent crime cases. To top it off, a meta-study found that drug abusers were three to four times more likely to offend than non-drug users.[10]

Conclusions—A Definite Case for Sobriety

Whatever your feelings are on the War on Drugs or substance abuse generally, it is pretty clear that there is a strong case for giving drugs a wide berth in our society. They are strongly associated with large numbers of serious criminal offences even outside the realm of possession. Regardless of causality, if you know or suspect that a friend or loved one is abusing, you should try to intervene as quickly as possible before the situation escalates. The American Criminal Justice System is both massive and often pitiless in the administration of the law, saying nothing of the stigma attached to individuals after release. Should preventative measures fail, your best recourse is to find some sort of alternative sentencing and try to manage your loved one’s dependence.

[1] https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/08/economist-explains-8

[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/health/dealing-with-dementia-among-aging-criminals.html

[3] https://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21732513-why-criminal-justice-system-so-very-fond-incarceration-problem-prisons

[4] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/31/mental-health-care-crisis-overwhelming-prison-jail

[5] http://newjimcrow.com/about

[6] https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/rates.html

[7] https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf

[8] https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p16.pdf

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25705014

[10] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359178908000037