Barriers of Treatment

Nikita C Johnson
(PCN- 438) Maxine Fuller
July 17, 2014
There are many treatment options across the world to provide service for chemical dependency and mental disorders. Changes are made all the time to improve the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Still clients fail to participate in treatments. The systems fail to always provide proper and quality service. These barriers intervene with the treatment being able to work. Addressing them from the start is the only way to make improvements that work. The clients can experience internal and external barriers towards treatment. Neither barriers is worst or better than the other. Both effects the outcome of treatment and can prolong the addiction.
Internal barriers effecting clients from treatment include stigma, personal beliefs, depression and attitudes. Addressing these issues will not come easy. Each individual will have to be helped in their own personal way. Different methods will have to be used in order to personalize help for each client. Stigma refers to the ideal of being called an addict or an alcoholic. To be called such a title out in public makes the client feel weak, embarrasses and ashamed. All these feelings is a sign of worthiness and makes the client disregard taking the steps towards a better life and treatment. Stigma also can be used to describe a client un-wiliness to open up in treatment and tell their story, alone with having the nerves to ask for help. Personal beliefs is another internal barrier. There are individuals who believe they have no addiction. Regardless of the negative behaviors, disrespectfulness, illegal actions, change of attitudes and lifestyle, disappointment from family and friends. They still believe their problems do not exist. This is a barrier that effects many individuals. Other personal beliefs such as believing in a higher power is a barrier also. Having a belief in a higher power is good. It will help the client with their addiction. But it’s not the only key factor to treatment. More is needed then prayer and the Bible. Yes, God can fix all problems, but sometimes education, medication, group sessions and a new surrounding needs to be added to the circle with God in order for the treatment to fully work. Psychological distress such as depression, bad attitudes and neuroticism are internal barriers with the client as well. These feelings causes the client to lack motivation and strength to face the truth. Denial and fear stands in the way to seek treatment. No good support system can be a barrier too. Clients may experience internal barriers that make big influences on their treatment. But there are also external barriers that will make big impacts as well.
By eliminating the external barriers such as systematic and environmental circumstances. They are the barriers that the clients have no control of. Time conflicts, entry difficulty, treatment cost, and addiction treatment accessibility are what they include. Finding time to complete treatment can be hard. Treatment conflicts with work, school, family, household duties, and their social life. Deciding when to give time for treatment can cause stress on a person. Not knowing what to put first and what to put second is a clear path to a break down. Sometimes these decisions based on time can cause the individual to just give up and walk away from the road to treatment. People offend choose to put their family first. Other external barriers include the process of entry. The process of completing assessments, finding a center that is right for their needs and paying for the treatment. Barriers can be frustrating. Policy issues can become a hassle. Sometimes service organizations and waiting list can be so long that the individual just move on with life. Mental health of an individual can become a barrier also. Privacy concerns is a big issue for some. Knowing that their problems are kept safe from the outside helps the client to