analysis of book" Beautiful Boy, a fathers' journey thorugh son's addiciton
Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction o Fordham University (10:30am class)
Individual Oriented Treatment (SW6422)
December 13, 2014
A parent’s journey is often filled with a multitude of emotions and experiences. In an age where so much is happening in the world parents will worry about everything and usually do everything in their power to protect their child. However, too often parents find out that forces stronger than them may interject at any time in their child’s life leaving them helpless. In the book “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey through His Son’s Addition”, by David Sheff a series of sad events are detailed deriving from his eldest son’s alcohol and drug addiction. To Sheff’s horror his son is not only drinking and smoking marijuana but has tried a multitude of drugs which eventually resulted in him being addicted to “Meth”, a debilitating drug that is known to deteriorate a person from inside out.
Nic began smoking Marijuana and drinking with friends when about 11 years old. When Sheff first found out about Nic drinking and using drugs he thought it was just an experimentation phase as he himself had done when he was Nic 's age. However, later it was known that Nic started using other drugs and eventually became addicted to Meth, which led to Nic’s life spiraling out of control.
Sheff faces doubt and insecurities when it pertains to his parenting as he is desperate to help Nic but helpless as he does not know how. Sheff struggles with coming to terms with Nic 's addiction and what led Nic to the addiction as he felt guilty and responsible. He consistently consults with people and hears a myriad of suggestions relating to boot camps, inpatient and outpatient, month long programs and so on. He researches each suggestion and decides on long term rehabs as the best choice. He hungrily seeks help with getting child into a rehab every time he relapses as he fears if he waits too long Nic
Individual Oriented Treatment (SW6422)
December 13, 2014
A parent’s journey is often filled with a multitude of emotions and experiences. In an age where so much is happening in the world parents will worry about everything and usually do everything in their power to protect their child. However, too often parents find out that forces stronger than them may interject at any time in their child’s life leaving them helpless. In the book “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey through His Son’s Addition”, by David Sheff a series of sad events are detailed deriving from his eldest son’s alcohol and drug addiction. To Sheff’s horror his son is not only drinking and smoking marijuana but has tried a multitude of drugs which eventually resulted in him being addicted to “Meth”, a debilitating drug that is known to deteriorate a person from inside out.
Nic began smoking Marijuana and drinking with friends when about 11 years old. When Sheff first found out about Nic drinking and using drugs he thought it was just an experimentation phase as he himself had done when he was Nic 's age. However, later it was known that Nic started using other drugs and eventually became addicted to Meth, which led to Nic’s life spiraling out of control.
Sheff faces doubt and insecurities when it pertains to his parenting as he is desperate to help Nic but helpless as he does not know how. Sheff struggles with coming to terms with Nic 's addiction and what led Nic to the addiction as he felt guilty and responsible. He consistently consults with people and hears a myriad of suggestions relating to boot camps, inpatient and outpatient, month long programs and so on. He researches each suggestion and decides on long term rehabs as the best choice. He hungrily seeks help with getting child into a rehab every time he relapses as he fears if he waits too long Nic
Cited: Bogeanu, E.L. (2012). The role of social services in the context of intimate violence. Revista de Asistenta Sociala, 11(4), 153-174. Engle, D. & Arcowitz, H. (2007). Viewing resistance as ambivalence: integrative strategies for working with resistant ambivalence Fraiberg, S., Adelson, E., & Shapiro, V. (1975). Ghosts in the nursery: a psychiatric approach to the problems of impaired infant-mother relationships Horvath, A.O. (1995). The therapeutic relationship: from transference to alliance. Psychotherapy in Practice Newman, C.F.(1994). Understanding client resistance: methods for enhancing motivation to change Taylor, A. C., Guterman, N. B., Lee, J. S., & Rathouz, P. J. (2009). Intimate partner violence, maternal stress, nativity, and risk for maternal maltreatment of young children Winnicott, D.W. (1984). The antisocial tendency: deprivation and delinquency. London: Tavistock Publications, 121-131.