Description To prepare for this Discussion: Consider the thoughts and feelings …

Description To prepare for this Discussion: Consider the thoughts and feelings you had during the exercise, as well as the influences of family and culture on your experience. Were your systems of influence supportive of your efforts, unhelpful, or were they critical? What role did this have on your success or failure? How did you feel about yourself during this exercise? And did that change or fluctuate? Consider what biases you have challenged and where you stand on those issues currently. Reflect on your answer to these questions as you prepare your response to the Discussion prompt.  Post the following: A summary of your experience with abstinence, including its effects (positive and negative) on those you live with or those closest to you (family, friends, etc.). Include your overall progress, such as successes, relapse(s), or even failure to abstain. Explain how internal influences such as individual traits, age, gender, and personality, affected your overall experience. Explain how external influences such as family, culture, and other considerations affected your overall progress. How might this experience apply to working with clients with addictive disorders, or with clients who are affected, directly or indirectly, by addictive disorders? What has changed in terms of your perspectives of addiction from Week 1 to Week 10? Consider etiology, addiction as a choice, your abstinence experience assignment, and any personal biases in your response. Regardless of whether you intend to go into the field of addictions counseling, what do you think is the most important issue you could advocate for to affect positive social change in this field?  What is your biggest takeaway from this course?