ABSTRACT
Building on the previous chapters’ exploration of the Personal Consultancy (PC) framework, this chapter will examine its application within the area of addiction of women in the probationary service. Whilst the term addiction can convey a plethora of meanings and interpretations, its essence for the purpose of this chapter can be encapsulated by Toates, (2004) description that addiction is the ‘compulsive use of psychoactive drugs which illicit a psychological effect’. The most commonly used psychoactive drugs, according to Atkinson et al. (1990), include: depressants (alcohol, barbiturates, minor tranquilisers); opiates (heroin, morphine); stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine, caffeine); hallucinogens (LSD); cannabis (marijuana, hashish). These drugs affect behaviour and consciousnesses and act in a specific biochemical way on the brain. With repeated use they result in physical and psychological dependency. Working with addiction involves not only dealing with the dependency but also addressing this in tandem with the underlying reasons that instigated the misuse.
