Teaching social workers about substance use problems via temporary abstinence from normal mood-altering behavior

Social work students enrolled in a graduate-level course in substance abuse (N = 450, over nine years) assessed their own "moodaltering" behaviors (i.e., stress-reduction strategies and leisure-time activities), abstained from one or more of these activities for one week, then completed a written summary of their personal bio-psycho-social experiences. Student papers indicate significant personal insights were gained regarding alcohol and other drug (AOD) issues, and also provide grounded-theory support for major AOD themes. This paper describes the details of this experientially based teaching strategy, and also summarizes AOD themes that emerged from student experiences, including anticipatory reward, substitution, craving, willpower, impaired control, rationalization, shame, guilt, powerlessness, and the challenges of change.