MOVIE ANALYSIS 28 Days

Date: June 18, 2012 Name/s: Amacio, Ivy Frances Lim Dy, Dannica Mae Mila, Feninah Nicole Nilo, Chester Nicole Pimentel, Abigail Topic: Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

1. What is the chief complaint? (According to herself and others) (Give two) The lead character, Gwen Cummings (Sandra Bullock) is a party animal, constantly high on either alcohol or some form of barbiturates and everybody is alarmed with her behaviour when she is drunk. She has been causing so much trouble infront of her family but she doesnt even know it. She also went through an accident due to her alcoholic ways when she steals the bridal limousine and runs into a house. Her punishment involves spending 28 days at a rehabilitation clinic where the clients (who are a motley crew, to be sure) chant and hold hands in a desperate attempt to overcome their problems. At first, Gwen doesn't believe she has a problem and she isnt aware that her alcohol problem is really very serious. 2. What kinds of problems has Gwen encountered as a result of her drinking or pill use? (Give at least 5) According to The Pocket Handbook of Clinical Psychology, alcohol abuse is diagnosed when alcohol is used in physically hazardous situations (driving). But, also according to this book, abuse differs from dependence in that it doesn't include tolerance, withdrawal, or compulsive use patterns. And this clearly defines Gwen. Within the first couple of days they no alcohol, and take away her pills. Without these two substances that she once depended on, she turns to smoking cigarettes, chewing gum and eating candy. After the first couple of days, she becomes very anxious and her hands become extremely shaky and she says that she cannot control them. Also, she becomes compulsive with creating a chain by folding gum wrappers together. It shows her starting it with her shaky hands, and then later on it shows the linked chain that has grown to about four feet long. These habits follow along with what the book describes as dependence

3. What family history (a significant risk factor) is presented? (Give at least three)

A character in this movie that was not diagnosed, nor did they receive any treatment was Gwen's mother. She was showed in brief flashbacks of Gwen's memory, but her personality and problem was quite evident. Every time that she was shown she was drunk, and was continually drinking. She showed no responsibility for her two young daughters and completely disregarded their safety. She even went to the extent of taking the coffee table, turning it upside down and using it as a sled. The problem was that she was too drunk to notice that they were headed towards a street and the only thing that kept them from getting hit by a car was that they hit a snow bank. The sad part was that she thought it was funny and just laughed it off. Due to a lack of scenes with this character, she can't be diagnosed with dependency. She can only be diagnosed with alcoholism. According to The Pocket Handbook of Clinical Psychology, alcoholism indicates evidence of repeated impairments from alcohol in multiple areas of life functioning, despite which the person returns to drinking. This obviously holds true for the mother. Even after passing out in the middle of her kitchen floor and putting her daughters lives in jeopardy, she continually brought the bottle to her lips. The fact that she died as a result of drinking shows that she wasn't just a casual drinker or even a binge drinker on the weekends, Due to the fact that she died at such a young age shows that she consistently drank and consumed massive amounts of alcohol. It is very probable that the cause of her disorder was heredity. Most likely, somewhere along her family line, there are more people that have a drinking problem, and it was passed down, and she became caught up in it. Another possibility is that she turned to drinking as a result of her husband leaving her and her children. Drinking alcohol could have been her coping mechanism to not feel the pain of him being gone. She also could have experienced other traumatic events that she wasn't able to deal with alone, and alcohol she felt was her only option.

4. What is the status of Gwens relationship with others? (with friends, boyfriend and sister) FRIENDS o Gwens friends before she was rehabilitated were partiers that spend most of their time drinking. She also surrounds herself with problems. So, by surrounding herself with all these negative influences they are just fueling the fire of her problem. o At the rehabilitation facility, she wasnt likely to be friends with the other patients because she thinks that she is not sick and doesnt need anything to do within the rehabilitation facility. But as she realized her problems, she became friendlier within the other patients. She participated in the treatments and she started verbalizing her problems within these patients that she considered friends. She also helped some of the patients through talking to them and communicating such as with her roommate whos a heroin addict and she also started being friends with a famous baseball player whos also addicted to drugs, alcohol and sex. BOYFRIEND o Gwens boyfriend is an alcoholic as well. He considers Gwen's recovery a joke. In the beginning, Gwen was in denial that she had a problem/disorder, that if she wanted to, she could quit at any time. This showed she was ignorant and unwilling to accept that she needed help. This is supported by the fact that even though she was in rehab for drinking, she proceeded to break the rules

by leaving the facility to get drunk with Jasper- her boyfriend. Jasper gives her pills and alcohol while she was in Rehab. SISTER o Although the reconciliation between Gwen and her newlywed sister is awfully hasty, the movie demonstrates the betrayal and frustration that loved ones suffer as a result of chemical dependencies. Lily (Gwens sister) makes it clear that she is overwhelmed with disgust and rage at Gwen's lack of self-control. When she recounts the offensive toast that crowned Gwen's assault on her wedding, audience will have a hard time not cringing themselves. Although Gwen is a sympathetic character, the movie doesn't let her off easily. o Also, when her sister came to aid in the therapy, Gwen was oblivious to and denied what she had done at the wedding. By the end of this movie, Gwen decides to take her life down a different path and was then reconciliated with her sister.

5. What other observations do you have about the clients behavior? (Give at least 2) Gwen is still in denial about her problem, and after being sent to the rehab she was just going through the motions to satisfy her sentence. Gwen being inside the rehab, she was experiencing tremors, illusions, and the need to take pills. Gwens behavior before entering the rehab was extremely rebellious in action. Gwen doesnt care about the people around her, she only thinks of whatever she feels is fun for her and her boyfriend. Gwen laughs like she havent done any wrong. Just like after the cake has been ruined and also the time before the wedding has to start. All of the brides maid were all there except her. 6. What treatment plan would you outline? (Give three) Taking one s self away from bad influences and factors that contribute to abuse. Take the initiative to verbalize what is wrong and try to fix the problem on own terms. Verbalizing events that have happened in the past to be able to come across what is happening now so that it will later help in fixing the problem. 7. With what expected outcomes? (give at least four) Once she is released from rehab she remains sober and separates herself from the negative influences in her life. She breaks up with her fun-loving boyfriend and chooses not to party with her friends. She also considers and takes the advice of her counselors by approaching life in a different manner. Overall, Gwen dealt with her problem in a mature way. Once she hit the roadblock of realizing she did have a problem/disorder she decided to do things differently. She stopped blaming others for her actions and realized the pain and upset she had caused the ones she loved. She took responsibility for her actions, and chose to right her wrongs.

8. What symptoms of alcohol intoxication and substance withdrawal have you observed with the patient? (Identify as much as you can) Gwen is extremely resistant to taking part in any of the treatment programs[->1] they have to offer, refusing to admit that she has an alcohol addiction. During her first group therapy she was asked about her drug of choice, her response was simply I guess I drink. Gwen goes through detox where she suffers from withdraw symptoms, flashbacks, and

hallucinations. She reflects back upon her childhood memories of her mother, which was presumed to have passed from a drug or alcohol related death. She visualizes the many nights out while consuming alcohol and those she shared those times with. While going through detox Gwen is to refrain from any type of substance that could be addicting, such as nicotine and caffeine. She is forced to be sober and her actions are not that of someone who is pleased to abide by the rules or be taken away from a substance of which she later realizes she is addicted to.