Alcoholism used to be an object of many experiments, a subject of many discussions, and a recurrent theme in many movies. The popularity of alcoholism as a source of movie profits is justified by the inner physical, emotional, and social struggles involved in the process of treating addictions. More often than not, producers and popular actors present alcoholism as a serious social trouble, letting the audience develop situational and psychodynamic interpretations of the disease, its course and outcomes. According to Room, between 1945 and 1962, at least 34 films made in Hollywood featured an alcoholic as the main character. Almost all of them were focused on presenting and analyzing the role of willpower and mutual help in a successful recovery while ignoring the most important aspects of professional treatment (Room, 1989). 28 Days, a 2000 film featuring Sandra Bullock and Steve Buscemi, uncovers many interesting sides of female alcoholism. Although the movie can hardly be considered as the best example of Bullock's artistic talent, it raises important questions as to the role of rehabilitation centers, group therapy, and family history in female alcoholism treatment, as well as the barriers women must overcome on their way to recovery. It is very useful article, read more: buy-online-essay.com
Synopsis
28 Days is a story of alcohol dependence. Gwen Cummings starring Sandra Bullock lives a life full of adventures. Alcohol, parties, and sex form the story of her colorful life. One morning she wakes up to realize that it is Saturday, and she is late to her sister's wedding. She comes to the wedding drunk, with her drunken boyfriend, turning the ceremony into the ugliest event in her sister's life. She falls down, and the wedding cake behind her back suddenly becomes a mess that is hardly suitable for eating. Gwen does not want to be responsible for the issue, and she borrows the limousine, in order to find a new cake for her sister. On her way, she gets into a car accident that is supposed to change her life.
Despite the severity of the case, the court allows Gwen an opportunity to choose between 28 days in a jail or the same amount of time in a rehabilitation center. Gwen chooses the latter as a seemingly milder approach to her addiction. Upon her arrival at the rehabilitation center, she finds herself extremely reluctant to engage in group or individual therapies. She refuses to acknowledge that she is an addict. Only when the threat of incarceration becomes real, Gwen suddenly decides that time has come to get rid of alcoholism. She overcomes numerous obstacles on her way to successful treatment, from establishing effective relationships with other residents of the rehabilitation center to reuniting with her sister. After 28 days, Gwen leaves the center with a strong conviction that she will never drink again.
Role of Addiction in the Film
Alcoholism is the central topic of the movie, and the treatment process is the focus for both the producer and the audience. Each and every event in the movie is tied to Gwen's addiction. The morale behind the story is that alcoholism is a complex disease that results from many factors and influences and, at the same time, has numerous devastating impacts on the quality of the addict's life. The destructive impacts of alcoholism further extend to influence other members of the addict's family, friends, and the social surrounding. Understanding the nature of the addiction and developing effective treatments is impossible without looking deeper into its causes. For Gwen, it is the family history of alcoholism that predetermines her decisions, actions, and emotional reactions to treatment.
According to Chermack, Stoltenberg, Fuller and Blow, family history is an established risk factor for developing alcohol dependence. "Risk for developing problems with alcohol increases roughly as a function of the number of affected relatives or density of FHA" (Chermack et al., 2000, p. 845). The relationship between family history of alcoholism and the risks of developing dependence later in life is of particular importance (Chermack et al., 2000). "28 Days" depicts this complex relationship, picturing Gwen's mother, her drinking habits, and the risks it has for the children. Gwen is overwhelmed with the tragic memories of her childhood, when neither she nor her sister could wake up their drunken mother. Their mother diedwhen they were still children, and Gwen is yet to realize the role the addiction of her mother has played in her own dependence.
Alcoholism is also depicted as a factor that has profound social implications. Gmel and Rehm (2003) state that alcohol misuse causes harm to people other than the addict, and it can have profoundly negative impacts on the entire society. As a result of dependence, the addict cannot cope with his/her primary professional and family roles any longer. Gwen ruins her relationships with the sister, her only relative and the only possible source of family support. Alcohol misuse leads to the continued drinking, even when it is obviously dangerous for the addict's and other people's health (Gmel & Rehm, 2003). Gwen keeps driving the limousine, even though she no longer controls the situation. She experiences numerous problems in interpersonal relations due to alcohol addiction (Gmel & Rehm, 2003). She finds it difficult to establish effective social ties with other residents of the rehabilitation center. It is possible to say that the role of the addiction in 28 Days is to show how a single alcohol-related incident can ruin the lives of the drinker and dozens of other people.
How Alcoholism Is Addressed in the Movie
Dozens of rehabilitation centers have been opened in the United States to provide victims of alcohol and drug addiction with relevant assistance and group support. In 28 Days, Gwen goes to one of such rehabilitation centers, where she must spend 28 days in order to treat her alcohol dependence. It is interesting to note that "the road that individuals traverse in order to change an established addictive behavior pattern is described in five stages, beginning with the precontemplation stage" (DiClemente, Schlundt & Gemmell, 2004, p. 104). At the precontemplation stage, individuals are not interested in changing their behaviors (DiClemente et al., 2004). With time, by means of a reward-risk analysis, addicts move to the contemplation stage of their addiction, when they finally make a decision to address their addictive behaviors (DiClemente et al., 2004). This is exactly what happens to Gwen, who enters the rehabilitation center without any strong desire to improve her life. She fails to acknowledge the fact of addiction. From the very beginning, being in the rehabilitation center for Gwen is just the least of the two evils, the second one being incarceration.
A distinctive feature of treatment in 28 Days is that the woman enters it through legal coercion. Coercion raises the question of motivation, which is claimed to be essential to the success of treatment in alcoholism (DiClemente et al., 2004). Modern society justifies the importance of compulsory treatment by the fact that substance abuse often leads to criminal behaviors (Wild, Roberts & Cooper, 2002). Moreover, compulsory treatment is a more cost-effective alternative to incarceration (Wild et al., 2002). The current state of research does not offer any conclusive evidence to support the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment by coercion (Wild, 2006). However, Greenfield et al. (2007) suggest that women-alcoholics are much likely to enter substance abuse treatment strategies than men. For Gwen, who does not realize that she is dependent on alcohol and needs professional help, coercion becomes the only possible way and a single source of motivation to change her behaviors.
The treatment strategy offered by the rehabilitation center is based on the principles of group behavioral therapy and mutual support. Saitz (2005) writes that mutual support is one of the most appropriate models of behavioral treatment in the context of substance abuse. Individuals who have poor social skills may experience difficulties with social interaction, but mutual support groups lead to higher rates of abstinence in those, who choose to participate in those groups (Saitz, 2005). Gwen faces a number of barriers to establishing productive relations with the members of her group. She feels indifferent and cannot express her emotions openly. With time, she develops a strong support network and living an alcohol-free life becomes her top priority. Possibly, she would benefit more from being engaged in a women-focused single-gender group (Greenfield et al., 2007). However, she manages to establish quality relations with men and women in her group. More importantly, Gwen is decisive in changing the nature and patterns of her social relationships beyond the rehabilitation center. By breaking up with her alcoholic boyfriend, Gwen sets a new stage for personal development and growth. The only question that needs an answer is how long she is able to keep herself away from alcohol.
Simao, Kerr-Correa, Dalben and Smaira (2002) write that the chief factors associated with a good response to substance abuse treatment include: severity of alcohol dependence, engagement in religious practices, and follow-up length. Gwen must attend 90 meeting during the 90 days after she leaves the rehabilitation center. The very first day at home shows that the path towards complete abstinence will be thorny, and the quality of the follow-up support provided will define Gwen's chances to succeed in that struggle. Therefore, it is difficult to decide whether 28 days at a rehabilitation center signify the end of addiction or the beginning of a new struggle. For many addicts, this struggle can be as long as the lifetime.
28 Days: Artistic Merit vs. Medical Considerations
28 Days is hardly one of the best movies about addiction. Its artistic merit is quite questionable. Gwen's struggle against dependence does not include any drama, inner fight, or any considerable losses. She is a single woman, without a fortune or children, and the whole life is still ahead of her. Her image reflects the changing beliefs about dependence, according to which an addict is no longer considered as being lazy, weak-willed or immoral (Hart & Ksir, 2013). She is a victim of the tragic circumstances of life. However, the movie suggests that, at times, only the legal system can stop the addict from committing a more serious crime. Gwen was drunk, when she drove the limousine. She hit a small road sculpture and crashed into somebody's house. She could easily crash into a child and be forever guilty for taking someone else's life. The movie confirms the simple truth that alcohol dependence has a strong social dimension, and it requires active involvement of all stakeholders, including family, criminal justice institutions, and mutual support providers.
Alcoholism is a complex addiction that encompasses numerous biological, hereditary, and social dimensions. 28 Days is a story of a female alcoholic, who eventually manages to overcome her addiction. She spends 28 days in a rehabilitation center, where she finally acknowledges that she is an addict, establishes productive relationships with other residents, and leaves with a strong confidence that she will never drink again. From a professional standpoint, the treatment strategy offered at the rehabilitation center incorporates the elements of group counseling, behavioral therapy, and mutual support. Gwen has a family history of alcohol abuse, and the social implications of her drinking behaviors are also far-reaching. The only question is whether 28 days at the rehabilitation center signify the end of an addiction or the beginning of a lifetime struggle. The character of Sandra Bullock does not provide any answer.