Discussion Assignment on Abnormal Psychology and Wet House Approach

This discussion assignment explores the controversial topic of "wet houses," facilities that provide shelter and allow alcohol consumption for individuals with severe alcohol use disorders. The assignment, based on an article about a "wet house" in St. Paul, Minnesota, prompts an examination of the benefits, drawbacks, and ethical implications of this approach. Students are asked to consider whether ethical principles are upheld in such environments, analyze admission criteria, and explore alternative treatment options like psychotherapy and medication. The assignment requires students to integrate concepts from the textbook, conduct internet research, and engage in a discussion with peers to analyze the effectiveness of the wet house model and its place within the broader context of abnormal psychology and substance use treatment.

Running head: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Table of Contents
Question 1........................................................................................................................................2
Question 2........................................................................................................................................2
Question 3........................................................................................................................................3
Question 4........................................................................................................................................3
Question 5........................................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................5

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Question 1
The wet houses are the special shelter which are built to give shelter to the homeless
people who are very much involved in drinking a safe place or a shelter to drink and live happily.
Normally alcohol are not allowed in the shelter houses for the homeless shelters. However n he
wet houses (Jeffrey, Spencer and Beverly). There are many benefits of setting up a wet house.
The homeless people gets a shelter where they are served foods along with alcohol. The residents
are not required to go for counseling or treatments. Past reports say that the total cost spend in
setting up a wet house is much less than person who is homeless and at the same time alcoholic
in the streets as a vagabond creates much problem to the legal services, social services as well as
medical services
Question 2
There is no doubt that the wet houses are doing very good work by providing shelter to
the homeless peoples but excessive consumption of alcohol directly effects the cognitive and the
physical functions of the persons. It also reduce the self-control of the patients amd also leave the
individual to negotiate resolution of the non-violent. It perpetuate the substance abuse on a
regular and constant basis (Jeffrey, Spencer and Beverly). The condition of the environment also
get worsened after the persons start drinking more and more. The people living in the wet houses
are detached more from the society and thus they cannot keep control themselves from getting
angry. The residents get no other ways to recreate and spent most of the days by drinking as the
simplest way to recreate. The residents rather than utilizing the benefits of the wet houses misuse
the chances provided by the wet houses.

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Question 3
Yes, ethical principles need to be considered while setting the wet houses as these shelter
houses are not like the other shelter houses where several restrictions remain regarding the rules
and regulations of the houses. In the wet houses the alcohol addicted people are allowed to drink
more so that can get understand the need to lead a happy life and also leave the habits of drinking
but this is not the correct way to treat the alcohol addicted people. The health conditions of the
residents will deteriorate rather than improving (Jeffrey, Spencer and Beverly). Along with the
drinking the residents will also need to receive the medical treatment as their health conditions
will no doubt decrease. The residents rather than getting cured become much more anxious
regarding a simple matter. It is against the ethics to make a unhealthy person more diseased.
Question 4
If the wet house approach has been offered as the option to the patients who are suffering
from chronic conditions as well as unsuccessful treated addictions, the criteria to determine who
can get admission to the wet house and who are not is the, economic conditions of the people
who are alcoholic. People from all social and economic backgrounds are involved in drinking.
People from good financial background are able to treat themselves by following different
medical therapies and the psychological therapies but the poor people and those people who do
not have permanent homes are not able to afford for the cost required for the treatment (Jeffrey,
Spencer and Beverly). The rich people are able to afford for different other recreations but the
poor people are not able to afford for other recreations. So it can be said that only the poor
people who are not able to afford for the cost will be able to take the admission in the wet houses

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but the rich people must not be allowed to get admission in the wet houses (Jeffrey, Spencer and
Beverly).
Question 5
The only option that is left for the people who are suffering from chronic issues of
substance use is the medicinal therapy and the psychotherapy. If anyone of the interventions fail
then, the patients can be applied with both of the interventions. Proper psychotherapy can treat
the mental issues. A person who is already undergone more than 6 treatments but still is not
getting cured is psychotherapy (Jeffrey, Spencer and Beverly). Often medicines fail in treating
the patients suffering from mental issues or those suffering from substance use. In that cases the
psychiatrists must be consulted and proper psychotherapy should be done. The patients need to
visit the doctors frequently and regularly. It may happen that the drug addicts are not responding
to initial psychotherapies, in those cases the therapies must be given repeatedly.

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References
Nevid, Jeffrey S., Spencer A. Rathus, and Beverly Greene. Abnormal psychology in a changing
world. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2003.