Running head: ADDICTION AND WHIP WHITAKER IN FLIGHT

Addiction and Whip Whitaker in Flight

A Case Study
Sazshy Valentine
Wake Forest University

ADDICTION AND WHIP WHITAKER IN FLIGHT

Addiction and Whip Whitaker in Flight

A Case Study
Conceptualization of Client
William Whip Whitaker is a male, middle aged, black, middle class airline pilot for
major airline, SouthJet. Before becoming a commercial airline pilot, Whip served in the United
States Navy as a pilot. Whip is single and lives alone; previously he resided at an apartment in
Atlanta, Georgia, and immediately before treatment was staying at his late fathers farm outside
of town. Whip has a teenage son who lives with his ex-wife in Atlanta. Whip has little to no
contact with his son and ex-wife. He began a romantic relationship with a woman he met
recently in the hospital, however, she recently left him. Other social supports include his best
friend, Harling Mays, his airlines pilots union representative, Charlie Anderson, and attorney,
Hugh Lang.
Recently, Whip captained a SouthJet flight from Orlando to Atlanta during which the
aircraft experienced technical difficulties. Whip maneuvered a controlled crash landing, saving
96 out of the 102 lives on board. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation
revealed that Whip had a blood alcohol content of .28 within an hour after the crash landing, as
well as traces of cocaine in his blood. Whip reports that in the weeks after the crash before the
NTSB hearing he intended on denying his alcohol and cocaine use to avoid criminal charges and
jail time. He communicated that immediately upon his release from the hospital after the crash
that he removed all alcohol and drugs from his house, and made a commitment to himself to quit
drinking and using drugs. Whip stated that after being told by his lawyer that the NTSB tested
his blood for substances, he went straight to the bar and began drinking alcohol once again. He

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reports that his use escalated to what he describes as constant, out of his control, and destroying
his personal and professional life.
Whip is in mandated inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse and cocaine abuse. After the
NTSB hearing during which he admitted to being drunk and high while piloting the flight, and
during the hearing, Whip was ordered by the court to receive thirty days of inpatient substance
abuse treatment. Upon completion of treatment, Whip is to report directly to prison to serve his
5 year sentence for manslaughter. Whip states that he is grateful for the opportunity to be treated
at a rehabilitation facility before becoming imprisoned.
I would use the biopsychosocial model of addiction when working with Whip. The
model suggests that multiple causes including biological, psychological, and sociological
combine to allow for addiction (CAMH, 2012). The biopsychosocial model is appropriate for
Whips case because it captures many different facets of his life, and provides the opportunity for
a team approach to treatment. An individualized treatment plan will work best for Whip because
his addiction is complex and affects every area of his life including family, friends, his work, and
legal issues.
Unfortunately we are unaware of any biological factors that may attribute to Whips
addiction to alcohol and cocaine. Though, based off the amount of alcohol that Whip reported he
disposed of from his late fathers home, I would explore further to discover if Whip recalls either
of his parents being dependent on alcohol. Psychologically, drinking alcohol and using cocaine
proves to be a significantly rewarding experience for Whip. He enjoys spending time with
friends and colleagues while drinking and snorting cocaine. He reports that he has the time of
his life because he is able to forget about his past screw-ups as well as the intense stress of
being an airline pilot. Whip discussed the alcohol helping him mute stressful thoughts at night,

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helping him go to sleep, and that cocaine aids in reenergizing in time for work after a night out
on the town drinking. Socially, it is evident that all of Whips notable relationships are shaped by
substance use; when spending time with friends, alcohol and cocaine is always readily available.
It is important to note also that his relationship with his ex-wife and son is severed due to their
disapproval of his alcohol and cocaine abuse.
Screening and Assessments
During the initial intake session I used the CAGE questionnaire (Ewing, 1984) and also
asked some general questions about Whips alcohol and cocaine use to establish an
understanding of his consumption, loss of control, and to determine what adverse consequences
have affected him in the past. In response to the CAGE questions, Whip replied that multiple
individuals ranging from family, friends, and colleagues have recommended to him before that
he cut back drinking, and that he always feels annoyed when someone comments on his
drinking. He stated that he feels guilt and regret over times he was intoxicated on alcohol and
cocaine around his son; he pondered out loud whether he would have a better relationship with
his son if he was not drinking so heavily throughout his childhood. Whip replied affirmative to
the eye-opener question stating that he routinely drinks and uses cocaine in the morning to get
his day started after a night of heaving drinking and drug usage.
Based on Whips responses to the CAGE I then did a more formal alcohol and drug
assessment. Historically, Whip reported to drinking more than he intended more often than not,
and that he has failed to fulfill major role obligations because of drinking and using cocaine. He
drinks alcohol and uses cocaine every day, throughout the entire day. He described liquor,
typically straight vodka, to be his alcohol of choice, consuming a fifth of liquor or more per day.
He stated he has missed major life events of his sons, has called in sick to work countless times,

ADDICTION AND WHIP WHITAKER IN FLIGHT

and that his apartment is in disarray. As is clear from the NTSB hearing as well as Whips
personal account, he used alcohol and cocaine in physically hazardous situations while piloting
commercial airline flights, putting himself, his crew, and thousands of passengers at risk over the
years. Alcohol and cocaine use caused interpersonal problems leading to divorce from his wife
and estrangement from his son. Whip stated he has built up a tolerance to alcohol and cocaine,
and when he has tried in the past to cut back or quit he experienced the shakes, trouble sleeping,
nausea, restlessness, agitation, and strong cravings. His attempts at quitting have failed, and he
affirmed that he spends a great deal of time obtaining, consuming, and recovering from alcohol
and cocaine.
Other important elements of the assessment include his referral source, life situation,
family history, religious history, work history, legal history, sexual history, and mental status.
Whip presents as intelligent and well-groomed. Whip has held his position as an airline pilot
steadily since he discharged from the U.S. Navy. No significant ties to religion were reported.
Besides minor traffic violations, Whip reports no prior legal problems besides the current one he
faces. He stated he has had frequent sexual partners since his divorce. He is oriented to person,
place, and time, and his affect is congruent with verbal responses. Short-term and long-term
memory were tested and appear intact.
Based off of information gathered in the intake session, Whip meets the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-V) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)
criteria for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11 for both Alcohol Use Disorder and Stimulant Use
Disorder. Whip did not meet criteria number 9 because he did not report any psychological or
physical problems caused or exacerbated by his use. I administered the Beck Depression
Inventory (Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock & Erbaugh, 1961) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory

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(Beck & Steer, 1993) during the intake, and Whip did not affirm any significant symptoms of
depression or anxiety. Whip is diagnosed with Substance Use Disorder, Severe and Stimulant
Use Disorder, Cocaine, Severe.
Counseling Strategies
After completing the stabilization phase of treatment and upon entering the rehabilitation
phase (Miller, 2012), it will be most important to first establish a strong therapeutic relationship
with Whip. To do this, I would approach Whips treatment with a client-centered foundation
based on the guiding principles of empathy, reflective listening, open questions, affirmations, and
summarizations (Miller, 2012). In the beginning of treatment we will also develop goals for
change, and create a realistic change plan. Examples of goals for Whip are to abstain from
alcohol and cocaine use, manage withdrawal symptoms, accept long-term abstinence, develop
meaningful interpersonal relationships, develop new coping skills, increase self-efficacy, and
attend mutual help group meetings and establish a home group. Objectives that will help meet
Whips goals include but are not limited to: identify triggers for alcohol use, identify triggers for
cocaine use, identify current unhealthy coping skills, and learn new interpersonal skills.
Throughout the goal setting process, clinical approaches that enhance Whips motivation
for change will be utilized. I would implement motivational interviewing (MI) strategies and be
constantly looking for Whips motivations to change in terms of his desire, ability, reasons, need,
and commitment. To assess for motivation I might ask questions like, What reasons might there
be for you to make a change?, How important is it for you do to something about your alcohol
and cocaine use? and What do you think youll do? (Miller, 2012, p. 164). When I hear Whip
responding with change talk I would always reflect and affirm his statements (Miller, 2012).
Emphasizing acceptance of Whips choices and beliefs, as well as Whips autonomy throughout

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this process will be crucial to ensure he both feels supported and also knows that any change
decisions moving forward are his own.
In addition to MI strategies, I would incorporate Relapse Prevention Therapy (RPT)
which is a cognitive behavioral approach to treating addiction (Marlatt, Parks & Witkiewitz,
2002, p. 2). This approach fits in well with Whips goals of abstaining from alcohol and cocaine
use even in high-risk situations for relapse, identifying existing and developing new coping skills
for managing relapse triggers, and increasing self-efficacy. An important overall objective of
RPT will be to approach Whip as a colleague for his treatment plan to create a sense of openness.
This will allow him to detach from his addiction as someone he is, instead seeing it as something
he does (Marlatt, Parks & Witkiewitz, p. 19).
As an initial part of RPT, together, we would analyze Whips relapse process by asking
questions to determine the chain of events (situational, interpersonal, and psychological) that
lead up to relapses for Whip (Marlatt, Parks & Witkiewitz, 2002, p. 6). For example, I would
ask, Describe any inner thoughts or emotional feelings that triggered off your need or desire to
take the first drink at that time (Marlatt, Parks & Witkiewitz, 2002, p. 10). In addition to open
questions, a relapse prevention strategy I would use is the decision matrix for alcohol abstinence
in which I would have Whip analyze the positives and negatives for both immediate and delayed
consequences of remaining abstinent and resuming alcohol use. Whip would also write an
autobiography on his addiction history to continue assessing for high-risk situations, and also
understand how his self-image as a drinker and cocaine user (Marlatt, Parks & Witkiewitz, 2002,
p. 28).
After Whips high risk situations have been identified, we would initiate coping skills
training to deal with these situations in the future. Examples of ways we would work on coping

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skills include problem solving activities, role playing high risk situations, and relaxation training
to manage stress (Marlatt, Parks & Witkiewitz, 2002). Ongoing coping skills training and
additional guided imagery techniques will aid in enhancing Whips self-efficacy. Progress will
be seen as Whip begins to identify his triggers through high-risk situation analysis, master new
coping skills, and express greater confidence in his ability to change. As progress continues,
Whips lifestyle will be more in balance in terms of his mental, emotional, physical, and
spiritual wellbeing (Marlatt, Parks & Witkiewitz, 2002, p. 39).
Modes of Treatment
Treatment will take place in an inpatient treatment facility for a minimum of 30 days.
Length of stay can be extended based upon mutual treatment team and client agreement.
Throughout his stay, Whip will receive a structured, high-level of care. He will engage in groups
two times per day, attend lectures, complete homework assignments, meet individually with
counselors, and attend 12-step meetings. Ideally, Whips ex-wife and son would be willing to
attend and engage in family meetings to help Whip in his recovery. This level of care will
benefit Whip by removing him from all environmental triggers while he detoxes and implements
a change plan, and also allow him to receive medical and psychiatric monitoring.
Upon completion of his inpatient stay, ideally it would be recommended that either he
live at a halfway house or Whip attend an intensive outpatient treatment program while he
adjusts to life outside of a rehab facility. It would also be recommended that Whip continue to
meaningfully participate in mutual help groups, and maintain contact with his sponsor. The
purpose of this would be to structure his time and be around supportive professionals to aid in
the prevention of relapse and maintenance of his treatment goals. Unfortunately, since Whip is
to report directly to prison upon release from the rehabilitation facility, it is recommended that

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Whip engage in any addiction recovery services that the prison offers. Ultimately, Whip will
have to assess the different resources provided to him and make his own informed decision based
on what he thinks will work best for him.

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10

References
American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5 Task Force, & American Psychiatric Association.
(2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (Fifth ed.).
Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.
Beck, A.T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., & Erbaugh, J. (1961). An inventory for
measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 4, 561-571.
Beck, A.T., & Steer, R.A. (1993). Beck Anxiety Inventory Manual. San Antonio, TX:
Psychological Corporation.
Ewing, J.A. (1984). Detecting alcoholism: The CAGE questionnaire. JAMA: Journal of the
American Medical Association, 252, 1905-1907.
Marlatt, G.A., Parks G.A. & Witkiewitz, K. (2002). Clinical guidelines for implementing relapse
prevention therapy. Illinois: The Behavioral Health Recovery Management Project.
Miller, W. R., & Forcehimes, A. A. (2012). Treating addiction. Guilford Press.
Parkes, W.F., MacDonald, L., Starkey, S., Zemeckis, R., Rapke, J. (Producers), & Zemickis, R.
(Director). (2012). Flight [Motion Picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures.