By Deobrah Burns
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 — September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, which is an incredibly important but little known declaration by our nation’s government.
Alcohol and drug addiction is a significant problem in our nation and wrecks havoc here in our Stanly County community. A substantial amount of criminal activity is connected to substance abuse and dependency making our roads and neighborhoods less safe.
Employment is harder to maintain and families are disrupted or worse destroyed. Unfortunately, no one is immune. Addictions can be found in all walks of life regardless of how much money is earned or positions in society achieved. These ramifications impact almost all of us. It is estimated 69 percent of individuals are affected by addictions, whether it is their own personal problem or a problem affecting someone close to them.
Having an addiction is having a disease. Recent research has shown drinking and drug use actually changes the structure and mechanisms of the brain. The more a person uses alcohol and/or drugs the more the brain changes. Many of these changes can be long-lasting and life threatening. Using or abusing substances can cause the development of an addiction which is defined as a compulsive need to obtain and use drugs, despite the harmful consequences or desire to stop. Often a person needs substances just to feel normal.
Without the substances, the person will begin to feel sick and start going through physical withdrawal. Psychologically, a person may not be able to function normally in society, needing their drug of choice to assist them in handling stress, be able to ignore personal problems or function with overwhelming emotions. Depending upon the drug of choice, the addict may be driven to do whatever it takes to fulfill their need for the substance including illegal activities they never would have done if they were not using drugs or drinking.
Multiple factors have been identified as common characteristics of folks with addictions. They include, but are not limited to: a family history of substance use; having parents who had problems with discipline; having parents who used or approved of substance use; school failure in mid-to-late elementary school or having behavioral problems in early teen years.
Science has shown us alcoholism tends to run in families and has a genetic component putting some folks at greater risk. Environmental factors also play a large part. Individuals who have been exposed to drinking or drug use have a 40 percent to 50 percent greater potential for developing an addiction themselves. Those with personal problems tend to use alcohol and other drugs to numb the pain left from a history of sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect or undiagnosed emotional problems such as depression or anxiety.
Recovery is the key out of the abyss of substance use. With the help of a comprehensive treatment program, individuals can address their addictions and the underlying psychological needs. Being abstinent from using drugs is not being in recovery. Recovery includes but is not limited to: learning how to cope, building skills to resist using substances again, developing support systems, improving problem-solving skills and developing healthier interpersonal relationships.
There are many successful treatment models to achieve recovery, what is crucial is matching the intervention, setting and services to meet the individual’s needs. Research tells us the most effective treatment programs combine mental health therapy with recovery-skills building, social support and a high level of accountability.
Recovery is to be celebrated. It is a renewal of life. An opportunity to make amends, grow and become a whole person once again. Friends and family may want someone to “get into recovery;” however, the desire for treatment is internally driven. We can not make someone get help if they are not ready to make that commitment. The greatest gift we can give a loved one with a substance problem is to allow them to fail, to experience a crisis, in order to become open to getting the help they may need.
To learn more about addictions and recovery options for you or a loved one contact National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (NCADD) 1-800-622-2255 or www.ncadd.org. Look for the local branch of alcoholics anonymous or www.alcoholics-anonymous.org. Or the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information @ 1800-729-6686 or www.health.org. Or call the local treatment agencies in this area. We are all happy to help out in any way we can.
Deborah Burns is the Clinical Site Director of Daymark, a non-profit mental health and substance abuse treatment agency which works with folks from ages 5 to 99. Daymark is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and offers Emergency Services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Call 1-800-939-5911 or (704) 983-2117.
Substance Abuse in
Stanly County Costs Taxpayers
According to the North Carolina Public Health Web site, 4,248 individuals (ages 12 and up) were documented as having a problem with substance abuse in Stanly County in 2008. Local law enforcement data shows 600 folks were charged with driving under the influence in the 2007/2008 fiscal year. Nationally, alcohol and drug abuse has been computed to cost the taxpayers nearly half a trillion dollars a year.
