September is National Awareness Month for Substance Abuse
What is Addiction?
According to the American Association for Addiction Medicine (ASAM): “Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.”
The American culture (with puritanical roots) tends to create a lot of shame and blame around addiction.
What did I do wrong as a parent or spouse? Am I somehow enabling?
Are there any medications that I can take to stop this?
I’m embarrassed and don’t want anyone to know how bad it is. Are there options for treatment that are discreet?
My loved one has a high-profile job...how will their treatment impact our family life?
The advancement of neuroscientific research is providing evidence-based data on the nature of the disease of addiction. In 2016, the US Surgeon General published a report entitled Facing Addiction in America, declaring addiction a brain disease. Why is this important? This designation allows for funding in treatment and prevention efforts, including medical coverage subsidies to care for the estimated 30 million Americans struggling with addiction concerns.
Fortunately, we are in modern times! There are some extremely helpful medications that have been proven to assist with “taking cravings off the table”. Medications can sometimes get a bad rap; it is common knowledge that a medication like ‘Antabuse’ will create an awful immediate reaction after consuming alcohol – thus, establishing a quick cause-and-effect negative outcome. These can be helpful for some, but not all. Medications like Naltrexone, helps with opioid and alcohol addiction and has given people their lives back.
What About Treatment?
Talk therapy can be helpful in uncovering unhelpful patterns and building new skills; if there is a higher level of care needed, the therapist will work with the client to discuss options. There are some fantastic Intensive Outpatient (where the person lives at home, and goes a few times a week for therapy and support) and residential (live-in) options here in Colorado and across the U.S.
A fantastic, robust resource for helplines, fact sheets, provider and treatment finders and the latest research is Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration https://www.samhsa.gov/. There are loads of helpful tools that are meant to increase accessibility and reduce stigma.
If this is striking a chord for you or a loved one, know that you are not alone! Addiction is the “one degree of separation” of our time. Chances are, someone you know is impacted by addiction, and help is available.