Addiction: You Don't Have to Talk About It

Unless you die of an overdose, you don't have to talk about your addiction or your recovery from addiction. Well, if you're dead, you won't be the one doing the talking anyway, but everyone else will!

What motivated this rant was an actress on a talk show I watched last night. With every topic of discussion, she tossed her drug recovery into the ring. It was annoying to hear this on a comedy talk show because addiction is not funny.

When celebs "broadcast" in a discussion about their taking drugs and their recovery from drugs, it sets up a precident for everyone who has ever had a problem with drugs or alcohol. This is not to shortchange the work of many celebrities and regular folks in overcoming their addiction problems. There is nothing harder to pull off than to recover from addiction. Anyone who succeeds is a giant in my eyes.

If a recovering addict wants to talk about his addiction, that is his prerogative, and I wish him the best. I'm not saying that he is wrong to talk about his recovery -- even online. But, sometimes in their enthusiasm to help others, recovering addicts share dark secrets about their drug pasts that are just as well left unsaid.

An addict in recovery should be known as a really nice guy, or a great actor, or a generous philanthropist -- not as an addict. People are so much more than their addictions -- they are moms and dads and co-workers and valued friends. Why tarnish their image? Not everyone shares my positive views on addicts who have overcome the disease of addiction. In fact, many people (like potential employers) are downright mean spirited about it.

Just something to think about. Addiction is ugly and deadly -- and there is nothing (and I mean nothing) funny about it. 

Solving the Problem of Addiction

(A once-beautiful meth addict)

The American Medical Association's definition of disease is a condition that is chronic, progressive and fatal, if not arrested. The AMA classifies addiction as a disease because it meets these three criteria.

It's a shame, though, that addiction is being treated primarily by the legal system and is considered a legal and societal problem -- not a medical problem.

Society's idea of helping addicts is to lock them up. But what people don't realiize is that addicts get out of jail and are back out on the streets again. Only now the addicts are felons and parolees. They can't find jobs because no one wants to hire felons.

A large percent of the nonviolent offenders in the prison system are there because of addiction. Addicts have to steal to get their drugs. Drugs are like air for addicts, and just like we can't live without air, addicts can't live without their drugs.

No one wakes up at the age of 19 and says, "I think that I will become a drug addict. Heroine will be my drug of choice." This young person is exposed to peer pressure, bad parenting, and all kinds of abuse in and out of the home. No wonder she's an addict.

In a country where the government can bail out the banks and the car companies, why -- then -- can't they get a handle on addiction? It takes detox, treatment and follow-up, and these take money.

Most addicts haven't got the money to invest in comprehensive health insurance, and if you saw what an addict must endure in government-sponsored addiction care, you would be appalled. We treat dogs better.

Addiction is not an impossible problem. It just takes funding.

I wonder if The Donald would read this? Nah. . .

Society is Imploding

Some 45.9 million, or around 1 in 5 American adults (age 18 and over) experienced a mental illness in the past year, according to the US government's latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released this month.

The survey, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), finds that the rate of mental illness among 18 to 25-year-olds was more than twice as high as among people aged 50 and over (29.9% versus 14.3% respectively).

The survey report defines mental illness as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral or emotional disorder based on criteria given in DSM-IV (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders edition IV, published by the American Psychiatric Association, APA, in 1994). The definition excludes developmental and substance use disorders.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in developed countries mental illness accounts for more disability than any other group of illnesses, including heart disease and cancer.

The economic impact of mental illness in the US is high: estimates suggest it came to about $300 billion in 2002.

The US National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) includes about 67,500 people (age 12 and over) throughout the country every year.

The latest survey (2010 NSDUH) also found:

• Adult women were more likely to have experienced mental illness in the past year than adult men (23 versus 16.8%).
• Substance dependence and abuse was higher among people with mental illness (20% versus 6.1% compared to those without mental illlness).
• 11.4 million adults (5% of the adult population) suffered from a serious mental illness in the past year (one that leads to a serious functional impairment that substantially interferes or limits one or more major life activities).
• These had an even higher rate of substance dependence or abuse (25.2%).

SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a press statement that:

"These data underscore the importance of substance abuse treatment as well."

However, "Mental illnesses can be managed successfully, and people do recover," said Hyde, adding that the government "is working to promote the use of mental health services through health reform. People, families and communities will benefit from increased access to mental health services."

She also said mental illness is not an "isolated public health problem". It often co-exists with other diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, obesity and cancer. It is also linked to risk behavior such as physical inactivity, smoking, excessive drinking, and insufficient sleep. And if you treat the mental illness you often succeed in reducing the effects of the other disorders, said Hyde.

The report shows that 39.2%, or about 4 in 10, people experiencing any mental illness received mental health services during 2010. For those with serious mental illness, the rate of receiving services was considerably higher at 60.8%.

The report also mentions that an estimated 8.7 million adults had seriously contemplated suicide in the past year, including 2.5 million who made plans to kill themselves and 1.1 million who tried.

The report also highlights some important mental health issues among 12 to 17-year-olds. For 2010 it finds that 1.9 million youngsters (8% of 12 to 17-year-olds) had experienced a major depressive episode in the past year. A major depressive episode is one that lasts for at least 2 weeks and is characterized by loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, and which meets at least four of the seven symptom criteria laid out in DSM-IV.

And, reflecting the same pattern in the figures on adults, the report shows that young people in this age group who experienced a major depressive episode in the past year had more than twice the rate of illicit drug use in the past year (37.2%) compared to peers who had not had a major depressive episode during the same period (17.8%).

Dr Ileana Arias, Principal Deputy Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the report "provides further evidence that we need to continue efforts to monitor levels of mental illness in the United States in order to effectively prevent this important public health problem and its negative impact on total health".

Crisis Hotline

If you are in crisis or know someone who is and who may be at immediate risk of suicide, then SAMHSA urges that you call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or go to their website at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.

The hotline is funded by SAMHSA and provides immediate, round-the-clock, every day of the year, free and confidential counseling to anyone in need throughout the United States.

If you are outside the US then try this website Befrienders International.

In the UK, contact The Samaritans.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD

People of Value

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple up the $20 bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands........................ were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. "My friends, we have... all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We may feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special --- Don't EVER forget it cos we are all worth our weight in gold xxx

Happy New Year!

Real

I am feeling real today

And I'm not sure why

It doesn't seem to be my schedule

Nor the color of the sky.

Today I have that feeling

Proud, but relieved still more

Yesterday I accomplished

What I was scared to do before.

I think I have an idea

The reason, it may be,

I have got my addiction

But no more does it have me.

(Adapted from a poem

by Alicia A. Gibson © 2003)