We Need To Change The Way We Think About Addiction

With the opioid crisis continuing to ravage the nation, it’s time for a paradigm shift when it comes to societal perceptions about addiction and recovery. Putting an end to the stigma surrounding addiction may also include recognizing that substance abuse is not the sole problem of the individual.

Addiction not only destroys the individual, it devastates families, disrupts the workplace, damages communities, and continues to erode society. Substance abuse disorder affects us all. The problem of addiction requires a collective solution.

Substance abuse treatment that involves a circle of coordinated care is a growing standard in recovery as well as a the national level of health research.

Additionally social services and mental health organizations, medical practitioners, law enforcement agencies, local communities, and educational institutions can work better together with addiction treatment facilities. We may see a profound change in the realm of addiction and recovery in this case.

This is becoming increasingly true in the area of mental health disorders, and addiction — or substance abuse disorder – is a mental health disorder.

“It takes a team to produce these kinds of results, including judges, peer counselors and treatment providers, as well as the clients themselves, says GET HELP Advisory Board Chair Lloyd Sederer, MD in Psychology Today, in a review of the new PBS Documentary, The Definition of Insanity.

Though this film is about broader mental health issues and their relationship to incarceration, the same principals apply. Dr. Sederer writes, “District Attorneys and law-enforcement agencies, not only County government, have come to recognize the value of [The Miami-Dade Criminal Mental Health Project (CHMP)] because it works — as we witness in this remarkable and compelling film. Since the inception of the CMHP, 10 years ago, arrests in Miami-Dade County have gone from 118,000 to 56,000, annually. Moreover, recidivism in clients who complete the program (both for felonies and misdemeanors) is less than 25% — a stunning reduction from the rate of approximately 80% before it began. To add to the proof of its effectiveness, jails are closing, which has saved Miami-Dade County $12 million a year. All of which, as I mentioned, leaves me greatly puzzled as to why this court diversion and treatment approach has not propagated throughout our country.”

What Does A Coordinated Circle of Care Look Like in Recovery?

A coordinated circle of care can be integral in assisting someone in their efforts to achieve long-term sobriety. Coordinated care reflects a unified effort among treatment centers, outside agencies, and the community at-large to provide ongoing support to the recovering addict or alcoholic.

It represents an alliance of collective responsibility to build safe and healthy communities by empowering the individual addict or alcoholic to recover. This happens through a coordinated effort whereby professionals work together to ensure that an individual’s needs are being met to promote ongoing sobriety.

Here are a few examples of what a coordinated circle of care would look like:

• Social service agencies working with treatment facilities to make sure a recovering person’s basic needs will be met when they get out of rehab.
• Direct referrals to mental health organizations that operate independently from rehab centers so that a client can immediately transition once they leave treatment.
• Connecting recovering people with organizations that promote sober events.
• Information about colleges and universities that facilitate recovery support services and sober dormitories.
• A national effort to create a criminal justice system that supports treatment as an alternative to punishment.
• Support from active members of the community to encourage a healthy lifestyle through community advocacy and involvement.

Rehab is just the first step on someone’s recovery journey. The real work begins when the individual completes treatment and sets out to face the word clean and sober. They need to return to a world that is ready and available to be of help.

Addiction is a Chronic Disease That Can Be Treated

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, no single factor can predict whether a person will become addicted to drugs. A combination of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors influences risk for addiction. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. However drug addiction is treatable and can be successfully managed.

Together, We Can Recover From The Disease of Addiction

There is strength in numbers. People seeking sobriety require a strong support system to assist them in their recovery journey. They need resources that will benefit them as they learn to walk the path of recovery. This is why coordinated care would be so essential to those who want to live a sober lifestyle.

Do You Have a Problem With Drugs or Alcohol?

If you are battling an addiction, help is available. At GET HELP, we offer a free search tool that will allow you to find addiction treatment near you. To search online CLICK HERE.  To download the app CLICK HERE.