National Addiction Awareness Week
As National Addiction Awareness Week draws close, I reflect on what it means and how we can educate and help local communities. As someone who has worked on four continents and over 20 years, I feel privileged to be in a position to be able to help someone who is struggling with addictions. No one is immune. It is like saying someone is immune from developing diabetes, blood pressure problems, heart problems, cancer, etc. Similar to all these, addiction, or more correctly, Substance Use Disorder, is another chronic health problem. Rather than reviewing blood results, blood pressure, CT scans, or MRIs, we must review habits, behaviours, and thought processes.
The inability to manage one’s emotions and use drugs or alcohol to escape the emotional pain has been the constant underlying issue for many struggling with addictions. Initially, they had underlying mental health issues and were using something to cope. Later, the underlying problem remains, and they also develop addiction issues. Irrespective of what addiction one suffers from, there is only one hallmark feature of all: Lack Of Control. People suffering from addictions are no longer in control, and very few can stop using entirely without professional help. Due to the underlying mental health issues still present, there is a need to resolve them.
If there is something that everyone needs to be aware of about addictions, it is that people struggling and suffering from these issues need even more help and support. People may need help and support even to decide to seek professional help in the first place. From what I see, there are more liquor stores than pharmacies. There are infinitely more home delivery services for drugs and alcohol than medications. When someone is suffering from the withdrawal effects of drugs and alcohol, it is much easier to get a home delivery of something that will make them feel better rather than wait for their appointment to get professional help. It almost looks like the system is making money by making people sick and keeping them sick and suffering. I wonder if our communities are aware of that.
