Every year, in the second week of November, this country honors its heroes. Veteran’s Day is a stark reminder that courageous men and women have fought hard for America’s freedoms. In the addiction community, it inspires us to pause and reflect on the effects of war on our soldiers, long after they leave the battlefield.
Blog: News & Views from the Field
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An Airing Addiction Recap
In a recent study conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, it was found that 84 percent of current inmates in the state prison system were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol at the time of their crime. While that may come as a surprise, the need for addiction treatment within the walls of prison, should not.
According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The over-prescription and general availability of medicines like benzodiazepines, oxycodone and amphetamines have contributed to our current epidemic.
If you’re a sports fan, you’ve heard of Josh Gordon. His entrance to the NFL was highly anticipated. Drafted as a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns in 2012, he logged 50 receptions for 805 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie year. But by the time his career in Ohio was over, he had missed 43 of the team’s last 48 games due to struggles with addiction. A series of failed drug tests, DWI arrests and rules violations made it increasingly difficult for coaches and staff to continue championing the talented player.
Recently, State Director Earl Warren and Regional Program Director Nicole Rendon from Spectrum’s Correctional Division conducted a workshop on medication-assisted treatment to administrators and behavioral health practitioners attending the American Correctional Association’s 148th Congress of Corrections in Minneapolis. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is being considered by many criminal justice authorities to help address the rising number of individuals addicted to opioids in the justice system.
Our older citizens have made our communities what they are today with years of love and hard work. That’s why its particularly sad to see the sharp rise in addiction among people over 65.
Not only has the issue become far more prevalent, it is also under-diagnosed – allowing the problem to persist for longer than necessary in some individuals. Senior citizens often find that their symptoms are dismissed by medical professionals or mistaken for other issues experienced by older adults, such as loneliness, degenerative changes, dementia and more.
Mental health and addiction cannot be separated – not in reality and not in treatment. As an organization dedicated to treating the whole person, we’re happy to announce the latest addition to our clinical team – Dr. Roger Bayog, Spectrum’s newest psychiatrist. Dr. Bayog has an extensive history of treating co-occurring disorders all over the world.
Pop singer Demi Lovato’s story is common. She was six years sober before she overdosed in her home on July 24. She was revived with naloxone and transported to the hospital. Relapse is often part of the lifelong recovery journey and should not be viewed as a failure. In fact, between 40 to 60 percent of people relapse.
You may have noticed that a lot of our treatment programs revolve around group meetings, group therapy and group activities. Peer recovery support best exemplifies the power of groups to not only help people strive for and maintain recovery, but build a foundation for the rest of their lives.
In case you missed it, we teamed up with Walgreens for an informational Facebook Live in response to the U.S. Surgeon General’s call for all Americans to begin carrying naloxone. It’s an effective and timely idea, as the Department of Public Health (DPH) estimates that there are four to six overdoses a day in Massachusetts. We understand that there are still stigmas attached to addiction and the medications that help treat it, and many people don’t fully understand what it is, let alone how to use it and where to get it. Those realities make educating people about addiction and naloxone all the more important.
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