only backgroundI'm a wife, mother and grandmother. I'm opinionated. I contradict myself frequently. Most of all, I love my kids. I believe in them. I fight for them. They're weird and wonderful. If you want to know more, here's a bunch of other stuff from my old site.
Will They Ever Get It?
- by Marisa
- February 21, 2007
I don’t think I’ll ever figure out how people in power can deny the problems that are staring them in the face. It’s as though the minute we elect someone to office they lose the part of their brain that does the critical thinking. They just walk around repeating pithy phrases as though life is just one continuous sound bite.
Around here we have kids dying every week from drug overdoses. And by kids I mean teens and young adults. There have been over a dozen that I have known personally, who have walked into my home, who rode in my car. And that doesn’t even count the ones who are walking zombies. Kids who played ball with my boys, who spent the night here, jump between heroin and their methodone treatment, then back to the heroin again. The cycle never ends.
From what I’ve seen of methodone treatment, it isn’t working. What these addicts really need is a comprehensive, inpatient drug rehab center. We need this nearby, not 100 miles away, so that parents and siblings can be part of the recovery. Like it or not, the entire family is part of the addiction and the entire family needs treatment. That doesn’t happen when the addict is sent hundreds of miles away. At some point, they must return to their family and community, neither of which have changed. We need neighborhood drug rehab facilities.
Why don’t we have them? Because, according to one local mayor, our problem is no worse than anywhere else in the country. According to the people in the local towns, we need help but Not In My Backyard.
I have to wonder how many people we need to lose before something is really done about this.
- Posted in:
-
- Comments (3)
- Trackbacks ()
I know of a great drug treatment program. Narconon Vista Bay is a wonderful long term treatment facility that handles all aspects of addiction.
I went through the program myself after being addicted to Meth. I am now feel great and doing better then ever. I would recommend it to anyone who was looking for help for themselves or a loved one.
Good luck
Marisa, I understand your sentiments and posting this article seems to reiterate what every parent, leader, or practically everybody should realize. I agree that having drug rehabs right where the neighborhood is should be considered. You’ve highlighted your point that the family should get involved in the treatment process, largely because, in my point of view, in some way or another the family members have contributed to the addiction of the kid. It is sad I know, but this is reality that keeps biting. I hope for our imminent victory over drugs!
–cha
I’m not sure what you mean by “the family members have contributed to the addiction of the kid.”
Addiction does affect every member of the family. I hope you aren’t saying that the family, especially the parents, are the cause of the addiction. Addicts typically spend a great deal of time trying to blame everyone around them for all their problems. To blame the family is to play into the hands of the addict and give him the excuses he loves.
But yes, addiction is a family disease and the entire family must be treated. When rehab fails, it’s mostly because we didn’t extend treatment far enough beyond the addict.