EDITORIAL: Alcohol/drug addiction a family/community matter

Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal - 8/19/2018

Aug. 19--Alcohol and substance abuse and addiction are no respecters of persons. Or places.

At present, there are about 19 million Americans dealing with substance abuse. And, as reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the problem is only getting worse.

In fact, the government's leading health agency has deemed it necessary to declare substance abuse an epidemic in America, with comparable significance to cancer and obesity. And opioids are the primary reason.

Addiction doesn't discriminate by gender or ethnicity, sexual orientation or class. It does, however, tell a different story in each of our nation's individual states.

According to our state's Department of Public Health, Mississippi has one of the heaviest rates of prescription painkillers per capita.

In 2016, there were 211 drug overdose deaths in the state, according to statistics from the State Bureau of Narcotics.

Today, Mississippi ranks fifth among the states where there are more opioid prescriptions than there are people.

According to the National Alcoholism Center, alcoholism is a major problem in Mississippi, and the disease does not affect only the alcoholic.

Alcoholism has far-reaching affects.

According to data collected by the Mississippi State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup, Mississippi adults and young people engage in numerous alcohol-related risk-taking behaviors that lead to arrests and deaths.

Currently, Mississippi ranks among the worst states in the country for alcohol-related behaviors, driving under the influence, and deaths of underage drinkers.

Without effective treatment, the problem will only continue to negatively impact the lives of Mississippians.

Our state needs to address this problem at every level and focus the necessary resources on all of our state's most vulnerable populations.

A sad, but important truth of addiction is it does not affect just the addict, but every single person who cares for him or her. Addiction affects families and communities.

As Daily Journal health writer Michaela Gibson Morris wrote in a story in Friday's edition, addiction is a chronic disease. But that does not have to be the end of the story.

There are treatment programs that offer the hope of rehabilitation to the addicted person.

There are also programs available to help family members deal with the hurts and fears and disappointments they've been forced to feel because of an emotional and/or familial attachment to an addict.

Another crucial part of treatment for family and friends of an addict is helping educate them on how to help and not hinder the addicted person's rehab and beyond.

Patience is paramount.

Many who decide to get help with their substance addiction might think the recovery process involves detox and rehab alone, but ending substance abuse is only the beginning.

Recovering from an addiction is a lifelong process because staying sober takes commitment and determination.

We commend those who choose to make that commitment, the loved ones who create a strong support system and the caring professionals who work with all.

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