Do you know someone addicted to prescription drugs? Perhaps pain killers, mood stabilizers or sleeping pills? Can I just tell you that this kind of addiction can happen to anyone, at any stage of life, regardless of race, ethnicity or income level? The drugs don't care. I've seen it happen to people in our own family and just yesterday a good friend shared the frustrations of watching her mom sink under the weight of prescription drugs. Medications intended for good, that she's now taking in excess to numb her senses. My friend feels hopeless, while her mom seems content with her choices... including not looking for a job, staying in bed all day, and watching her debt skyrocket out of control.
Watching someone you love suffer with any type of addiction, whether it be drugs or alcohol is painful. There's really only one answer to addiction... that answer of course is treatment. Getting your loved one to a treatment center is no small battle. I think most adults will hit rock bottom, with pride completely broken before they'll admit they need help. It's scary to be that person... knowing you're out of control. No one wants to feel they need to be taken care of. No adult wants to feel a lack of independence. Knowing you'll be separated from something you've come to depend on for comfort is terrifying. Not only the drugs, but also your home, your schedule, the comfort of sleeping in your own bed, and making your own decisions about what you need to get you through the day.
I can't even imagine being in those shoes, but would be naive if I thought it couldn't happen to me. How many of you know someone who started taking prescription pain killers for a bad back and later lost their job or their marriage after an inability to stop taking the medication? Maybe they couldn't focus at work, became confrontational, or stopped caring about things that were once important to them. When drug abuse is present, everyone notices. Eventually, everyone close to the abuser will know something is wrong... which is one reason many abusers hide from loved ones. Recovery can seem insurmountable for someone suffering from addiction and takes commitment.
What if your loved one is in their 70's? What if they're only 19? The West Palm Beach drug treatment center actually considers not only the patients age, but also their gender when customizing a drug treatment program. I'd never thought about how treatment styles might be different for people at different stages of life, but it makes complete sense.
After all, if a teenager has an addiction to alcohol, her addiction could have blossomed out of peer pressure to drink, while a man in his 40's might be addicted to drinking as a result of having difficulty coping with life. Sometimes it's easier (or so we think) to numb our senses, or take a mental vacation rather than face the difficulties life throws at us. A soccer mom might have a different reason all together for what she does behind closed doors. It takes an expert to break through the addiction and restore normalcy and health to victims of addiction.
Hanley Center Programs cater to everyone. Can I just say I believe this statement? lol They have treatment programs for men and women, young and seasoned citizens, spiritual care, and wellness care. I think the key word here is "care".We need to continue to "care" for those we love, just as we'd want to know they "care" for us, should we ever fall ill.
If you're not reading this post on The Homeschooling Blog... the content has been hijacked. Please be sure to visit me at the source!
No comments:
Post a Comment