National Recovery Month highlights substance abuse

September is National Recovery Month, which is a time set aside to highlight the benefits of substance abuse treatment, applauds the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible.

This year’s theme, Join the Voices for Recovery: Saving Lives, Saving Dollars, aims to raise awareness about the financial and human costs of substance use disorders and highlights the benefits that investing in treatment can have on those who enter recovery, their families and the larger community.

The cost and consequences of alcoholism and drug dependence place an enormous burden on our society. As the nation’s No. 1 health problem, addiction strains the health care system, the economy, harms family life and threatens public safety. Substance abuse crosses all societal boundaries, affects genders, every ethnic group and people in every tax bracket.

Myths

Many think that alcohol makes them warm when they are cold, sexier, manlier, womanlier, cured of their ills , less scared of people and better able to function. Enough people in the United States rely on the use of alcohol to accomplish something for them to support an almost $100 billion industry.

Scope of the problem

About 18 million Americans have alcohol problems; about 5 million to 6 million Americans have drug problems.

More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking.

More than 9 million children live with a parent dependent on alcohol and/or illicit drugs.

Consequences

One-quarter of all emergency room admissions, one-third of all suicides, and more than half of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related.

Heavy drinking contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: heart disease, cancer and stroke.

Almost half of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related.

Between 48 percent and 64 percent of people who die in fires have blood alcohol levels indicating intoxication.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading known cause of mental retardation.

Cost

Alcohol and drug abuse costs the American economy an estimated $276 billion per year in lost productivity, health care expenditures, crime, motor vehicle crashes and other conditions.

Untreated addiction is more expensive than heart disease, diabetes and cancer combined.

Every American adult pays nearly $1,000 per year for the damages of addiction.

What can be done?

Alcoholism can be overcome with proper treatment, prevention, education and more research. By increasing access to care, the costly toll on society and the burden it places on families can be greatly reduced. Research shows conclusively that successful prevention and treatment leads to reductions in traffic fatalities, crime, unwanted pregnancy, child abuse, HIV, cancer and heart disease.

Treatment reduces drug use, improves health, improves job performance, reduces involvement with the criminal justice system, reduces family dysfunction and improves quality of life. The Comprehensive Assessment Treatment Outcomes Registry Data in Ohio have documented dramatic results in decreasing occupational problems, including the following reductions after treatment:

• Absenteeism decreased by 89 percent.

• Tardiness decreased by 92 percent.

• Problems with supervisors decreased by 56 percent.

• Mistakes in work decreased by 70 percent.

• Incomplete work decreased by 81 percent.

Americans increasingly recognize that alcoholism and drug dependence are conditions with consequences that affect both physical and behavioral health. Diagnostic and treatment services have changed in recent years and modern treatment, when adequately provided, enables a great many people to recover and rebuild productive lives. It is important that the public be aware of evidence generated by scientific inquiry, clinical evaluation and clinical experience.

The evidence demonstrates that treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse works.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the Allegany County Health Department are dedicated to fighting the stigma and the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions by providing education, information, help and hope to the public.

Cumberland Times-News