Pubdate: Sat, 11 Nov 2006
Source: Bradenton Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2006 Bradenton Herald
Contact:  http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/58
Author: Pritesh Parbhoo

FIGHTING ADDICTION: HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE

When thinking about the various problems that affect our communities, 
a multitude of issues come to mind. We often ask ourselves what 
difference we as individuals can make. An individual who embraced 
this idea of making a difference was U.S. Drug Enforcement agent 
Enrique "Kiki" Camarena.

In 1985, while serving as an undercover agent in Mexico in the fight 
against illegal drugs, he was brutally tortured and murdered. Every 
year in October we honor him during Red Ribbon Week and recommit 
ourselves to living drug-free lives. This drug prevention event is 
recognized all over our country and involves an estimated 80 million people.

Addiction involving alcohol and drugs has been and continues to be a 
significant problem affecting our community in various ways. 
Addictions do not discriminate among people and can affect all of us 
in one way or another. People often have mixed reactions when they 
hear about this problem - with some having had first-hand experience 
while others have only heard of it.

Often, individuals with addictions and their families are confronted 
with living double lives as they tackle the demands of daily life. In 
addition, they are faced with feelings of anger, guilt, shame and 
other emotional troubles as their family, social and work lives are disrupted.

While these problems sound challenging enough, it is often the case 
that others stop seeing the person behind the addiction, and the 
addiction takes its place on center stage. This is likely to have 
negative consequences as the limited social supports these people 
have also start to fall away.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "If you lose hope, somehow you 
lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to 
be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so 
today I still have a dream."

As such, we can certainly be strong as we offer hope and support this 
week to those in need. By better educating ourselves, our youth and 
our communities about addictions, we can strengthen our fight to 
promote drug-free lives.

Our community is currently served by a variety of medical and 
psychological services related to addictions, along with very 
valuable community resources such as private organizations and 
volunteer programs. Utilizing these resources for ourselves, a family 
member, or even a friend can help improve the lives of us all. We can 
all make a difference.

Pritesh Parbhoo is on the staff at Manatee Glens, a not-for-profit 
health care provider that delivers services from seven Manatee County locations.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine