Source: Santa Barbara News-Press (CA) Section: Perspective, Health, page G-1 Contact: http://www.sbcoast.com Pubdate: Sunday, 20 September 1998 Author: Jina Carvalho INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY BY DEFEATING ADDITION Few social issues are as puzzling and frustrating as drug abuse and addiction. As a nation, we have spent billions of dollars on this major social and health problem. For all of our efforts, drugs still find their way into our schools, offices, factories and homes. Seventy percent of those incarcerated have a history of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. Many of us know people addicted to drugs and alcohol. Some of us know the parents of addicted children who are beside themselves with fear, anger and frustration. Debates about the nature of addiction and what to do on and on. People continue to question whether addiction is a disease or simply a matter of will power. Sometimes it may seem we have made no progress at all. In the past 20 years, medical science has made extraordinary strides in learning about substance abuse and the nature of addiction. Addiction has been identified as a disease with very specific characteristics, and significant progress has been made in the treatment of this disease. Scientists have identified the neural circuits that include the actions of known drugs of abuse, and specified the common pathways that are affected by most drugs. They have a substantial understanding of the biochemistry of drug use at the cellular level. They are making progress on the development of addictions medications. Today we are applying this good medical research to our substance abuse and addictions prevention and treatment efforts. In concert with advances in science, there have also been improvements in clinical treatment. We have learned that addiction is a chronic, relapsing illness, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use. Viewing addiction as a chronic, relapsing disorder means that a good treatment outcome results in a substantial decrease in drug use and long periods of abstinence with only occasional re- lapses. In other words, addiction has many of the same characteristics and requires the same medical approach as other common diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Such diseases can be managed, not cured. And, just as with diabetes and hypertension, addiction lends itself to successful management. Untold numbers of people recovering from addiction are now leading successful, productive lives, raising families and contributing to their communities. These success stories are living proof that treatment for substance abuse and addiction is effective. It has proven effective for people of all races, genders and ages. The bottom line is that we need to increase our capacity to help the number of people who are in need of treatment. There are many ways that we in Santa Barbara are supporting treatment in our community. One effort is the innovative treatment study under way at UCSB under the direction of Dr. Larry Beutler, who is finding and testing new and more effective treatments for substance abuse and depression. The study is currently taking patients, for little or no fee, who use cocaine or meth- amphetamines and who suffer from depression. This is National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Recovery Month, sponsored by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Several agencies in Santa Barbara are also participating in this national effort. UCSB's Graduate School of Education, Zona Seca and the Glendon Association will be hosting a free Education Day at Borders Books on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The day will include information on local treatment agencies and facts about prevention and treatment addiction at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. also at Borders. We hope you can attend this information day. There are many ways you can participate: - If you are an employer, you can insist that the health insurance policies you purchase for employees include equal coverage for substance abuse. A report prepared for SAMHSA shows that parity for substance abuse treatment would raise the cost of family health insurance coverage by only 0.2 percent. Companies with programs in place to respond to employee needs for counseling and treatment reap the benefits of reduced medical claims, absenteeism, corporate liability and disability costs. They often see productivity rise while creating a healthier, safer environment. - - As a parent, encourage substance abuse and addiction education programs in elementary schools. We should urge that special attention be paid to middle schoolers because drinking and drug use often begin among this age group. We can support continuing alcohol and drug education in high schools and stimulate and support recreational activities and programs to help keep young people active and involved in positive pursuits. - - Ask your health professionals, especially those engaged in primary care, to routinely screen all patients for substance abuse disorders, to ask about substance abuse in the context of lifestyle questions, and to screen adolescents for substance abuse every time they seek medical attention. - - We should bring the success of treatment to the attention of our churches and synagogues by asking for help on this critical issue. We can ask that treatment of substance abuse problems in our community be acknowledged as a priority and that our religious and lay leaders devote time and effort to this concern. Substance abuse is not an easy problem. There are no easy answers. But there is more medical understanding, real progress in a variety of effective treatment models that can be brought into play to harness this disease. Addiction treatment is an investment in our communities. When we make that investment, our communities and the people and children who live in them reap the benefits. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------- Jina Carvalho is with the Glendon Association, a Santa Barbara non-profit organization whose mission is dealing with drug addiction, child abuse and violence. - --- Checked-by: Rich O'Grady