3 Things to Take Away from the Tragedies of Schuler, Jackson and Mays

There has been a lot of media coverage lately around the tragic deaths of Long Island mom Diane Schuler, pop star Michael Jackson and pitchman Billy Mays. All of the stories include allegations of alcohol and / or drug abuse or misuse. All include real people whose lives were taken too soon. And all of the stories leave mourning families with a whole lot of questions. So, what can we take away from these tragic stories?

1. Addicted women need to be able to come out of hiding to get the treatment they need without the fear that society will reject them. 92% of women do not receive needed treatment for alcohol and drug problems. The intense shame and guilt that women experience, especially mothers, when they are abusing drugs or alcohol keeps women from seeking treatment for their problem. Even in the most modern families, women are most often the caretakers of the family. Who will take over the role when mom has to take a break to seek the help she needs? When faced with the choice of seeking help for their problem or taking care of their kids and family, they’ll almost always choose the kids. Studies have shown that children typically learn of their father’s alcoholism when they are about 12.6 years of age, while they don’t learn of their mother’s alcoholism until 18.3. Schuler was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and marijuana when she drove the wrong way down the Taconic State Parkway in New York when she hit a car head on, killing 8 people, including herself, her 2-year old daughter and 3 young nieces. Her family says they never saw her drunk.

2. We need to pay attention to the rise in prescription drug abuse in America. Prescription drugs, or the mixture of prescription drugs with other drugs or alcohol, may have contributed to both Jackson and Mays’ deaths. Federal data shows nearly 7 million Americans abused prescription drugs in 2007, up 80% since 2000. According to the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), nearly one in five (an estimated 4.7 million) teens have ever abused prescription drugs. Prescription drugs were second only to marijuana for those 7th – 12th graders reporting to ever trying drugs in 2008. Most teens get their prescription drugs straight from their family’s medicine cabinet and think it is safe because it comes from a doctor. Doctor shopping, and even dentist shopping, has become popular.

3. We need to talk to each other about our experiences with addiction, whether it is through our own past abuses or through dealing with a friend of family member’s addiction. When someone is diagnosed with asthma or diabetes, they consult doctors and specialists, learn about their disease and treatments, maybe even make some lifestyle changes. Chances are, the person hears other people’s stories about their bouts with the same disease and how they handled it. They talk about it, and they deal with it. Think about it. Most people could probably name a cancer center near them, but how many could name a substance abuse treatment center in the same area? How many Mainers know about Crossroads for Women? While treatment and support options for drug and alcohol are lacking in many communities, they do exist. You don’t read about addiction research as much as you do about asthma or diabetes or cancer. Even those that conquer addiction and find recovery often don’t talk about their past for fear that they will be unfairly judged.

Addiction is a disease that needs to be addressed and treated. It is a disease that can tear apart families and ruin lives, yet it’s still something we are too ashamed to talk about. What would happen if we did?

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technorati tags: Diane Schuler, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays, substance abuse, addiction, treatment

CASA Spending Report Shows Maine Has Highest Burden of Substance Abuse and Addiction on a State Budget

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) released a 287-page report yesterday that outlined just how much addiction and substance abuse costs local, state and national government. Looking at government spending data from 2005 (the latest available), they found 96% ($357.4 billion) went to “shovel up the consequences and human wreckage of substance abuse and addiction,” while only 2% went to prevention and treatment.

Download or purchase the full report: Shoveling Up: The Impact of Substance Abuse on State Budgets

CASA found that for every $100 spent by state governments on substance abuse and addiction, states spent an average of $2.38 on prevention, treatment and research. Connecticut spent the most at $10.39, while New Hampshire spent the least at $0.22. Maine ranked 41, spending $0.71 on prevention, treatment and research, putting a burden of $98.75 on public programs. Average “burden spending” for the states was 14.8%. Maine was at 26.9%, giving it the highest burden of substance abuse and addiction on a state budget.

Download the full Maine report (PDF)

Here are some other key findings from the report:

• Of the $3.3 trillion total federal and state government spending, $373.9 billion – 11.2%, more than one of every ten dollars– was spent on tobacco, alcohol and illegal and prescription drug abuse and addiction and its consequences.
• For every dollar the federal and state governments spent on prevention and treatment, they spent $59.83 shoveling up the consequences, despite a growing body of scientific evidence confirming the efficacy and cost savings of science-based interventions.
• State governments spent $135.8 billion (15.7% of their budgets) to deal with substance abuse and addiction, up from 13.3% in 1998. If substance abuse and addiction were its own state budget category, it would rank second behind spending on elementary and secondary education.
• For each dollar in alcohol and tobacco taxes and liquor store revenues that federal and state governments collect, they spend $8.95 shoveling up the consequences of substance abuse and addiction.

According to Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA’s Founder and Chair and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, “Under any circumstances, spending more than 95 percent of taxpayer dollars on the crime, health care costs, child abuse, domestic violence, homelessness and other consequences of tobacco, alcohol and illegal and prescription drug abuse and addiction, and only two percent to relieve individuals and taxpayers of these burdens, is a reckless misallocation of public funds… It’s past time for this fiscal and human waste to end.”

Take Action and tell your legislators about this report!

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More Than 9 Million Kids are Affected by a Parent’s Drug or Alcohol Abuse

A recent SAMHSA report found that almost 12% of children in the United States live with a parent that either is dependent on or abuses drugs or alcohol. The finding comes from an analysis of results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2002 – 2007. Specifically, about 2.1 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused illicit drugs, and almost 7.3 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused alcohol.

According to the report, “Substance use disorders can have a profound influence on the lives of individuals and their families, particularly their children…These data highlight the potential breadth of needs for the whole family—from substance abuse treatment for the affected adults to prevention and supportive services for the children.”

Another recently released report from SAMHSA shows that new mothers seem to be rapidly resuming the use of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs right after giving birth. The report, which analyzed data from the same national surveys at the above-mentioned report, found non-pregnant women with children under 3 months old in the household had much higher rates of past month alcohol use than women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy (6.2% vs. 31.9%). Similar results were found in binge alcohol use (1% vs. 10%), cigarette use (13.9% vs. 20.4%) and marijuana use (1.4% vs. 3.8%). The report also noted that while more women seem to be heeding warnings about using drugs and alcohol during pregnancy, especially during the 3rd trimester, the number of women who drink alcohol during pregnancy is still high. According to the report, “Effective interventions for women to further reduce substance use during pregnancy and to prevent postpartum resumption of use could improve the overall health and well-being of mothers and infants.”

These 2 recent reports clearly illustrate the need to address the effects a person’s substance use has on the people around her, especially children. Those that grow up with a parent or parents that abuse alcohol or drugs are profoundly affected throughout their lives. Addressing these effects are important for the well-being of the friends, family members and others around the addicted person. Crossroads for Women will be holding its last educational series of the year for friends and family members affected by addiction on June 2nd at its outpatient office in Portland, ME. The 4-week series will focus on the basics of addiction, the recovery process and how to be supportive of an addicted loved one while also taking care of you. Find out more about the educational series or services for friends and family members of addicted loved ones.

Read the full reports
Children Living with Substance-Dependent or Substance-Abusing Parents: 2002 – 2007
Substance Use among Women During Pregnancy and Following Childbirth

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Recovery Coaches Help Pregnant Women with Substance Abuse Problems

A recent study from the University of Illinois took a look at how the use of a recovery coach may benefit pregnant women struggling with substance abuse problems.

In the study, recovery coaches – case workers with special training in addiction, relapse prevention, case management and counseling – were shown to reduce the number of future substance-exposed babies and increase the likelihood that mothers will be reunited with their children removed by child welfare systems.

Participants of the study included 931 women who had lost temporary custody of their children and were chronic substance abusers. Half of the women received basic child welfare and substance abuse services, while the other half had the same basic services plus a recovery coach. The recovery coach’s goal was to get mothers into substance abuse treatment and keep them there.

The findings showed that 21% of mothers receiving standard services gave birth to additional substance abuse babies, while only 15% of mothers with recovery coaches gave birth to subsequent substance abuse children. According to the study, which lasted 5 years, recovery coaches saved the state of Illinois $5.5 million in foster care and other placement costs.

Read more about the study on the About.com:Alcoholism website: Recovery Coaches Reduce Babies Exposed to Drugs For Women With Substance Abuse Problems

technorati tags: recovery coaches, Univesity of Illinois, substance abuse, pregnant women, child welfare