Canadian, Oklahoma 7/1/2008 4:07:53 AM
Drug and Alcohol Abuse is One of Top American Health Problems
How Do You Help Millions of Addicts Who Do Not Want to be Helped?
If there was a disease suffered by one out of every ten Americans over twelve years of age, wouldn’t you agree that this disease was raging out of control? That’s exactly the situation that exists with drug abuse and dependence.
The government agency that monitors the statistics on drug abuse and dependence is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA). In 2006, SAMHSA estimated, based on tens of thousands of surveys, that more than twenty-two million Americans were suffering from drug or alcohol abuse or drug or alcohol dependence. This compares to the Centers for Disease Control’s estimate of 1.1 million Americans who are HIV positive and it’s twice the number of people who suffered from all types of cancer combined.
SAMHSA classifies a person as suffering from abuse or dependence when that person has health or emotional problems associated with substance use, unsuccessful attempts to cut down on usage, they have developed a tolerance (meaning more drugs must be taken to get the same effect), they experience withdrawal symptoms if they try to cut down or stop, or they have experienced one of a number of negative changes in their lives as a result of using the substance, such as damage to job, school or family.
These are the people who need drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment to be able to resume a productive, enjoyable life.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of these people did not receive treatment because they didn’t feel they needed it. This fact is also based on SAMHSA’s 2006 survey. Only one and a half percent of those who needed treatment made an effort to get treatment. A full 95.5 percent of those who needed treatment did not feel it was needed.
“This is what we hear from families every day,” said Ryan Thorpe, Director of Admissions at Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “And it’s one of the most tragic aspects of addiction. Drug and alcohol abuse lowers a person’s awareness, including their awareness of needing to get help. We work with families every day who must convince their addicted loved one to get the help they so badly need.”
To help in this situation suffered by millions of loving American families, Narconon Arrowhead has just released the new Guide to Addiction Recovery for a Lifetime. Not only does this new booklet reveal important facts about addiction and addiction treatment, it also introduces families to the way to approach an intervention with a loved one.
“This booklet is a great starting point for a family with a loved one trapped in addiction,” added Mr. Thorpe. “We would be glad to send this out at no cost to any family in need.”
To receive your free copy of Guide to Addiction Recovery for a Lifetime, call Narconon Arrowhead at 1-800-468-6933 or visit their website at www.stopaddiction.com. The Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez in Arizona State Prison, and is based on the humanitarian works of L. Ron Hubbard. In more than 120 centers around the world, Narconon programs replace the loss and pain of alcohol or drug addiction with productive, enjoyable lives.
