We all have an interest in supporting and helping those struggling with addiction.
Whether it is the societal and monetary impact on the criminal justice system, as addicts steal property to satisfy their craving, or the long-term care costs they will have on the health care system, we cannot see ourselves as removed from their struggles.
There is a stigma around the disease; an insight offered by the addicts themselves and the people that work with them. Even though addiction is defined as the continuation of a habit regardless of the negative consequences, others do not seem to understand why addicts just can’t stop.
These feelings lead addicts to be marginalized, which can further hinder their struggle.
There needs to be a realization that they are people too, and not just the substances they abuse.
Just as we show compassion, love and support for people struggling with cancer and other diseases, we should show those same feelings towards those struggling with addiction.
That is not to say addicts are not to be held responsible for their actions, but punishment and compensation is the role of the justice system, and should be left as such.
It also must be recognized that beating addiction is not a single event, but a day-to-day struggle, as Augie, a 64-year-old who’s been sober for 16 years, attests.
That’s where the impact of others can make the biggest difference, becoming involved in what addictions counselor Debbie Hammond calls “healthy community activities.”
Things like sports and service groups offer up places where at-risk individuals can spend time and energy in a positive environment, far removed from the potential draw of habit-forming substances. These things promote physical and mental health, a good start to an addiction-free lifestyle.
In the end, it is better for us to recognize and support addiction for what it is, a health issue, because we, as a community, will end up paying either way.
But there’s only so much that can be conveyed through words on paper. it’s another thing to speak with the people who live with addiction every day. They want you to know what they went through, so that you can help yourself or another.
A good start is to sit in on an open Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, hosted at Athabasca’s United Church the last Thursday of every month.
