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Jail systems acknowledge inmate drug addiction in some form or another. More often that not, an inmate’s addiction ends up just being an extension of his punishment; that is, not much is done about it. When an addicted inmate leave jail after serving time for a common crime of drug related theft or even possession, they are at risk of immediate relapse and overdose due to some degree of abstinence and lowered resistance to their drug of choice. Many addicts are in and out of jail for the same things, sometimes dozens of times in the life of a street addict. Clearly the cost burden is chronic. Why not capitalize on those lost expenditures? A jail in New York called Tompkins has embraced a program of seizing an opportunity for treatment. The idea of responsibly taking this task on, has led successfully to recovery for addicts leaving the criminal justice system. Accepting Tompkin’s treatment program as a paradigm (download PDF) is a no brain choice. The resources are already in place and with minimal training and protocol, the vast number of jails and prisons that do little to nothing can easily step on board. The benefits are clear. Inmates benefiting from what America’s criminal justice system has founded its principles on; rehabilitate the inmate and release a functional human being back into society. Even if it works for 10% of addict-inmates that would amount to 90,000 addicts leaving the criminal justice system with the tools and will to stay clean. Addiction Treatments Past and Present summarizes some of the basics.
It is difficult to recognize what acceptance is in the context of Drug Addiction. The concept of acceptance as something helpful and positive can be confusing and difficult to realize. Many people relate the talk of acceptance as condoning the drug or alcohol problem of a family member. Its definitely not that. Drugs and Alcohol to an addict are cunning, baffling and powerful and even as much so to the families that have to witness it. Accepting what is happening in a family torn apart by substance abuse, as contradictory as it sounds, is key to one’s mental well-being. In the Partnership of a Drug Free America’s blog Intervention, the subject of acceptance is explored as a state of mind that can help a parent deal with a family member’s struggle with addiction. Courtesy of the Partnership For a Drug Free America
Dr. Kevin McCauley is a treatment professional who is dedicating his life to helping addicts and their families, and he makes a compelling argument for Addiction as Disease. He is a researcher with The Institute For Addiction Studies. Mr. McCauley recently contributed a comment that is worth sharing. He discusses his ongoing inquiry into the question of addiction as a Disease Model. Many who ponder the causes of drug addiction are split in their thinking with the other opinion being a morality model of choice. Take a look at his comments in the Disease Model.
One thing for certain, drug addiction is tearing up this country. From a demand of drugs adversly affecting near 30 million users when you include alcohol to as many as two-thirds of American families negatively impacted in some way or another by someones abuse of drugs and alcohol; this problem is costing us more than enough to look closely at a model of disease. As long as the argument favors a Darwinian – all for themselves – choice model of drug addiction, expect more of the destruction that Americans already witness.
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