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Remembering those Affected by Hurricane Katrina

By Bethany Winkel  -  August 30th 2010

Five years ago our nation’s most costly natural disaster took place, and unfortunately many people are still trying to recover. Hurricane Katrina made landfall this week in 2005, killing 2,000 people and displacing more than 250,000 others. While New Orleans suffered the worst attack because of the city’s massive flooding, the southern part of our country, from Louisiana to Florida, was affected.

The hurricane naturally caused much devastation, injury, and death, but even after surviving the initial blow, residents have found the recovery process to be brutal, and mental illness and substance abuse have been some of the results.

Mental Illness among Victims

Anxiety is a huge concern among Katrina survivors, as well as depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The hurricane was traumatic, the flooding was overwhelming, and the loss of homes, schools, and churches was disturbing. Then there was the death of loved ones that many endured. Trauma like this can be expected to cause mental disorders such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Feelings of helplessness can really affect the mind, and many people initially felt the toll caused by the devastation.

But long term effects are also plaguing residents. Many lost jobs and have not been able to find new employment. Deserted neighborhoods can still be found, some people still don’t have real homes, and frustrations with insurance and finances are often a daily struggle.

Substance Abuse a Result of Mental Illness

Alcoholism and drug abuse are more common when depression or PTSD are present. Someone who has experienced a shocking event or who daily struggles with feelings of depression often finds substance abuse to be the way they can make it through the day. The mind-numbing drugs or alcohol help them forget their worries, and they become the crutch people begin to rely on. But the effects of drugs and alcohol will eventually catch up to a person and then they are left with substance abuse or addiction on top of all their other troubles.

Help for Hurricane Victims

The way to deal with stress and worry is not to take up drinking or experimenting with drugs. These will only make it worse. What will help these residents is solid advice and counseling from a professional. The residents of Louisiana also need to have some assurance that they will be able to get back on their feet again. Louisiana’s “Road Home” program was made to provide financial aid to hurricane victims, and the Louisiana Spirit Recovery program was a temporary project to help with stress management among residents. We shouldn’t forget about the hurricane victims, or assume they are ok because it has been 5 years. Those with ongoing struggles still need the support and programs to continue to help them rebuild their lives, and to maintain a healthy state of mind.

Sources

Katrina Five Years After: Hurricane Left a Legacy of Health Concerns

Hurricane Katrina Exacts Another Toll: Enduring Depression

A Look Back to 2005: President Bush and Katrina

Depression Caused by Substance Abuse

By Bethany Winkel  -  June 23rd 2010

Depression affects millions of people every year. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders, yet many people continue living with this disease, without getting the treatment they need for it.

The cause of depression is still being studied, but we do know that it can be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain due to things like hormone changes. Other things can cause depression, such as substance abuse, the circumstances someone finds themselves in, or the events that take place in someone’s life.

Symptoms of depression include lack of energy and motivation, self loathing, oversleeping or insomnia, and weight changes. A person that is clinically depressed will often lose interest in the things and people in their life, and will struggle just to get out of bed in the morning. Someone with depression may also have trouble concentrating, and will find it difficult to do even the simplest, everyday tasks.

Dual Diagnosis

Dual Diagnosis refers to patients that have both depression and an addiction to something. These two diseases often go hand in hand, and increase the symptoms and side effects of each other. A person that has both depression and is addicted to drugs or alcohol will need to be treated for both conditions together for the best chance at recovery. Many facilities now offer dual diagnosis treatment because treating one and leaving the other will cause the patient to continue in an ongoing cycle of recovery and relapse.

We know that drug and alcohol addiction often occurs alongside depression, but it has been unknown which condition typically comes first or causes the other. A study that was reported in last year’s Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that alcohol abuse causes depression more often than a person’s depression causes them to self-medicate with alcohol. The study’s conclusion proposed that alcohol’s depressant characteristics may lead many people to be mentally depressed, and that the stress and circumstances brought on by alcohol abuse may also be the cause of depression in many people. We do know that people with a drug or alcohol problem commonly feel ashamed of their behavior and may suffer legal, financial, and social consequences because of it, all of which could cause depression.

Getting Help for Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Our mental health is not something to take lightly. It can be so difficult to come out of a depression, and the habits and behaviors that are formed during times of mental illness are hard to overcome. Treatment is available and can be very effective. For long term mental health, and to help prevent depression, it may be helpful to join a support group or group therapy. Other things like a healthy diet, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and engaging in some exercise have been found to help prevent and also treat depression.

Sources

Study links excessive Internet use to depression

Alcohol Abuse May Lead To Depression Risk, Rather Than Vice Versa

Relationship between depression and substance abuse

Understanding Mental Illness

By Bethany Winkel  -  May 28th 2010

Along with the disease of mental illness comes the sigma that someone is not stable, or is not capable of performing their job well. SAMHSA recently announced the results of a survey regarding mental illness, of people’s perception of it, and the statistics of people receiving treatment for it.

Many People Need Help

According to SAMHSA, there are an estimated 9.8 million adults over 18 that suffer from serious mental illness.  Serious mental illness is highest among 18-25 year olds, and this is also the age group that is the least likely to get treatment or counseling for their mental health issues. This could be because people in our society still don’t accept the fact that mental illness is a treatable disease. People are sometimes scared off by the thought of mental illness and even though most people know at least one family member or friend that has mental health issues, not enough is known of the illnesses or their treatment and chance for recovery. Instead, people are afraid to get help for mental health problems because they don’t want to admit they have a problem, or they are afraid of what friends and family will think, or they just don’t want to be categorized as someone that has a mental illness. A SAMHSA and Porter Novelli survey shows that only 40% of Americans believe that a person with mental illness is as successful at work, and only 33% believe that a person can eventually recover from mental illness. But in today’s world, there are effective treatments for a variety of mental illnesses, and many people can and do recover from them.

Mental Illness Awareness Campaign

In order to make a real difference for people with mental illness, SAMHSA has worked with the Ad Council to campaign for the acceptance of individuals with mental health problems. Public Service Announcements will air on television as part of this campaign that will especially encourage friends and family to step up and help a friend through recovery. The ads will create awareness about mental illness and its treatment. They also will give steps that people can take to help their friends get treatment.

Just as with anything that is misunderstood, mental illness can isolate people by causing friends and family to back away. Awareness helps bring people together. SAMHSA is working to address the societal misconceptions of mental illness, so that those in need can be encouraged to get help, instead of hiding their illness.

Sources

 SAMHSA

Survey: People uncaring to mentally ill

Ad Council

Mental Health Parity Act

By Bethany Winkel  -  March 1st 2010

Up until recently, and even now in many cases, people being treated for  mental health disorders have had more restrictions placed on them when it came to insurance coverage. New steps are being taken to provide equal benefits for those seeking help for their mental health.

The Importance of Mental Health

Mental health is a topic that has moved to the forefront in recent years. We now realize how important good mental health is, and how negatively poor mental health can affect different aspects of a person’s life. Depression, anxiety, and other disorders can lead to poor physical health, behavioral problems, and substance abuse or addiction. Problems with work, family, and relationships often follow a mental health disorder.

More and more people are being diagnosed and treated for mental health disorders. These may be caused by genetics, upbringing, past experiences, or trauma. Some mental health problems are caused by substance abuse, making it important to identify and deal with all underlying causes and dual diagnosis when treating mental health. But for many people needing this type of help, the cost for treatment is beyond their means.

An act that was passed in 2008, called the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, is designed to help those seeking treatment for mental health and addiction. This Act, which went into effect this year, ensures that employees with mental health coverage receive the same benefits for mental health treatment as they do for medical and surgical treatments. The Act does not allow additional limits to be placed on mental health benefits that are not placed on other types of care as well. Under this act, the coverage that is offered must be equal for all the different aspects of health care, including mental health.

Against the Act

There are people who oppose this Act and others like it. Cost of insurance will likely increase, and with health care being widely debated in our country, many people are not in favor of increasing the cost and coverage of any type of health care.

Supporting the Act

But for those that understand the implications of poor mental health, the results of caring for mental health are far-reaching. A person that is being cared for mentally will be more stable and able to hold down a job. Employees that struggle with depression, post traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, or other disorders that aren’t being treated will be less productive, and may show shortcomings in other areas as well. Add to this the risk of substance abuse and addiction from patients that are self-medicating rather than seeking professional help, and the results are even more devastating. But mental health disorders can be treated. With the help of professional treatment, many people are able to carry on happy, normal lives.

Sources

Regulations issued on mental health and substance abuse parity in group health plans

Mental-Health Benefits

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity in Michigan

PTSD – Do Something!

By Jim Bevell  -  February 1st 2010

Jim
As we all sit back and watch the various layers of the U.S. war effort unfold, it is hard enough for us to conceptually grasp the level of loss and violent despair unfolding each minute for our troops in the middle east. Even for family members of soldiers, who risk their lives daily, they may have a different perspective on the madness, but nothing can or will ever compare to the horror each individual soldier experiences.

The reason I bring this up is to shed a little light on a situation we are all facing that is certain to explode like a hidden IED, tripped by an unsuspecting soldier. Four letters we’ve all heard before but you better be ready for since they are about to change the world we live in…PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a bomb being constructed in the middle east as you read this and will be triggered to explode gradually over the next 20 years. Believe me, if you think I’m being dramatic, watch the approaching explosion and think back to this post if you survive it.

Visit http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/fslist-ptsd-overview.asp for a peek at what we will all be faced with but when you’re reading this, remember that only recently has the the U.S. Military’s powers-that-be begun to recognize the the fact that PTSD exists…that is pathetic and unacceptable. While it is wonderful that it is finally being given credibility, the resources set aside for treatment is a pittance compared to what will be needed. Ironically, each returning veteran will have a ticking PTSD IED inside each one of them that can ‘go off’ at any second. Whether an acute PTSD reaction occurs on the street, at work, at school, at church or at home, you can bet your ass that if WE ALL aren’t equipped with a basic understanding of how to deal with it, we will be suffering as a society for generations to come.

Sadly, PTSD cannot be treated like other behavioral disorders and daily we hear reports of treatment facilities failing patients and their families on a daily basis by attempting to treat PTSD along with other behaviorally impaired patients…THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!! These individuals and their families need specialized treatments with professionals specifically trained to deal with PTSD. Do the math, with the numbers of returning veterans, we are in for a shit-storm if we don’t get a handle on this thing and the government has its hands full.

That is why I’ve assembled a team at TSN, who has created a program called HEROES WELCOME. I will share more about the specifics in the next few weeks but in essence, we are assembling the best PTSD experts and centers on the planet and offering treatment for both the victim and their family. As a society and a field, we have a unique opportunity to learn from the past (Viet Nam) and truly help diffuse a generational bomb. This is not a bullshit sticker on a bumper, this is a way for us all to actually support our troops and save our own society.

This is the seed and you are all aware that TSN is growing a solution so don’t pretend you haven’t been informed. If you are interested in learning more or have something to offer, contact Jed Wallace for details since he will be coordinating the effort on my behalf. I encourage you to do some serious research and soul searching – be a part of HEROES WELCOME and do your part to support the veterans that have given their lives, limbs and personalities to protect our freedom…now it is our turn!

Treatment for Eating Disorders

By Jared Moré  -  August 10th 2009

Eating Disorders Treatment

Even though an eating disorder is different from substance abuse and alcoholism, the treatment for it can be similar to that for any addiction. Eating disorders can affect nearly every demographic of people. It is commonly seen in young teenage girls, but it is also finding its way into the lives of older women and men as well. The treatment should vary for these different groups of people, as they most likely suffer from the disorder for different reasons, but the basics of their treatment will be similar.
Eating disorders are very serious and can cause both physical and psychological damage. Treatment is necessary in many cases when the condition has become out of control. Individuals suffering from an eating disorder may either be diagnosed with anorexia, starving oneself, bulimia, cycling between binge eating and purging, or with binge eating disorder, compulsively overeating. Individuals with eating disorders often have high expectations for how they should look, and a poor view of how they do look. Usually these disorders are ways for the individual to deal with their distorted view of themselves, along with their negative feelings.

Getting Help For Eating Disorders

The first step to helping a loved one with an eating disorder is to talk to the person. They can’t be forced into treatment, but if they know they have family or friends behind them that care about them, it will be easier for them to seek treatment. Eating disorders will usually get worse without treatment, and early intervention will make the road to recovery easier, so it is important to get help as soon as a disorder is detected.

Eating Disorder Treatment Methods

The main goals for the treatment for eating disorders are to get the person to become physically healthy, to be nutritionally fit, and to resolve any underlying psychological issues. In order to do this, most treatment facilities will offer a program that combines a variety of techniques. Sometimes it is necessary for the patient to be admitted into a hospital or residential setting to begin their recovery. This will happen when the condition is so severe that the person is dangerously malnourished, suicidal, or continuing to get worse quickly.
Many people that get help for an eating disorder will go through outpatient care. Therapy or counseling is important first of all to deal with the emotional issues of an eating disorder. Nutritional counseling is also necessary to help the person learn healthy eating techniques. Support groups are an additional way for individuals to break from this addiction and talk with others going through the same thing.
Other treatment programs have begun to incorporate things like volunteerism and community service projects when dealing with patients with eating disorders. These ways of giving back to others helps the person get involved with something constructive. Other positive forms of treatment are yoga, creativity groups, spirituality groups, and hobby development. All these things tend to help the patient take their mind off their eating disorder and feel they are contributing to life. Whatever the treatment technique, it is important for the individual to stay in follow-up treatment or aftercare because it generally takes a great deal of time to resolve these disorders.

Sources

http://www.eating-disorder.com/eating_disorder_articles/why-service-matters-eating-disorder-sufferers-heal-by-giving-back.php

When Mom Has an Eating Disorder

Helping Someone with an Eating Disorder

From the Desk of Jim Bevell – Schuler Tragedy and Accountability

By Jim Bevell  -  August 10th 2009

Anyone who isn’t familiar with Diane Schuler at this point is either trying to avoid current events or is as oblivious as her husband. To bring everyone up to speed, Diane Schuler is the 36 year-old business executive who at 1:30 PM on July 26th 2009,  drove 1.7 miles in the wrong direction on a curvy highway before slamming into an S.U.V., killing its three passengers, as well as herself, her 2-year-old daughter and her three young nieces. She had a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit and tested overwhelmingly positive for Marijuana. Her husband, Daniel Schuler, is a security guard paid to be a professional observer, however, he is publicly stating that he has never seen his wife drunk.

While this situation is beyond horrific, it has all the elements that makeup a perfect alcoholic tragedy. It has been said on the record that Diane Schuler had over 15 ounces of undigested vodka in her system, a vodka bottle in the car, a head full of marijuana and behavioral issues, and a minivan filled with kids…that alone is a recipe for disaster. Throw in a husband who is either one of the most profound enablers of all time or the denial world champion and early death is no longer a recipe, it is a certainty.

Mr. Schuler is being skewered by the media as practically an accessory to murder – that won’t ever change. He was charged with a DUI in 1995 so the thought that one alcoholic could live with another alcoholic capable of consuming the volume of Vodka Diane Schuler did before she drove with innocent children, is pretty far-fetched. Regardless, if Mr. Schuler was aware of her consumption and let her get behind the wheel of a car that would destroy countless lives, then he is indeed an accomplice. I know there are people who will read this and say: how can you say Mr. Schuler was an alcoholic based on one DUI? Let me explain something to anyone still deluding themselves with the notion that he might not be, if you are an adult who has consumed enough alcohol to impair your judgment to the point where you think driving is ok…you better hit a meeting.

The point of sharing this story with all of you is not what you might think. Sure, it is a cautionary tale about the dangers of alcoholism and the enablers that help it incubate, but this is something far more eye-opening, this is one of the purest examples of how poorly equipped people are with the knowledge necessary to recognize and alter a potentially disastrous situation. This is a story about accountability and I’m afraid that number of people that allowed this tragedy to unfold is pretty far reaching. Is her husband still fostering his own disease and chose to look the other way? Did her employer or coworkers know she had a problem and not intervene? Is there nobody in this woman’s life that who saw what she was and where she was heading? The fact is, people have a responsibility to report and they need to be educated and empowered with the tools to do so properly. This isn’t snitching, this is saving lives and more often than not, they are the lives of the innocent.

If a fraction of the money spent on imprisoning non-violent, drug and alcohol related convicts, we could establish a system of checks and balances that arms citizens with the tools necessary to report questionable behavior and prevent tragedy. Reward them for their insight and save lives. Beyond employer involvement, which is getting better, let’s introduce an anonymous reporting system that is well defined and implemented at the student level. Preemptive measures need to be taken, and quickly. If one person had stepped up and reported Mrs. Schuler’s behavior, there would be 8 fewer caskets in the ground today.

It’s time to stop thinking after the fact. I think the saying goes…”an ounce of prevention is better than fifteen ounces of undigested alcohol in a dead woman’s stomach”.

Think about it.

-Jim Bevell

CEO TSN

561 577-3174

jimb@tsnemail.com

Treating Co-Occurring Disorders

By Bethany Winkel  -  July 31st 2009

dual-diagnosis-treatmentWhat a heart wrenching thing to go through – watching a loved one suffer with substance abuse and feeling helpless to do anything about it. Millions of people suffer from substance addiction, and many of them are in treatment for it. But an estimated 7 million adults in the U.S. have co-occurring disorders, meaning they not only have a problem with substance abuse, but they also suffer from some form of mental illness. This dual diagnosis has not been very well understood in the past, and in fact, the government estimates that 90% of these patients today still do not get the treatment they need to care for both disorders.

Substance Abuse along with Mental Illness

People with drug or alcohol dependency may also have a variety of psychiatric problems, including bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. It is hard to say if the substance abuse or the mental illness is the primary disorder, because each patient is different. For some people, emotional and mental instability can lead to self medication, where they use drugs or alcohol to calm their nerves and numb their psychological pain. It is thought that 50% of people with psychiatric disorders also use drugs or alcohol. In these cases, we would say the person had a tendency toward mental illness, and the substance abuse aggravated it further. For other people, prolonged dependency on drugs or alcohol can lead to psychiatric disorders, such as depression or hallucinations. For these people, the substance abuse was the primary disorder, and the condition was made worse by the developing psychiatric disorder.

The Problem with Treating Dual Disorders

It is widely thought that people with dual diagnosis do not receive the kind of treatment they need for their multiple disorders. If the disorders go undiagnosed, a person might just be treated for drug abuse, and the mental illness won’t even be addressed. This kind of patient needs therapy and rehabilitation, and often medication, to keep the mental disorder under control. If not properly treated, these people will spend a lot of time bouncing back and forth between facilities, or between a facility and the streets, relapsing, and falling further into mental illness as time goes on. Some of these patients will become suicidal, many will be impoverished and homeless, and most will spend years wondering why they aren’t able to get over their addiction.

Hope for Patients with Co-Occurring Disorders

There is hope for those with dual diagnosis. More and more providers are now able to recognize the diagnosis, and treatment facilities are working on protocols for treating dual diagnosis patients. There is still work to be done in this area, however. Continued collaboration between physicians that treat each disorder is important, and education about how the disorders affect each other will help everyone understand how best to treat these patients.

 

 Sources

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072702248.html?hpid%3Dtopnews

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=54&ContentID=23049

http://www.nmha.org/go/information/get-info/co-occurring-disorders/dual-diagnosis

From the Desk of Jim Bevell – the Higher Power Slap

By Jim Bevell  -  July 21st 2009

While eternally grateful for the opportunity to oversee a business as fulfilling and successful as Treatment Solutions Network, I sometimes find myself getting lost in the day-to-day intricacies of business and lose sight of the big picture with regard to recovery. This is a troubling realization but I thank my Higher Power for the wherewithal to recognize when it is happening. It reminds me of early recovery when the excitement of getting your life back sometimes acts as a distraction from the urgency and importance of putting recovery first.

It always amazes me when my Higher Power steps into my life and slaps me with a perspective shift. I am so lost in mistaken priorities that I never see it coming. I temporarily give importance to the unimportant and forget what it is that TSN and I are all about. I am writing today to share my latest experience and explain why this particular slap still has my face and spirit throbbing.

The Wake Up Call

While in my office reading through countless business related emails and slipping into that CEO cruise control that switches on at about the 214th email pertaining strategic planning, I had my world absolutely rocked by an email I read from Kim, a TSN case manager. Kim was informing me that a young lady that recently completed our adolescent program had committed suicide.

Needless to say, that piece of information blew my mind on several levels. To me, her untimely passing far outweighs Michael Jackson’s in terms of overall importance but I have a sneaking suspicion that Larry King won’t be covering this one. Regardless, it was exactly the stern reminder I needed from my Higher Power to realign my priorities and remind me of who I am and why I created this path in the first place. At the end of the day, I am a salesman who has successfully sold everything from Heroin to long distance service. Selling was a gift and depending on where I was with my personal struggle with addiction, that gift was sometimes a curse.

Buying Into  Hope

I was once a hopeless dope fiend but thanks to my Higher Power, I write this today as a dope less hope fiend. Take away all the titles and BS, and we are simply in the business of selling hope. TSN is such a well-oiled or well-loyaled machine, built on integrity that I know we are the best at what we do…deliver hope. However, I am sad to say that with regard to this young lady who saw death as her only option, we fell short and that is an unbearable realization. In fact, from the moment I received the news about her suicide, I have been excessively angry. I guess it was the moment I caught myself as I was preparing to throw my phone through the TV during a minor argument that I realized I better share, journal, blog, etc. This is saving my life as we speak but we were unable to save hers. I know I will hear “you can’t take responsibility for this girl’s decision” and other things of that sort but at the end of the day, I can’t help but feel we failed this young lady. We could not convince her to buy into hope and that is something we all need to look at.

For me personally, this Higher Power slap just makes me that much more determined to make TSN even better. While running a business has its fair share of mundane tasks, my team and I must never forget that every encounter we have is not just life and death, but also an opportunity to actually save someone’s life and deliver hope…what a gift!

“Don’t let them say you ain’t beautiful, They can all get F—-ed just stay true to you”
-Eminem

* It is estimated that suicide is the third leading cause of death among the age group 15-24. If you have a child or friend who is demonstrating any of these signs talk to them and encourage them to seek help; if they won’t, intervene. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Here are some of the signs that someone may be in trouble:

  • Obsession with death
  • Poems, essays and drawings that refer to death
  • Dramatic change in personality or appearance
  • Irrational, bizarre behavior
  • Overwhelming sense of guilt, shame or reflection
  • Changed eating or sleeping patterns
  • Severe drop in school performance
  • Giving away belongings

For more information please go to:
1.800.SUICIDE (784-2433) - National Suicide Prevention Hotline

American Academy of Pediatrics, Preventing Teen Suicide

Teen Mental Health at MedlinePlus

Signs of  Teen Drug Abuse

Help for Families with Addiction Issues (TSN)

 

-Jim Bevell

CEO TSN

561 577-3174

jimb@tsnemail.com

Economic Stress and Substance Abuse

By Jared Moré  -  June 12th 2009

Economic Stress and Substance AbuseIn a time when many people are worried about the future, many are troubled about things in their past, and many are having a hard time making ends meet now, there are more problems facing individuals than just financial concerns. Many people are overwhelmed by the financial picture of the world today and are becoming depressed and suffering from anxiety. Some of these people have turned to drugs and alcohol to ease their anxious minds, hoping this will make them at least forget their troubles.

Magnifying Problems

But the truth is that when people medicate their lives with drugs or alcohol, the troubles get much worse. Using substances to deal with problems is never a good idea, and it often leads to dependence and addiction. Now the person still has their financial problems, but they are also stuck with an addiction to drugs or alcohol that is ruining their life and relationships with others. Whether it is prescription drugs, street drugs, or alcohol that is medicating a person’s life, the results are bound to be worse than dealing with the original source of stress.

Help for the Addicted

Because more and more people are turning to substance abuse as our economy continues to be slow, the good news is that more treatment professionals are recognizing this problem and offering help. If someone is now struggling with addiction because they were trying to deal with a difficult time in their lives, they are certainly not alone. The most important thing for them to do is to admit they have a problem and that they need help. They should enlist the help of a physician or treatment facility to determine what kind of treatment would be most helpful for their situation. Then they should have a talk with their family and loved ones about their addiction and treatment, and come up with a long term plan to work together to treat the addiction.

Help for the Troubled

Then, as treatment is doing its job and the person is not dependent on substances anymore, it will be time to deal with the underlying problem. If the initial cause of the substance abuse is not taken care of, the person will most likely turn right back to their substance of choice, or one even worse and more destructive.

It might take the help of a support group that struggles with the same issues, or it may be counseling and therapy that help a person in the long run. More drastic measures may need to be taken to rid the person of the stress they were dealing with. Maybe they will need to consider a career change to alleviate stress or they may need to change their standard of living to solve their money problems. While it might be difficult to make these changes, it might be necessary to help the person avoid stress and substance abuse in the future. With the help of a professional and family, however, many people are finding the strength to get their lives back on track.

Sources
Alcohol and substance abuse, along with economic stress, can be a dangerous mix for children April 29, 2009

Government Offers Economic Stress Rescue Plan for Your Mental Health 2 April 2009

Cornwell, Bill High Anxiety Stressed SW Floridians Battle Sobriety, Emotional Equilibrium June 3, 2009