Addiction hurts Alaska. Let’s help each other.

Every day is a day that Alaskans recover from substance use disorders. Recovery is possible for those that want it more than anything else, if they are willing to use the resources available to them. With support from their families, friends and, most importantly, their community, wherever they may live in Alaska, they can and do recover.

Drug addiction is a condition that is a pattern of repeated drug or alcohol use that interferes with health, work and/or social relationships. In short, it affects every aspect of a person’s life. It is destructive behavior and can be a matter of life and death. Addiction is a complex disease of the brain. It disrupts regions of the brain that are responsible for reward, motivation, learning, judgment and memory.

In 2017, 72,000 Americans fatally overdosed from drugs. That equates to 197 per day, eight per hour or two every 15 minutes. And every fatal overdose is someone’s child. They often have a child or children of their own. One million children are living with grandparents due to the drug problem in our society.

And it has created a major decline in labor-force participation. Also, the opioid epidemic has produced a drag on our economy due to the cost of emergency room visits, health care and incarceration. And we cannot forget the human toll of homelessness, sex trafficking and fatal overdoses.

However, in 2018, there was a slight decrease of 5% in drug overdoses. In fact, it was the first such drop in 25 years. This could be due to prescription guidelines, fewer insurers covering opioid prescriptions, and local community coalitions that have banded together and are in the good fight. Yet we cannot relax after this achievement.

Now, we have entered into the ‘third wave’ of the opioid epidemic. Heroin was the second wave, with 80% of new heroin users starting with pain pills. The third wave, the very powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, has hit the streets. Fentanyl is known as ‘manufactured death’ by some. It is 50-100 times more powerful than heroin. Fentanyl is the greatest criminal drug threat in U.S. history.

We must realize support and compassion will guide those suffering from addiction to get help. We have to dispel the stigma they are weak or lack moral character. Also, it makes it difficult for family members to talk about the challenges they face with their loved one due to the stigma. We can’t shoot our wounded. They are our children, family and friends that need our support on their journey to recovery.

Access to effective services is key, may that be detox, treatment or long-term recovery. Those suffering need to know they can detox safely, that treatment works and recovery is a lifelong process that promotes a healthy and productive lifestyle. We have to advocate and work together to have more resources for those seeking recovery.

A healthy lifestyle allows people to become productive and successful members of their community. If you are in recovery, please consider adding your voice and invest in the upcoming recovery month of September to acknowledge a life which has satisfaction and meaning.

Peer-to-peer recovery support, those who have suffered reaching back to those still suffering, can establish an initial trusting relationship that is vital for recovery.

We are all stakeholders. Stigma only creates barriers to healing. It does not help to insult those suffering from addiction and their families. We diminish the chances for recovery with disdain. We all have to be willing to engage in open, honest and compassionate conversations to foster support and work together to enhance the chances of recovery for all Alaskans.

Alaskans are known to render aid when someone they may not even know slides into the ditch. And it does not matter if the the driver was going too fast, lost traction on a icy road or just did not stay in their lane.

Addiction is cunning, baffling, powerful and patient, but most unfortunately, deadly.

Alaskans do not ask. They just help.

Michael P. Carson is a vice president and Recovery Specialist at MYHOUSE and serves as chairman of the Mat-Su Opioid Task Force.

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