I remember once seeing one of my
patients who had a psychotic illness. He was doing very well and was very
engaged in his recovery process. Unfortunately, a “friend” of his was
providing him with free and easy access to illegal drugs – mostly marijuana. This
was having a negative impact on his well-being and about a week before our
visit his employer had let him know that if he appeared to be “stoned” once
more at work, that he would be let go. In our discussion, I raised the
opportunity for him to attend a drug discontinuation group that we had been
working with. It provided young people with a support system and framework
to help them get off and stay off illicit drugs. Mike (not his real name)
became annoyed when I suggested that. “I have a psychotic illness” he
said, “I am not a drug addict”.
What Mike was voicing was in some
way a stigmatizing perspective about people who struggle with drug misuse and
abuse. This is the topic that another friend of mine just recently wrote
about. It’s worth a read and you can find it here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-harold-koplewicz/is-drug-addiction-mental-illness_b_858815.html His
point is well taken. There is a lot of stigma about drug use in young
people and this stigma can get in the way of getting help. I agree.
This is why it is so important to
make sure that we have both substance abuse and mental health care easily
available in the primary health care system. A young person with either
one or both of these problems should be able to get help without going into a
stigmatizing separate program. We will know we have finally broken the
stigma about substance abuse and mental disorders when anyone can go to their
primary health care provider (general practitioner, nurse practitioner,
psychologist, nurse, etc.), and get the help and the care that they
need. Much as they now go for a sore throat, high blood pressure or
diabetes treatment.
That is our goal. It will take
lots of work to get there, but it will be worth it.
-Stan
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