I really dislike the word addict to describe someone. I believe that people are more than just their addiction! Yes, many of my clients are trauma survivors who use (or have used) drugs and alcohol (or food or self-harming behavior) to feel less badly and they are/have been addicted to their drug of choice, but they are people in pain. More than just the word addict is needed to describe them.
The truth is, if someone is using drugs or alcohol, it’s likely the best coping mechanism they’ve got right now. That’s right. They are using as a coping mechanism… not because it’s fun or enjoyable.
Let’s face it. The general public sees addicts as bad people. But when addiction touches your life—it suddenly becomes clear that addiction isn’t selective between good people and bad people. It impacts everyone. While tragically addiction is becoming more common, it’s also (thankfully!) becoming less stigmatized.
I believe it demonstrates a major shift in our country’s perception that the Surgeon General is calling for compassion. I applaud and say it’s about time!
“This Report is a call to all Americans to change the way we address substance misuse and substance use disorders in our society. Past approaches to these issues have been rooted in misconceptions and prejudice and have resulted in a lack of preventive care; diagnoses that are made too late or never; and poor access to treatment and recovery support services, which exacerbated health disparities and deprived countless individuals, families, and communities of healthy outcomes and quality of life. Now is the time to acknowledge that these disorders must be addressed with compassion and as preventable and treatable medical conditions.”
In light of this powerful statement, I want to help further the compassion with a few tips and resources:
- You can’t treat addiction without treating trauma. There is always a reason someone is using drugs or alcohol and a pattern of addiction has taken hold. Often times, this reason can be a perceived trauma in the person’s life. While trauma is in the eye of the perceiver and can be different for everyone—it’s crucial that we treat addiction through a trauma-informed lens.
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