The best way to battle addiction is to put more resources into prevention [thehill.com]

Thank you Alicia for posting this. Yes, I agree that prevention is key.  An addict may have a genetic predisposition for substance abuse but the bottom line is addiction is just one of the many ways people choose to numb negative emotions.

I have a theory that I would love conduct a research study on. (If I missed one that exists do tell!). 

Anyway, we know that ACE' signicantly increases the risk of substance abuse. Yes there are physiological changes to the amygdala that contribute; the question is how can we ease the pain and emotional turmoil a child goes through?

Here's my theory, from my experience many addicts are creative thinkers without an outlet for creative expression; this initself can cause a person to feel "crazy" and alone.

Is a "creative" born a creative or does trauma cause a child to become creative in an effort to escape the pain of reality.

Lets say that trauma causes or enhances the creative brain.  With the arts being taken out of many schools, what outlet does the childhood to express all the thoughts and ideas that creatives experience? Without an outlet, how does supressed creativity effect the child? 

What if these effects create emotional pain and such a strong sense of being "different" that this in itself contributes to substance abuse?

If this were the case,  would ensuring that the creative child has plenty of expressive outlets reducing the emotional pain enough to take awsy the need to numb the pain?

Just something I have always wondeted about.

The author's wish list for addressing the opioid epidemic in 2018: First, Congress must immediately fund CHIP, and the president should mobilize additional funding for the opioid epidemic by declaring a national emergency. Second we need to immediately increase our allocation of resources towards evidence-based ACE prevention.

Third we must improve collaboration, as addiction is just the end result of the intersection of many psychosocial issues. With action on these three priorities I am hopeful we can begin to reverse the downward trend in of American life expectancy and make substantial progress in curbing the casualties of the opioid epidemic.  

Anyone from New York -  the latter two of his suggestions are related to ACEs.  Anyone know him and can reach out to him to be sure he knows about what;s happening in New York around raising awareness about ACEs?  And our ACEs Connection community!

Daniel Schatz, M.D. is an addiction medicine fellow with NYU in the Department of Population Health. Schatz's clinical work is at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and is a collaborator with the Drug Policy Alliance.