FINALLY AMERICA IS FACING SUBSTANCE ABUSE .

Today The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health marks the first report from a U.S. surgeon general dedicated to substance addiction, raising the profile of the widespread epidemic and advocating proven treatment options for America. Well it's about time!!!

Teaching & Accepting that Addiction isn't evidence of a character flaw or a moral failing.It’s a chronic disease of the brain that deserves the same compassion that any other chronic illness does, like diabetes, cancer or heart disease.

It's also been proposed that Medicare,Medicaid and private insurance cover this disease, also for the government to pass legislation for treatment centers for the young and uninsured. 

Addiction really touches everyone’s life. It’s a disease that doesn’t discriminate, and it’s one that’s taking an extraordinary toll on our families and communities across this country and around the world.

This is a beginning as legislation, police and society must accept that this is necessary to move foreword . 

Finally I have more than just HOPE4CURE, But HOPE4ALL. There  are many that have waited their whole lives for accepted treatments that they never receive or find help knowing there is treatment available. Not the outdated drugs that can be dangerous. ieAntabuse). But medications proven to stop the cravings & retrain the brain, in conjunction with addiction counceling under a doctor's supervision. 

Doctors got a huge wake up call today! I have faced many stubborn & ignorant doctors in the past,even with my son's life hanging in the balance of life and death.Now they have no reason to refuse accepted and known treatments. I pray it is not to late for many fighting this disease their whole lives.

I will protect those with addiction they have had extremely difficult lives. They all deserve to receive a THANKSGIVING Dinner this year with Hope for treatment in their hearts. FINALLY! 

Where do do we Start? LETS all write our congressmen, & senators. I personally have in the past and I have always received answers. In this case we all must fight for better quality treatment for addiction.

HOPE4CURE 

 

Really interesting article/blog you have done. Robin

I started reading the report last night. I didn't finish it all as it is long, but it certainly looks very promising.

Yes it does give many who need help the hope that this country has needed for way to long! confused

Hi. Very interesting report.My Mum passed away a few weeks ago so am back to my aAlcohol Addiction which is getting worse I seem to have completely lost all control over it.Where would I find the article you mentioned? It might help me to read it.X

I'll send you a link by private message, Susan,

Whilst it is great that finally some sort of intervention that utilises evidence-based medical or psychological treatment is being planned, it disappoints me that the most evidence-based treatment of Targeted Naltrexone (i.e. The Sinclair Method) use has not been mentioned.  Not one of the scientific papers formerly published showing this treatment is successful for a large proportion of sufferers have been included.  That is sad.

I find this particularly disappointing for those in the US, as across Europe a treatment path has been made available using targeting use of an almost identical medication to naltrexone, called nalmefene.  I wonder why one evidence-based treatment is used in a large part of the world but not even mentioned in others? 

Programs targeting prevention,though, are long overdue and have shown much benefit in other conditions such as obesity and diabetes prevention, so that is excellent news going forward.

I am sure that overall this will bring some really positive and hopefully long overdue changes to sustance abuse treatment in America, and it will certainly be good to have this medical issue brought out into a wider audience.  I am hoping that will go a long way to eventually changing the stigma of this condition.  It is so wrong that only 1 in 10 of those suffering alcohol misuse seek treatment.  Hopefully this will identify the barriers (such as stigma and cost, for example) and increase that number significantly.

Hi Paul. Thankyou for the message. But right now I am so drunk I have forgotin how to do private messaging. Sorry but thanks  anyway for the thought.Maybe when you have time you could explain the way I do it .From a very drunk Susan.

Thank you Paul,

Really sorry about your mum Susan. I wish you all tbe best.  I hope you manage to get through this difficult time OK.