Georgia, along with much of the United States, has an addiction problem. Along with being known for its diverse music heritage, Scarlett O’Hara, and movie studios, Atlanta and some of its surrounding territories have been dubbed the “Heroin Triangle”. The opioid crisis is here, and combined with alcohol and other drug-related overdoses and deaths, the number of affected families continues to soar. News articles, tv shows, and task forces are devoted towards the admirable goals of shedding a light on the problem and attempting to solve it. Earnest citizens watch the reports, confident in their erroneous assumption that the reporters aren’t talking about their neighborhood, their co-workers, or their friends. The large majority of people who notice the reports have sympathy for those who are struggling, and perhaps even wish there were more they could do, but without any direction about what to do, most people simply move on with their day. Everyone wants a solution, but no one knows how to begin, where their money would go, how to actually help what looks like a hopeless problem.

There are grants, of course, and federal funding to help supply task forces designed to tackle the issue. Private and federally funded rehabs of all shapes and sizes dot the map. Medicated assistant treatment is available in the form of suboxone and methadone, and meetings all over the state happen on a daily basis, but it still doesn’t seem to be enough to combat a deadly epidemic. As a treatment care provider, people frequently ask me, “What else can be done?”

Even with careful reflection and piles of research through the latest scientific studies, my answer is extremely simple: the world of addiction needs acceptance and understanding. Turning away from something you think will never touch you will not, in fact, keep it away from your doorstep. Pretending we don’t notice when our friends are in pain or glossing over the fact that we drink or use substances to escape our suffering isn’t keeping addiction at bay, it’s helping to add to the epidemic. A large number of rental agencies turned away our requests to lease space to put in our first outpatient treatment center because they feared the decline of the neighborhood, and bringing in “addicts” with all their “drug problems” would surely make the neighborhood less attractive to others. What they failed to notice is that people struggling with addiction already live in every neighborhood, and alcohol and illicit substances are bought and sold on almost every corner. The ultimate contribution towards building a strong and healthy neighborhood is providing options for those who need help and cultivating a culture of understanding within the community. With acceptance and understanding, people who are struggling with addiction can seek out the help they need without worrying about their job security or the disapproval of others, and they can move through treatment without the stigma of being broken. Understanding that this can happen to anyone, anywhere, removes the shiny pedestals from which we look down on those who struggle, and it is from this shared level we can support those in our neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces when they need it most—and this is what I feel will ultimately turn the tides on the crisis of addiction.

So what can you do to help? If you’re just one person, listen and support your friends who may be struggling. Encourage them to get help if they need it. Don’t turn away from loved ones who confess they may need treatment. If you’re a business, promote wellness within your company by utilizing your human resources department to touch base with your employees. Include mental health and addiction services in your insurance plans, and allow employees to attend or possibly even host addiction meetings within your company without fear of discrimination. When you hire coaches to boost sales or production, also include coaches who promote personal resilience and emotional intelligence. If you’re a community leader, welcome and make way for addiction treatment centers of all shapes and sizes who can serve and guide your diverse population. And finally, if you are someone struggling with addiction, realize that you are a valuable member of society at large, and that a new experience of life is always possible. #rehab #centeredrecovery#mindfulness #cleanslate

by Krista Smith, CEO and Author of the Centered Recovery Program

*names have been changed for privacy