With headlines pointing to celebrities in and out of rehab clinics and many communities plagued with serious drug issues, we can forget that alcoholism remains a problem of great dimension. It is, \u201cThe most abused drug in our society,\u201d said Cynthia Moore.<\/p>\n
A lot of clients who are struggling with addictions including alcohol are referred to the Shelby County Counseling Center where Mrs. Moore is the Substance Abuse Clinical Supervisor. \u201c\u202690 percent of our [addictions] client base are ordered by the court to be here, which means they have had an alcohol or drug related offense.\u201d Getting help is often, \u201cAn alternative to jail or prison, if they successfully complete a program,\u201d she said. Mrs. Moore has been in the business of helping folks overcome addictions since 1987. Yet the passion for the cause is still evident in her voice. Working in the field began as a college internship. \u201c\u2026I had some family members who struggled with alcohol addiction. I just thought\u2026I\u2019ll just try it. I never did anything else since. I love it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
It appears difficult to isolate alcohol abuse solely though, since many of the agency\u2019s clients struggle with cross-addiction. \u201cThey may have another primary drug, heroin is huge right now, but always drinking in the interim,\u201d said the addictions expert. \u201cWe see cross-addiction…where they are addicted to many substances.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for putting a face on the problem, the supervisor believes, \u201cThe reality is we are interacting with people who are functioning with addictions everyday. First, we must get to know individuals better, before we see their struggle.\u201d\u00a0Whether it is an employer or family member, \u201cSometimes they get angry, they don\u2019t understand that drug addiction or alcoholism is a disease,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s important to separate the person from the disease.\u201d Moore is emphatic in stressing the importance of recognizing that, \u201cThis is always a disease. You are going to see mood swings\u2026[also] this disease causes people to break their value systems.\u201d<\/p>\n
How do we know when it\u2019s time to seek help for someone we care about? \u201cAs the disease progresses, the effect on those major life areas get bigger and bigger and easier to see,\u201d said the supervisor. \u201cWhat people don\u2019t realize is that chemical dependency treatment is a cumulative process,\u201d she said. \u201cMany things throughout someone\u2019s life have to accumulate before they are ready [to get help]. They might be job problems, health problems, legal problems, medical problems, spiritual problems, [ etc.]\u201d\u00a0Alcoholism is \u201ccunning, baffling, and powerful,\u201d said Moore, quoting from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. \u201cPart of our treatment program is to introduce them to Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Al-Anon. She asserts that it is, \u201cVery important for an addicted person to find others who have walked that path and succeeded. They cannot fight addiction alone. They need others with them to help them deal with the thing that has become more powerful then themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for church support groups like Celebrate Recovery, Cynthia Moore considers these to be, \u201cVery helpful avenues, as well.\u201d Although she admits that the drawback is that many individuals battling with substance abuse can also struggle with a lack of worthiness initially making seeking assistance from a religiously-affiliated source difficult for them.\u00a0To be an advocate for someone fighting addiction, \u201cWe have to be aware of the resources in our community. In every county there is an agency that is dedicated to helping the addicted population,\u201d said Moore. Agencies like Shelby County Counseling Center offer, \u201c\u2026support services to the family, as well the addict,\u201d she said. The Center\u2019s primary \u201cfunding stream comes from the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services. We have a sliding scale based on family size and income,\u201d Moore explained. [Although] \u201c\u2026we never ever refuse anyone service based on ability to pay,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
If you are wondering if you have a problem, or concerned that someone you love might, you \u201c\u2026can call and just talk to counselor,\u201d said Moore. This doesn\u2019t require an appointment, instead phone the center and ask, \u201cCan I just talk to counselor for a moment?\u201d Moore suggested. \u201cReally, what it is about, if this is the time for them to be ready,\u201d said the mental health professional.<\/p>\n
Is it your time to get some help? It takes a lot more courage to pick up the phone, than to simply suffer in silence. Call the Board of Mental Health in\u00a0your area and ask for a referral, visit a church recovery group, or attend an AA, NA,\u00a0or Al-Anon meeting to learn more. Check your local newspaper’s community calendar for meeting places and times. There is hope for breaking free of addictions, but you have to take the first step. After all, the life you save may be your own.<\/p>\n
Christina Ryan Claypool is an Amy Award winning journalist and inspirational speaker. This\u00a0post is excerpted from a column which\u00a0originally appeared in the Sidney Daily News on February 4, 2013. <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With headlines pointing to celebrities in and out of rehab clinics and many communities plagued with serious drug issues, we can forget that alcoholism remains a problem of great dimension. It is, \u201cThe most abused drug in our society,\u201d said … Continue reading