The Crisis of Addiction

Stone Temple Pilots’ frontman, Scott Weiland, died on December 3, 2015, from cardiac arrest. Years (decades) of addiction to various substances no doubt wore down his body. Addiction is a debilitating disease that, without treatment, will absolutely result in death.

Scott Weiland also struggled with mental illness. Together, his addiction and mental illness (known in treatment circles as Co-Occurring Disorders), severely impacted his functioning and his relationships. In some instances, his diseases helped fuel his creativity. His ex-wife, along with their two children, poignantly articulates these experiences in a letter published in Rolling Stone. Co-Occurring disorders, when not adequately treated, can incite intense creative bursts in the short term, yet often at the long term cost of destroying valuable relationships and, eventually, ones own life. Scott Weiland’s struggle, and its impact on his family is not unique. Countless families are currently in a state of ongoing crisis due to the effects of the disease of addiction. Unfortunately, they most often struggle in silence, as Scott’s family did.

Stigma and misinformation continue to perpetuate the myth that addiction is an untreatable and morally wrong, character flaw. Addiction, whether isolated or co-occurring with mental illness, is not any of these things. Many people try alcohol, marijuana, or are prescribed pain medications on a daily basis, however, only a fragment of these individuals develop a dependence on these substances. To be clear, prescription pain medications are DEA controlled, highly addictive substances. As a class, they are known as opioids. There are prescription opioids, such as Percocet or Oxycodone, and there are synthetic opioids, such as Heroin. They are all opioids and regardless of the form they come in, or if you are given a prescription by a medical professional or purchase them on the street, the potential euphoric effects and addictive dangers are the same. Yet, we all know which one also has a pervasive stigma attached to it. Anyone can be susceptible to addiction to any of these substances. It is not because of a person’s lack of willpower, or their defect of character, or their questionable morals. No, it is because their brain is wired differently.

A few years ago, I wrote some observations I had while at an addictions conference in Las Vegas. Many of my thoughts and visions for addictions treatment have not changed since I wrote that piece three years ago. I share them again, below.

… [An addictions conference hosted in Las Vegas may seem like a glaring oxymoron, however, it really isn’t.] Vegas is a vast land of extremes. Everything is exaggerated beyond all realistic representation. Gluttony and capitalism to the tenth power. Vegas represents (with casino credit, show girls, and glitter) what most people think and feel about addiction. Anyone is allowed to have a few wild nights, along with endless alcohol, drugs, and sexual exploits, so long as “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”. Vegas is where denial was born and now thrives. Leave your secrets in the desert. No one will know.

Our culture views addiction in this exact way. Those who have the money and ability to live it up in Vegas and then immediately return to the status quo are the only ones we find acceptable to use drugs and alcohol. Those who can’t handle the sweet seduction of all things Vegas are “bad, sick, damaged, wrong, and sinful.” It is their problem and they deserve all the consequences that go along with using drugs. They certainly do not deserve our help in any way. They brought this on themselves.

Being at the AATOD conference within the Sin City demonstrated the clear divide between drug use and drug treatment in our culture. We welcome the use of substances, so long as a person can keep it to themselves and not bother anyone (or, even better, can be the life of the party). The moment addiction becomes a problem and a person seeks treatment, now this same person is morally corrupt and undeserving of our help. It is a sad reality since drug and alcohol addiction is a disease. If our society viewed it more as the true disease that it is, and embraced the true care and treatment needed to manage this disease, and even prevent it, there would be far less negative consequences of prolonged use.

Keynote speaker William White articulated this phenomenon powerfully. He stated, “We know addiction is a chronic disease, yet we continue to treat it like a broken arm.” Addiction is not about forcing a person stop using and never look back. Quitting “cold turkey” does not work. Rather, addiction is a debilitating disease that needs to be managed with a variety of therapies and services. There needs to be a comprehensive approach to treatment that includes family involvement, addressing mental health issues, past history of trauma, HIV risk and treatment, intimate partner violence, housing, employment, finances, and many others. In many instances, a person may turn to drugs and alcohol as a reaction to a past (and/or current) traumatic situation. Substances can be very powerful coping mechanisms – just ask anyone walking on the Vegas Strip after a night of partying! When a person takes steps to reduce or eliminate the use of substances, the memories of abuse may come flooding back. These nightmares and real memories can be debilitating and terrorizing. The fear of the memories could be a reason why people do not “get clean” or why they tend to relapse. In instances like this, we cannot blame the person for being “weak” or “immoral” or “criminal”. This person needs further care and treatment to develop healthier coping skills to deal with the fear and pain. Yet, since our culture does not view substance use in this way, this person only gets a band-aid, not the full surgery he may need.

We have a lot of work to do. Our culture devalues those with an addiction of any sort. We frown upon anyone doing anything in excess … even in Vegas.

Yes, there is hope. This conference exemplified the hope and inspiration we all have and all need to improve how our society treats those with addictions. More awareness is being raised about this disease, especially with more and more people coming out with their struggles. People are beginning to realize that denial is not enough. Denial is not working, even in Vegas. It’s not so easy to just leave our worries on The Strip and pretend they don’t exist. Or to dismiss those struggling as undeserving of assistance. We all need to face this disease, show compassion to those who are living with it, and treat it comprehensively. …

Unfortunately, one major change has occurred in the past several years. The number of fatal overdoses from opioid use has continued to increase at alarming rates. In 2013, overdose became the leading cause of injury death, surpassing both car accidents and homicide. Addiction is not just a disease; it is a public health crisis. We need to face this crisis and work toward reducing stigma and increasing access to treatment. If we don’t make drastic improvements now, thousands more will continue to share the devastating experiences of Scott Weiland and his family.