Parents of Addicts Community Group
A safe group for Mothers and Fathers of addicts, where we can share feelings, and ask for feedback.
Aside from the sad and insidious disease of addiction on how devastating it is........ one of the things that really bother me is the stigma that's attached to it. It stagnates and prevents addicts/alcoholics and their families from getting the help they need because of the shame.
Last night my husband and I presented our parent drug program to our regional PTA Officers. At the end of our program ~ we put a lot of emphasis on the stigma of addiction. We call addiction/alcoholism - the "NO CASSEROLE" disease, comparing it to cancer ~ we show a photograph of a casserole on a slide. We told the group: "When someone has cancer ~ the whole community comes together - we call, sending cards, flowers, make meals - along with the emotional support someone with this illness has ~ but we can't say that about the disease of addiction/alcoholism." People feel isolated, alone, and embarrassed. * This shouldn't be - which is why we put so much time into this topic.
Ironically, when my husband and I were going through our worst times, and even when we first started presenting our programs, for some reason, I had it in my head that no one in the audience could relate to what we were talking about. Of course - I've learned over time ~ and last night - as we were talking about the stigma ~ I thought to myself - I wonder how many people in the audience has been touched by this disease in some way. Well, sure enough ~ the PTA ladies approached us at the end of our program with all kind of stories.
One woman said she was told growing up that her dad died of a "heart attack". She was two years old when he died. Eventually, of course, she was told the truth but she said that she hated, when having to reveal her medical history to doctors, telling them the real reason he died. She said she was embarrassed and still is - so she said our presentation really helped her. There were a few other similar stories to the one she shared.
I know so much more can be done to help dispel the stigma but - there needs to be a capital campaign to help make this possible. It can happen. The stigma of cancer and AIDS - wow - what an awesome job the passionate people have done to ease it.
It's been a very long time since we've heard anything in the media about drug abuse/addiction - except to alert the public about the pain medication problem. Nothing more. Nothing about the disease and about how people struggle with it and what is being done. Wouldn't it be great if the next President would take this topic on? Although - all we hear about the message that the Reagan Administration campaigned about "JUST SAY NO" didn't work.......... at least they were giving the drug problem some attention. I think it needs to be re-visited but an emphasis should be made about the stigma and how people (including loved ones) can go for help.
Last night my husband and I presented our parent drug program to our regional PTA Officers. At the end of our program ~ we put a lot of emphasis on the stigma of addiction. We call addiction/alcoholism - the "NO CASSEROLE" disease, comparing it to cancer ~ we show a photograph of a casserole on a slide. We told the group: "When someone has cancer ~ the whole community comes together - we call, sending cards, flowers, make meals - along with the emotional support someone with this illness has ~ but we can't say that about the disease of addiction/alcoholism." People feel isolated, alone, and embarrassed. * This shouldn't be - which is why we put so much time into this topic.
Ironically, when my husband and I were going through our worst times, and even when we first started presenting our programs, for some reason, I had it in my head that no one in the audience could relate to what we were talking about. Of course - I've learned over time ~ and last night - as we were talking about the stigma ~ I thought to myself - I wonder how many people in the audience has been touched by this disease in some way. Well, sure enough ~ the PTA ladies approached us at the end of our program with all kind of stories.
One woman said she was told growing up that her dad died of a "heart attack". She was two years old when he died. Eventually, of course, she was told the truth but she said that she hated, when having to reveal her medical history to doctors, telling them the real reason he died. She said she was embarrassed and still is - so she said our presentation really helped her. There were a few other similar stories to the one she shared.
I know so much more can be done to help dispel the stigma but - there needs to be a capital campaign to help make this possible. It can happen. The stigma of cancer and AIDS - wow - what an awesome job the passionate people have done to ease it.
It's been a very long time since we've heard anything in the media about drug abuse/addiction - except to alert the public about the pain medication problem. Nothing more. Nothing about the disease and about how people struggle with it and what is being done. Wouldn't it be great if the next President would take this topic on? Although - all we hear about the message that the Reagan Administration campaigned about "JUST SAY NO" didn't work.......... at least they were giving the drug problem some attention. I think it needs to be re-visited but an emphasis should be made about the stigma and how people (including loved ones) can go for help.
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