Why Are So Many People Waiting So Long to Get Help for Alcoholism or Drug Addiction?

Why Are So Many People Waiting So Long to Get Help for Alcoholism or Drug Addiction?

Why Are So Many People Waiting So Long to Get Help for Alcoholism or Drug Addiction?

It seems in the past year, clients have become sicker than normal. I have come across so many clients that end up in the hospital from their dependency to opiates, excessive alcohol abuse, or injecting heroin into their bodies and the majority of them have been abusing substances for close to 20 years.

I recently had four cases that were all in the hospital on deaths door and most of them are still in the hospital waiting to be released because their dependency to substance brought them to rock bottom which for them, is no return and waiting for their bodies to heal itself with the help of the medical professionals in the hospital healthcare systems.

I am a bit lost and sadden to see so many families waiting and waiting in hopes and anticipation for their loved one addicted to drugs or alcohol to quit or they let it be because they have been functioning for over ten years. They attend work, they play the parenting role, and they can do and act as a normal non-alcoholic or non-substance abuser. But eventually, it is a matter of when their dependency can become the full driving force in their day to day life and come down spiraling leaving them helpless to their addiction.

In my experience for 18 years plus, it is never good to wait. I recently lost someone because the family let his addiction go on too long, but it was not their fault, they had no clue about interventions and how to help someone struggling with addiction. But this is the sad truth that happens daily. And with all the medical professionals in the world, his body kept rejecting every solution for this heart.

It is now so important more than ever to bring more awareness of the steps families can take before it gets to this level where individuals that struggle with addiction are in the hospital for 45-60 days waiting to be released from the hospital care. The only downside to this is that we need families and the individuals to understand the importance of aftercare and just because you were in the hospital for 45 days does not mean you went to treatment. It is recommended that you enter into a substance abuse treatment for additional 30 days with transitional intensive out-patient for 8 weeks more after treatment. Because of the fact that you were in the hospital for such a long period of time with no extensive treatment to help you maintain sobriety that the possibilities are extremely high for you to return home drinking or abusing drugs once again. Especially those that have been in the hospital for weeks at a time, there is a high probability that you may not make the next round after abusing substance and your life is on the line.

For families, this is so important and why you need to get educated on addiction. Too many people pass away daily due to their own dependency to drugs or alcohol; and this why you need to understand your role and what you can do to help someone who is in denial or minimizing or says all the excuses in the book of why. But do not ignore the signs of their addiction because eventually, it gets them to the point where there is no coming back and it is too late to help them recover. Once their dependency starts to affect their internal organs, it can be challenging for our bodies to recover from so much of the toxins put in and then the body cannot handle another drink or drugs entering the body. This leads to kidney, heart, and liver failures and so many more medical concerns.

I feel that so many people are waiting due to denial, financial, insurance, excuses, life stuff and being unaware about addiction.  You need to learn about treatment options, learn about drug and alcohol interventions, aftercare, and what is an addiction to better help someone struggling with their disease or if you want help, it is never too late to start. But to keep waiting until the last minute you’re in the hospital is very dangerous because the last drink or drug use can be your last with no coming back alive.