Women Helping Women in Addictions
Archive for April, 2010
Mother’s Heroin Addiction!
Apr 20th
Lisa Ling, an ABC News Commentator, is sitting in a middle class suburban kitchen interviewing a woman heroin addict. Mary sits in the kitchen looking beyond the kitchen glass doors viewing her four year old daughter at play. Throughout the interview, Mary is trying to convey the difficulties she has embarked upon to quit her seven year heroin addiction.
Mary grew up in the small town of Plymouth, Ohio, a population of 1,800. When Lisa asked a community member how a small town can be having problems with heroin addiction, he replied, “There’s not one person, in the community, who has not be touched by this addiction”.
It is difficult to understand Mary’s addiction, especially being a twenty four year old mother and pregnant. Mary is five months pregnant and continues with her addiction because of her unborn child. A pregnant woman cannot stop heroin, cold-turkey, because the unborn child is addicted and will die. Mary was receiving methadone treatment but chose to stop and continue with her heroin addiction.
Lisa is interviewing Mary as the video shows her shooting up her veins with heroin in various parts of her body; thighs, fingers, chest and feet. Mary tells of her daily routine of waking up with sweats and sickness at 4:00 am, taking her heroin shot, returning to sleep for another four hours, taking her next fix, and eventually driving to Columbus to buy heroin.
Mary tells of numerous mothers strung out on heroin, mothers in their 20’s 30’s and 40’s. She knows her daughter and unborn child deserves better, and she wants better for them. Mary and her mother are optimistic and continue looking for a drug addiction program for herself.
There are no detox centers or any long term drug programs available in her county. Soon after the interview Mary and her mother appeared on Oprah, where she was offered treatment … she accepted.
Parenting and Addiction
Apr 15th
An article I wrote “Mother’s Heroin Addiction” about Lisa Ling’s interview “Heroin in the Heartland” depicted a young mother addicted to heroin. Mary is five months pregnant and a mother of a four year old daughter. Although Mary’s mother has custody of her daughter, addiction has been a culprit before Mary’s daughter’s birth. Mary used heroin the duration of her pregnancy with her daughter as she is now with her unborn child.
Many addicts will argue the fact that they are good mothers, love their children, and parent well. No matter what the drug of choice is, how much the addict uses, or if the children are or are not present during the mothers drug spree – children are definitely affected psychologically and physiologically with their mother’s addiction.
The Webster’s definition of parent is one that brings up offspring, and mother is female parent who cherish and protect. The definition of addict is one who is psychologically and physiologically dependent on a drug. Is this not ironic the mother who is psychologically and physiologically dependent on the drug is simultaneously giving the drug to her child weather it be directly through birth and/or psychologically. What part of this definition means an addicted parent cherishes and protects a child.
When parents, family, and friends respond, “The children were not affected by their parents addiction, their honor students, varsity football stars, cheerleaders, and high achievers” – they are very much in denial. The affects of addiction will surface among children in different stages and time lines far into the individuals adulthood. The future families of tomorrow will be affected by their parents and grandparents addiction.
Understanding Women’s Addiction
Apr 10th
The growing affects of alcohol and drug addiction amongst the women population is creating an epidemic. Addiction has been present among women for centuries, and continues on into the 21st century. There is a different impact of addiction among women than men psychological and physiologically. Addictions in women are severe and cross over to their children, families and communities.
Women been diagnosed for years with depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). The difference now is, women are being diagnosed, rather than put into asylums and claimed as being insane, as they once where. However, women with mental health issues are continuing to be treated with drugs. The mental health problems are more prevelent in the women population than in men. Because there is a higher diagnosed-rate with woman than in men, it only comes to reason why more women are prescibed drugs more often.
Women’s addictions are being legally resolved with prescriptions therefore, solutions and strategies to overcome the problems of their addictions are never sought out. Women are putting their total trust into the hands of their doctors, medical establishments, and pharmaceuticals. The prescription drugs over the years are changing due to the pharmaceutical campaign on drugs. This also plays a large part in the war against women’s addictions. There has to be a stronger campaign for women in recovering from addictions than there is for legal prescription drugs.
Alan I Leshner, Ph.D, Director of National Institute on Drug Abuse stated “drug abuse and addiction are among the most pressing health and social issues facing our nation, posing serious health risks and often tragic consequences for those who are afflicted and for their families and communities.”
Dr. Leshner also states that most prevention and treatment programs are developed on men’s characteristics and needs. Because women are under- represented in research, and studies, the effects of women’s addictions are not understood compared to men.