ADDICTION AWARENESS WEEK

During National Addiction Awareness Week (November 16-22), Northern
Health's Mental and Addictions Advisory Committee in Kitimat are
encouraging residents to take part in educational activities and
carefully think about how addictions could affect their families.

Addictions hit our communities much worse than you'd first think.

Nearly one in five visits to a family doctor's office is by people
with substance issues. Alcoholism leads to high usage of hospital
beds and health services.

Children as young as nine years of age start experimenting with
drugs. Even using 'just pot' can lead to psychological problems and
the eventual use of harder drugs. Marijuana is as addictive as all
the other drugs.

A recent study by the National Institute of Health indicates nearly
14 million (or one out of every 13) adults abuse alcohol or are alcoholic.

Some see addiction as a personality flaw or weakness, something other
than a medical disease. This creates problems with shame and denial.

Many misconceptions about addictions issues can stop people from
getting the help they need altogether. We should be helping people to
get treatment, not shaming them into further suffering.

Along with people who suffer from addictions, many also have some
type of mental illness. These people are referred to as having
"concurrent disorder."

BC statistics reveal that more than 70 per cent of people between the
ages of 15 and 64 seeking addictions treatment are also receiving
mental health services.

On the flip side, 20 to 40 per cent of people receiving mental health
services are also suffering from substance issues.

We're asking families to take part in activities around Kitimat for
Awareness Week. We will have a mall display on Thursday, November 20,
from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This will include the crystal meth drug kit,
demonstrations of the impairment goggles and other valuable
information, including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous resources.

Northern Health's services in Kitimat are happy to inform people
about addictions issues and provide support and treatment. To learn
more about this very serious, yet treatable problem, please call
Mental Health and Addictions Services at 250-632-3181.

Or you can speak with school counsellors, and workplace employee and
family assistance programs.

Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous can be reached at 250-639-4130.

The Canadian Mental Health Association's website is www.cmha.ca.