AADAC IS HERE FOR YOU

Hinton Parklander - AADAC Is Practically An Alberta Institution.

It is older than most of us, and has its roots in the days when the
only "real" addictions were to alcohol, heroin, and opium. In those
times, smoking was still not seen as a serious health risk, problem
gambling had few venues in which to develop, and heroin use was the
stuff of movies and novels. Sexual addiction? Well, really!!

We now know the extent to which substances and behaviors formerly
considered harmless or maybe just naughty can consume the lives of
otherwise normal, healthy people. We also know that breaking free of
addiction is more than just an issue of will power. The issue of
quitting typically involves much more than just no longer using, and
too often, someone who has the desire to give up a bad habit lacks the
resources to do so. As the old joke has it, I know how easy it is to
quit smoking - I've done it at least a dozen times...

The Hinton-Jasper area is fortunate to have a well-staffed AADAC
office able to provide effective information, prevention, and
treatment services, most of which are free. The Hinton office also
offers outpatient counselling services and curriculum resources, and
it has an excellent lending library for those who wish to extend their
knowledge and understanding of addiction, treatment, and other topics.
AADAC is also part of a broad network of community agencies in Hinton
that provides a variety of support services.

The goal of this column is to highlight AADAC's services in West
Yellowhead. The next several columns will provide you with specific
information on the programs and resources available for those who are
seeking to break free of the Beast, introduce you to the people who
deliver those programs, and discuss other topics related to addiction.

If you have any questions about AADAC or its services, call the Hinton
office (865-8263) and ask to speak to Tasha, Susan, John, or Karen.
We'll select a question for publication with each column. Please don't
feel shy - the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked. You may
also wish to visit AADAC's website at www.aadac.com for general
information about this particular Alberta Advantage.