ADDICTIONS: GETTING OUT

Two weeks ago we ran Addictions: Getting In which had Northwest Addiction
Services counsellor Dan O'Neill bluntly describing the insidious nature of
drug and alcohol addiction and its sad consequences.

This week we look at the road back.

What is Northwest Addictions? What does Dan O'Neill offer?

How do people get on the road back - and what do they need to do to
complete the journey?

O'Neill says NAS is essentially an outpatient clinic.

He offers counselling one-on-one, to couples and to families. He also
refers people to treatment clinics.

But he's not the only resource: there's help available through local
Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups.

"We've got a very strong AA program here," O'Neill points out, adding there
are 11 meetings a week across the different groups.

Does all that help? "It's an individual thing," he replies.

Outlining his ideal scenario, O'Neill says it begins with a client coming
to see him once a week for a month.

During that period he/she also attends AA and/or NA meetings.

He then refers the person to a residential treatment program.

After 30 days, or however long the particular program lasts, the client
returns to Kitimat.

"The ones that do well are the ones that continue to see me for a period of
time and continue to go to meetings," he emphasizes.

The ones that do not are those who come back figuring "they're all done".

But in those cases, "their bad behaviours are back in two weeks".

O'Neill stresses an individual only gets out of a treatment program what
they put into it.

"Some people expect maximum outcome from minimum effort," he says, adding,
"That's not going to work."

Another negative for some is that they blame all their problems on others.
"They do not take responsibility for their own actions."

And there are those who, while recognizing they are addicted to cocaine,
tell themselves they can still drink.

Referring back to his alcohol as a Volkswagen, cocaine as a Cadillac image,
he warns drink just makes them want to get back in the Caddy.

"Addiction is very cunning."

O'Neill doesn't pretend Getting Out is easy.

But for those who are determined to escape the slavery he referred to in
the last article, it is possible.

And he and others are there to help make it happen.

He also emphasizes that NAS is a confidential service - not even employers
are informed one of their employees has come to NAS for help.

In fact, O'Neill takes the confidentiality so seriously that if he runs
into a client on the street, "I don't even acknowledge them unless they
acknowledge me personally."

The number for Northwest Addiction Services is 632-7335.