Treating Addiction With Compassion

“My hope is that the current compassion movement for people with addiction will continue to grow, that people with active addiction will be as valued as people in long-term recovery. I want us all to truly see people, separate from their illness. If we truly let ourselves see the people who struggle with addiction, we will see that they are worth every ounce of passionate compassion we have to give.” – Dr. Nzinga Harrison, Eleanor Health

NatCon24 is still on my mind.

I think it was our best conference yet, and I hope you found it as fulfilling as I did. I have so many great memories — the events and presentations, the Exhibit Hall and the conversations with all of you.

But there is one thing I continue to recall day after day. Perhaps it’s because I’ve written about substance use in this space frequently of late — and because those topics have resonated with so many of you — but Dr. Nzinga Harrison’s presentation on treating people with a substance use disorder is now permanently lodged in my memory.

Dr. Harrison is disrupting the care model by urging all of us to:

• Unlearn what we think we know about addiction because treatment works.
• Undo the stigma that is killing people.
• Uncover the conversations that we need to have to save lives.

Unlearn (what we think we know)

This is difficult, and perhaps that’s why she discussed it first. Rewiring our brains is not easy! But we can do it. As she told us, we used to be misled by myths about all kinds of conditions — epilepsy, HIV and breast cancer. Just like we did with those conditions, we need to change the conversation surrounding substance use disorder — change what we believe and how we talk about substance use.

It can work if we believe treatment works. And it does — 75% of people with a substance use disorder recover, “even with this broken system we have,” as Dr. Harrison had said, often to controlled use rather than abstinence.

We’ve long understood that there are many paths to recovery. We’ve long known that recovery may look different for everyone, and many people don’t seek a formal treatment program. One study found that many people believe “abstinence is not necessary” to achieve recovery.

“We have to believe there is hope,” she told the NatCon24 crowd. “If we know 75% of people with addiction recover, we need to lead with that message.”

Undo (the stigma)

This is powerful because bias drives so many beliefs and responses.

But Dr. Harrison urges us to stop and think about the root cause of addiction. Our DNA very likely predisposes us to health conditions, and those conditions include addiction. Believing otherwise — that addiction is a choice rather than a chronic illness — can lead to tragic assumptions and harmful stigma. As Dr. Harrison noted, addiction is easier than asthma to pass down from generation to generation.

So, we need to chip away at the stigma surrounding addiction and treatment for substance use challenges. We need to chip away at the fear and discrimination preventing people from seeking care.

We must support people in all aspects of their recovery and be equipped to offer them the services and supports they need when they need them. We fail when we ignore that fact and punish and stigmatize people instead of supporting them.

There is something terribly wrong with allowing stigma, discrimination and misinformation to guide conversations regarding addiction, treatment and people who use drugs. But what should those conversations look like?

Uncover (the conversations that could save a life)

How we talk about addiction matters greatly.

“I hope all the kids just say no, but the reality is that all the kids aren’t going to say no,” she said. “So how do we keep our kids safe?”

Through information. When parents talk with their children early and often about alcohol and other drugs, they can protect their children from many of the high-risk behaviors associated with using these drugs, Dr. Harrison said.

Understanding the biological, psychological and environmental factors, and the inherited and acquired factors associated with them, provides a risk assessment and the guidance to create the magic formula that lights the road to recovery.

“By addressing inherited factors, you’re validating that all the things you’ve experienced are real and matter and they don’t have to haunt you. By addressing acquired factors, we’re putting a plan in place, all in service of amazing,” she said.

The Magic Formula

Actually, it’s not magic. It starts with compassion and connection. It requires us to understand that everyone’s formula — their combination of risk factors, hopes and dreams — is unique.

I hope you enjoyed Dr. Harrison’s presentation as much as I did. And I hope you find it helpful moving forward. What did you find meaningful? How will you use her presentation in your work with your clients?

Finally, we’ve prepared many Mental Health Awareness Month resources. Please use and share them!