Edith is a nurse practitioner, in her first year at Concerted Care Group, Baltimore. She provides addiction assessments and addiction treatments. Her main focus is on opioids.
She became a nurse practitioner in drug treatment and counseling because she wants to help people. Based on studies, she believes opioid addiction to be a brain disease. So, with intense treatment, guidance and counseling, she sees her clients succeed in treatment.
It’s hard to miss the symbolism: Former opioid addicts cleaning up the drug-infested park they once used. A park that was filled with broken glass, used needles and shattered lives.
But it is much more than just symbolism. It is real change.
Opioids are in the news.
From the news conferences to talk shows to television dramas, opioids and the people affected by them are getting a lot of exposure. Methadone abuse is costing lives and money. It’s taking a toll on American society. It cannot be ignored anymore.
There are many ways to treat substance abuse.
In fact, there are probably as many different treatments as there are substances. Some substance abuse treatments are successful and have stood the test of time. Many others are trendy and controversial and have not withstood research and testing.
And while the success of any substance abuse treatment truly depends on the patient receiving it, the elements of the treatment and the treatment center doing it are also crucial. It is, ultimately, a team effort.
