HOW TO IDENTIFY ADDICTIVE DISORDERS
Substance Abuse Disorders and Process Addictions (for example: compulsive gambling or gaming, destructive eating habits, sexual and relationship addictions) have easily identifiable signs and symptoms. A quick assessment tool is “F.L.E.S.H.”. 

QUICK ASSESSMENT TOOL
Is the behavior causing FLESH problems? 
Family, friends or finance
Legal
Employment or education
Social or sexual functioning
Health (mental or physical)


Addiction starts slowly and follows a predictable path.
Once over the line into addiction, the brain is hijacked. Soon the problem begins to seem like the solution.
Next, family problems and new “friends.” Often this leads to legal, sexual, financial, education and/or employment  problems followed by  physical and moral decline.
The goal is to identify addiction as early as possible and get the addict appropriate treatment and support.
 

Substance Abuse Disorders and Process Addictions (for example: compulsive gambling or gaming, destructive eating habits, sexual and relationship addictions) have easily identifiable signs and symptoms. A quick assessment tool is “F.L.E.S.H.”. 


QUICK ASSESSMENT TOOL
Is the behavior causing FLESH problems?
 
Family, friends or finance
Legal
Employment or education
Social or sexual functioning
Health (mental or physical)


Addiction starts slowly and follows a predictable path.
Once over the line into addiction, the brain is hijacked. Soon the problem begins to seem like the solution.
Next, family problems and new “friends.” Often this leads to legal, sexual, financial, education and/or employment  problems followed by  physical and moral decline.
The goal is to identify addiction as early as possible and get the addict appropriate treatment and support.
 

Substance Abuse Disorders and Process Addictions (for example: compulsive gambling or gaming, destructive eating habits, sexual and relationship addictions) have easily identifiable signs and symptoms. A quick assessment tool is “F.L.E.S.H.”.
What Causes Addiction?There has been a longstanding debate on the question of Nature (ethnicity, race, genetics) or Nurture (how, where, when and by whom you were raised) as the field of addiction. The interesting thing about this debate is that both sides are right!  Substance Dependence and other addictive disorders are BioPsychoSocialSpiritual illnesses under the “Slot Machine Model.”
BIOLOGICAL RISK – People are born with different levels of predisposition to chemical dependency, compulsive eating, gambling and other addictions. To know one’s genetic risk, family trees are helpful. Tracking behaviors over many generations helps many people to gain insight. Chemical dependencies, like other tendencies, run in families. Diabetes, color-blindness, cancer and heart disease are other examples of risks with which we are born.  
PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK – Experiencing trauma, childhood abuse or neglect, personal abandonment, sexual assault, mental illness, and chronic, enduring stress are examples of risk factors that can increase the likelihood of developing an addictive disorder.
SOCIAL RISK – Social risk is higher in families or societies that tolerate or encourage excess. Social risk involves social, cultural, family, racial, religious and gender norms, and includes accessibility issues and the strong influence of media. Many complex factors contribute to social risk.
SPIRITUAL RISK – Spiritual risk starts with betrayal by highly trusted others; for example, parents or guardians, clergy, teachers, coaches, mentors, relatives or spiritual guides. Spiritual betrayals, including sexual abuse, cause deep wounds to our spirits. Those who have survived spiritual wounds are at higher risk of substance abuse and/or addictive disorders.
Consider the following:

• Some people are so genetically at risk that to use certain substances will very likely result in addictive use.
• American society encourages excess and many of our rites of passage include drinking.
• Some traumas or abuses are emotionally devastating, especially to children, that they make the oblivion of intoxication seem preferable to reality.
• Some drugs, like meth or fentanyl, are so addicting that there is no safe experimental use.
• The rise of the internet, with easily accessible pornography and gaming, has left us with skyrocketing sexual and gaming addiction rates.

When you put these weighted risks, or reels of the slot machine, together there is the chance that chemical or process (behavioral) addictions could be the result. 
GETTING TO THE SOLUTIONSAddiction is Adaptation. Once addicted, a person becomes physically and psychologically adapted to the behavior or substance and has a hard time functioning without it. Tolerance, the need for more to get the same effect, increases. Tolerance then causes withdrawal (physical and/or psychological) when the addiction is stopped. Withdrawal can make early recovery uncomfortable, but this short period of discomfort is a necessary step to freedom.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT - If you or someone you know may have a problem with addiction, there is free help available at support groups: AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery, Refuge Recovery, SMART Recovery, Heroin Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, and more. In addition, groups such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are open for concerned others.
PROFESSIONAL HELP - Professional help is often necessary. This may include an intervention, medical detox, inpatient or outpatient treatment, individual counseling, recovery coaching, or individual mentorship. Professional help may include Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT). MAT includes opioid replacements, or “anti-craving” meds such as disulfram or acamprosate. Professional Interventions are a process where a trained Interventionist teaches a family how to approach a loved one in the grips of addiction to successfully motivate them to start treatment.
Recovery is a process of repair, rediscovery, and re-evaluation. Abstinence from addictive behaviors begins the path to a satisfying life. A satisfying life is the very achievable goal!
Kelly Swan, kelly.swan@RenewServices.org or 800-xxx-xxxx,  is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and trainer specializing in Substance Use and Addictive Disorders. “The Slot Machine Model” training is available in presentation or workshop formats (1 to 4 hours). 
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aloxone (brand name Narcan) is opioid antagonist that temporarily reverses an opioid overdose and saves lives. It comes in nasal and injectable form. It is available without a prescription. It saves lives. 

Across the U.S., grant funded programs are reaching out to provide free Narcan trainings to anyone interested - families, addicted persons, school personnel, First Responders, medical and behavioral health providers. 

It costs nothing to save a life. If you haven't already done so, set a goal to attend a training near you. 

As part of the MFI Homelessness Working Group, Renew T.E.S was pleased to be a participant at today's MFI Tiny Homes Micro Summit. Thank you to all who participated and attended. 

​Las Vegas has a crisis with homelessness, unaccompanied homeless youth, and a lack of affordable housing. Present were city and county representatives spanning the jurisdictions, along with HUD personnel.  Several non-profits, foundations, developers, architects, housing groups, educators, homeless and previously homeless residents, members and  a few leaders of faith communities were in attendance. Emily Paulsen and Kate Royer of Nevada Homeless Alliance continued with unflagging energy and support throughout the day. The City of Las Vegas kindly  provided printing, food and a lovely venue.  Andrew Heben from Square One Villages did an amazing presentation from Eugene, OR., sharing Square One struggles and successes. Sarah and Cruz from Poverello House in Fresno, CA., educated us on their low barrier shelter and centralized service linkages. Las Vegas architect Rick Van Diepen contributions on sustainable design and zoning/coding information was invaluable. All of the presenters expressed the need to offer help in a person-centered and dignified way to build not just housing, but communities. 

This morning was bitterly cold. Thirty eight degrees cold. On my way to the summit I saw a man in a wheelchair with hospital socks on and short pants. My heart ached for him. My fingers hurt from the cold as I took the short walk from my car to City Hall. I couldn't help but think what it must have been like to sleep on the ground last night, or in a wheelchair in the bitter wind. And I contemplated how I would feel waking up with no hope of a hot breakfast or coffee. 

​6,490 people on the streets of Las Vegas every night. It's intolerable to us. If that's intolerable to you, speak up. Tell your elected officials and faith leaders that you want action. Volunteer. Make a difference.  It's cold out there. It's time to bring the homeless home. 

Ninety people per day now. Ninety people per day die from opioid overdoses across the U.S. ​Two years ago is was closer to forty per day.

​Ninety deaths. Every single day. ​How did we get here? 

​Big pharma marketing. MDs giving refill after refill. Insurers wanting to cut detox stays and inpatient costs for a better profit margin. Bias in the recovering community against those that need replacement therapy. Large cities with no clean needle programs. Medicine cabinets without locks. Stigma around getting help. Skyrocketing Fentanyl production in China. The outdated and deadly view that this is an embarrassment rather than an epidemic. On-line "pharmacies." The prescribing of high addictive potential opioids for non-terminal patients and low level surgeries. Denial. Mexican cartels. The factors are complex.

​What is your piece of the solution? Talk openly about it. Get informed. Say no to dealers and doctors. Speak the language of treatment and get narcan trained.  Attend community forums. Advocate with your insurer to get your loved ones what they need to succeed. Know the telltale signs. 

Break the cycle, break the stigma, break the silence. Safe lives.