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How harm reduction helps those struggling with addiction

Posted at 10:56 AM, Dec 14, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-14 12:56:58-05

The holidays can be a difficult time for people struggling with substance abuse – and for those who love them. But there are things we can do to support someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol in a way that keeps them as healthy as possible, and alive. It’s called “harm reduction.”

“Harm reduction is a set of practical tactics to reduce the harm around substance use and alcohol use,” said Dr. Paula Cook, Medical Director Moab Regional Hospital Recovery Center.

She continued, “Realizing that achieving abstinence is not easy, it’s not immediate, it’s not black and white, it takes many attempts and sometimes people aren’t convinced that they need to be abstinent.”

Cook explained that to help those addicted to drugs and alcohol, we need to meet them where they are, not just leave them there.

She said, “Harm reduction sometimes has a negative connotation because we think oh, we’re encouraging people to continue to use drugs, but that’s not the case. We’re just realizing that it’s a difficult process that can be very dangerous in the meantime.”

“We’re seeing this increased prevalence really to a population that is younger, which means it doesn’t bode well for the future,” said Dr. Jim Polo, Executive Medical Dir., Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah.

Polo said substance and alcohol use is going up, not only across the country, but here in our state, and that during the holidays it can be heightened.

He said one of the biggest things we can do is work toward changing attitudes to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help.

“Substance abuse is not a defect. It’s not a moral issue. It’s a biological disease and we have good treatment that helps people recover,” said Polo.

He said treatment needs to be consistent and can take some time, but now it is more accessible than ever.

“It’s a silver lining of the pandemic, that we developed a virtual approach to treatment. Even with substance abuse you can get health through telehealth,” said Polo.

Cook said family members often try to be authoritative out of concern for those who may be struggling.

“It’s not that easy to just stop, so pleading, threatening… all those things don’t really work – for most people anyway.”

For more information about harm reduction visit utahharmreduction.org.