May 12, 2014 Current Events 0 Comments

Blogger Jenni Cowley Reports About Substance Abuse Risk As It Relates To Disability. Jenni says she “used to work in health and social care, with service users who battled drug and alcohol addictions.” She decided to leave this field some years ago after the birth of her first child and now she’s a freelance writer who pens articles on the topics she cares most about.

Supportive Accommodation – Reducing the Risks of Substance Abuse

Although anyone can develop a dependency on drugs or alcohol, having a disability may make you more susceptible to this. Figures from the Government suggest that a disability makes you between two and four times more likely to abuse substances than someone without a disability, with an estimated 4.7million adults in the US living with these co-existing problems1. While certain risk factors make you more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, living in supportive accommodation may help to reduce the likelihood of you developing a dependency on substances and prove helpful if you are in recovery. Here we take a look at the value of supportive accommodation in relation to this.

Physical and mental health

Having a physical health problem places you at greater risk of issues affecting your mental well-being, such as low mood and anxiety2. With a disability you may feel frustrated about the impact this has on your life, which can affect the way you feel. Equally, you may also feel anxious about completing certain tasks, potential money worries or what the future holds. Depression and anxiety can both increase your risk of reliance on drugs and alcohol, as these substances are a tempting way to self-medicate and help you to escape from your worries3. However, dependency on these substances can often make matters worse when it comes to your mental health, which in turn can impact on your physical wellness. With the help of supportive housing though, you have somewhere safe to live, where you are encouraged to achieve as much as you can for yourself, but there is support available as necessary. This in itself has a positive impact on your well-being and may serve as a protective factor against substance abuse.

Prescription medications

If you have problems with chronic pain, taking painkillers to manage this symptom can sometimes lead to dependency on these drugs. This is most likely if you have a prescription for opiates, such as Codeine, Vicodin or Oxycontin. While you may not realize what is happening, there are certain characteristic signs of dependency, which include drowsiness, confusion, depressed mood, constipation and altered breathing4. The staff in supported living may notice some of the outward signs of opiate abuse and raise their concerns with you. As withdrawal from opiates usually requires a specialist program, involving detox and rehabilitation, this option then becomes open to you once you are aware that you have a problem with dependency on painkillers5 and staff can help you to make the first steps to access treatment. However, when they help with your medication, the problems of taking higher doses of painkillers and more often than needed are much less likely6, preventing the problem from arising in the first place.

Supportive accommodation after recovery

Although having a disability makes you more vulnerable to substance abuse, this is even more so if you are homeless. Rates of substance abuse are higher among people who are homeless and those people completing rehabilitation who have no accommodation to go to are less likely to successfully steer clear of drugs and alcohol7. However, a place in supportive housing after rehab increases the likelihood of complete recovery from substance dependency8. Not only does this accommodation help you to avoid the temptations of alcohol and drugs, but there is social support from both the staff and others living there, some of whom can identify with your experiences. The chance to move into supportive housing is often the first step for you to rebuild your life after escaping the hold of your old habits. This stability can then open up other possibilities, such as work placements. However, in the short-term, living in this accommodation can also help to support your physical and mental health. It is not uncommon for people to neglect themselves when in the grip of a substance, so your health may have suffered before treatment. Having this accommodation you are then more likely to achieve better health, as homelessness is associated with ill-health9, while you will be supported with activities to promote your well-being. One area that is particularly important is making sure that you eat well, as a nourishing diet is essential for both a healthy body and mind10. While you may still need outpatient care to check your progress and reduce your risk of relapse, supportive accommodation can set you well on the road to recovery.

References:

1 “Substance abuse and disability,” US Department of Health and Human Services, accessed April 30 2014

2 “Physical health problems increase use of mental health services,” Oregon State University, accessed April 30 2014

3 “Drug abuse and mental illness, “University of Minnesota, accessed April 30 2014

4 “Drug addiction symptoms,” Mayo Clinic, accessed April 30 2014

5 “Recovery from prescription opiates,” Drug Treatment, accessed April 30 2014

6 “Medication management in assisted living,” University of Washington, accessed April 30 2014

7 “Substance abuse,” United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, accessed April 30 2014

8 Paul Duffy & Helen Baldwin, “Recovery post treatment: plans, barriers and motivators,” Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy, 8(2013):6, accessed April 30 2014

9 “The health of homeless adults in New York City,” NYC Health, accessed April 30 2014

10 “The food-mood connection: eat your way to happiness,” Cleveland Clinic, accessed April 30 2014

 

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Helping People with Disabilities Help Themselves