Long-term therapy works for addictions

Among the plethora of support groups offering services, I was pleased to see one from a group in Fernwood advertising:

“Step counselling for women and men suffering from sex compulsion and sex addiction.”

Step counselling is a long-standing treatment for addictive behaviours that has enjoyed some success. Indeed, one study in the U.K. reported a success rate up to 70 per cent in the treatment of substance abuse, particularly when clients were referred by the courts or their employer with the predictable alternatives for refusing treatment.

I commend the Fernwood group for their choice of therapy. I can only imagine what might have transpired had they opted for a “harm reduction” approach with supervised sites and free condoms and disposal.

The current approach to the so-called crisis in opioid abuse and overdose has extended far beyond the bounds of the safeinjection sites due to the addition of fentanyl and its derivatives to the illegal drug sources.

The cost, despite the best efforts of many worthy volunteers and first responders from many disciplines, has increased to include the rising human cost in lives lost in addition to the dollars spent and with little obvious progress. Is there not some way in which compulsory long-term therapy could be enforced?

William Davis Victoria