The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Drug forum weighs in on addiction
The stigma associated with addiction prevents many family members and other individuals from identifying the problem and seeking appropriate help, according to Jim Joyner, of Joyner and Associates LLC.
Residents of Lorain County gathered together on May 1 at Christ Church Ohio’s West Campus, 1420 S. Abbe Road, for a drug forum titled “America’s Invisible Thief” sponsored by Elyria City Schools and in conjunction with professionals from The LCADA Way, Communities That Care/ ADAS Board, UH Elyria Medical Center, Let’s Get Real and Solace.
Joyner, guest speaker at the forum, talked about how people are not educated about addiction.
“Many people believe that people dealing with addiction are bad people — and what do you do to bad people? — you lock them up — because they steal, lie and do other things to feed their addiction,” he said. “But, they are not bad people. Addiction is a brain disorder and many people don’t get that.”
Locking individuals up for addiction is not the answer.
“Locking someone up does not help them because when you release them, they will go back to doing the same things they were originally doing,” Joyner said. “You have to understand addiction to know how to treat people.”
Joyner believes there is more than an opiate epidemic, instead there is a drug epidemic.
“We can’t ignore other drugs, it’s all a problem. The United States is the biggest drug capital in the world,” he said. “Drugs are the norm in our culture.”
If your not doing drugs, or drinking alcohol, people think something is wrong with you, Joyner said.
Joyner experience with drugs hits close to home.
“I am in long term recovery. I have been sober for 35 years,” he said. “My son, who is 35, also deals with addiction.”
His son has been in treatment eight times and has suffered major consequences for his addiction.
Joyner’s program is targeted for parents and families.
“Parents need to understand that they can’t control addiction, they just need to learn to treat it,” he said. “Enabling has to stop. As parents it is hard to let go, but we must. No is a complete sentence.”
Prevention is the key to getting people to stay away from drugs and it’s never too early to have that talk, Joyner said.
“Parents need to learn to communicate with their children. They shouldn’t wait until they are driving down to college to have that talk,” he said. “When you give your child a gummy vitamin, you explain it then. It’s never too early.”