Q: I saw a Dr. Oz show about the increasing problem of heroin addiction/overdose and read about the heroin epidemic in Vermont. It made me realize that I might know someone who has a drug problem. What can I do to help her before it's too late? - Christine T., Hamilton, Ohio
A: Unfortunately, as Michael Botticelli, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, pointed out on that show, we're losing 120 people every day to drug-related overdoses. And even though your area in Butler County, Ohio, has a good number of treatment facilities, it sees more deaths from drug overdoses than from natural causes. It also has a higher fatality rate from drug overdose than the total of all homicides, suicides, traffic fatalities and other accidents.
As far as helping your friend ... Everyone in America who is fighting an opioid addiction or has a loved who is, needs to be aware that there's now a NATIONAL guideline for its treatment. Developed by The American Society of Addiction Medicine, it's called the National Practice Guideline for the Use of Medications in the Treatment of Addiction Involving Opioid Use. It offers doctors an effective way to evaluate a patient, followed by steps for treatment depending on the outcome of the evaluation. This gives all medical professionals a common roadmap for treating patients struggling with opioid addiction. If your friend is addicted and will confide in you, make sure those protocols are available to her and her doctor so they can take the proper medical steps to aid in her recovery.
We hope that the huge Unite to Face Addiction Rally on Sunday, Oct. 4, in Washington, D.C., opened people's eyes to the heroin/opioid epidemic and helped break the stigma surrounding addiction and recovery. We want your friend to know she's not alone. If she is not ready to deal with it yet, let her know that when she is, you'll be there to help her.
Q: I've suffered from anxiety my whole life - afraid to talk in class, afraid of getting sick, that sort of thing. Now that I have kids, I don't want them to develop these anxieties too. What should I do? - Melinda F., Chicago
A: Thanks for having the strength to deal with this anxiety-triggering issue. It's one that lots of families should deal with, but few ever do. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S.; more than 40 million folks have generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, panic disorder or social anxiety.
Docs now think that they result from a combination of genetics, environment and specific life events - and yes, parents with diagnosed anxiety problems are more likely to have kids with them too.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that 1 in 8 kids has an anxiety disorder and, if untreated, it's associated with problems at school, substance abuse (it's how kids try to self-calm) and social isolation. Fortunately, an anxious parent can do a lot to make sure his or her child doesn't become overly anxious.
A recent study in the America Journal of Psychiatry looked at families of children 6-13 with a parent who suffered from an anxiety disorder. They offered some families eight weeks of therapy, others got written instructions (to read and act on), and one group received no support.
A year later, only 9 percent of kids who participated in the family therapy had developed an anxiety condition, while 21 percent of kids whose family received written instructions developed an anxiety; 31 percent of kids without help developed one.
Therapy taught kids to recognize when their anxiety was healthy (they encountered a growling dog) and when it was not (they worried eating would make them ill). It also exposed kids to situations they were afraid of in ways that built their confidence. You can find a therapist who specializes in family anxiety issues at http://treatment.adaa.org/.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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