First off, I want to apologize for the delay in getting this post up. Unfortunately, travel and other obligations on the 4th took more time than I had anticipated, and it was the time I had set aside for writing that took the hit. But I do still want to talk to you about the 4th of July, and what it celebrates, and how that message applies continuously to all of us, including (and perhaps especially) those of us struggling with addiction, in any of its forms.
The 4th of July, of course, is about freedom. As a country, we would like to believe that America is about freedom. We would like to use the 4th of July as a grateful (or, depending on the person, self-congratulatory) celebration of all the freedoms we have in this nation, that our ancestors fought for and won.
The part that we so often leave out of our 4th of July celebrations, though, is that this is not a battle that has been won. Not everyone in America is free. Untold millions are still confined by restrictions of class, race, gender bigotry, and other shameful social stigmas — and, of course, millions and millions are limited by disease.
I am of the belief that the new healthcare law is a step in the right direction, that it will increase the freedom of life of those limited by disease, without significantly decreasing the freedom or power of anyone whose money might go into building the system. I think the passage of that law was an extra cause to celebrate, this 4th of July. I realize not everyone agrees with me, but I think that as the law goes into effect and the benefits become visible and tangible, we will realize we should have done something like this many years ago.
Of course, those who struggle with addiction face not only the limitations imposed on them by their disease, but also the social stigma that doesn’t accompany most disease. As I’m sure you all know, addiction is one of the most profoundly unfree states that a human being can be in. The object of addiction is in total control, and the person under the compulsion of addiction feels completely powerless to stop the downward trajectory they are in. I would make the case that abstinence-based programs, though they claim otherwise, are not the best way for patients to regain control of their own lives; they may remove the substance, but they do nothing to fight the cravings, the sickness, the feelings of powerlessness that addiction continues to impose. The reason I argue so strongly for medication maintenance is because I have seen my patients freed by it from the ravages of addiction. I have had them come back to me after a single weekend and tell me of the newfound freedom and control they have discovered, after decades of shuttling from relapse to treatment to relapse. I believe it is the best way to treat this disease.
On the 4th of July, a holiday meant to celebrate freedom, I always find myself thinking of those not yet free. It is our duty as Americans to work towards their freedom, in every way. This is the way I have chosen to do that work. Though it is comparatively small, I hope it will one day result in a better America, even if only for my patients and their families.
I hope you had a safe, fun, and happy 4th! Remember to follow our office Twitter feed for links, news, and information on office closures.