Dawn Farm Addiction And Recovery Education Series

“Addiction 101” was presented on September 18, 2018, by James Balmer; President, Dawn Farm. Substance use disorders are poorly understood by the general population as well as by many professionals. “Why don’t you just stop” is a common refrain from family member and friends, and people with addiction often wonder why they return again and again to substance use and associated self-destructive behaviors, even when they’re highly motivated to stop using. People with substance use disorders who are abstinent but not engaged in a program of recovery experience continuing, distressing symptoms and adaptive defenses to these symptoms that eventually drive most back to substance use. How can they be helped? As addiction/recovery researcher George Vaillant said, “If you want to treat an illness that has no easy cure, first of all, treat them with hope.” This program will provide an overview of how we currently approach and historically have approached addiction, treatment and recovery, review addiction as a brain di