Addiction Taking Over First Nation Reserves

Taking Over First Nation Reserves

Addiction is defined as “the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma” (Dictionary.com).  On many reserves today there are severely progressing issues with drug addictions.  First Nation children are very concerned about there parents health, which in turn caused them to send a letter to parents who are ad Addiction dicted trying to seek them help.  In the past year the rate of individuals on reserves addicted to drugs has gone through the roof.  The drugs were very easy to access until the past few months, where the narcotic painkillers have been taken off the shelves and production has stopped.  To replace this product, pharmacies have now come out with OxyNEO, which is supposed to be hard to abuse.  This is a first step in a positive direction, but there is much more societies can do to help with this issue.

The drugs “Oxycotin and Percocet’s” have really destroyed reserves across Canada. In Cat Lake, Ontario a town with a population of 700 people, local officers have put 172 adults on their list of confirmed addicts: another 250 people are suspected for using.  And almost everyone else is either a child or an elder (The Star).  Since these drugs are very addictive, it has become at ‘norm” to almost every adult living on first nations territory.  When I first heard about this crisis, I was shocked.  I could not imagine living in a place where almost everyone in the community is a drug addict.  Parents, who are living such a life, are slowly starting to go into withdrawals’ as the drug is becoming more rare to find.  Many first nations have turned to other drugs such as heroin and cocaine, because the high is similar.  Also many first nation citizens have turned to alcohol, even though most reserves are supposed to be dry.  The individuals who have not been able to get their hands on any drugs, and do not want to seek medical attention have to suffer with awful withdrawals.  Some symptoms include abnormal sleeping patterns, violent shakes, diarrhea, headache and anxiety are common for weeks, even months (The Star).  Many people would like to quit, because it does truly change ones personality.  When on this drug, people are not just the same; it changes their whole view of life as well as their personality.  Many people say that quitting the drug would kill them before the drug would have. 

The statistics’ mentioned earlier just blew my mind, I could not believe that most adults were raising their children around drugs.  As we are all aware, how we were raised and brought up really shapes how one will turn out.  Being in such an awful and unhealthy environment at such a young age, is a terrible influence on little children.  Nurses and doctors that have came into help and support the addicted communities have not yet set up a medical treatment program that many health authorities understand is the quickest and most efficient way to eliminate addictions.  The medical treatment, Suboxone, helps reduce the awful withdrawal symptoms.  Where as the recovery program is a process that can takes week or months, which has to be monitored very closely (The Star).  In my opinion, I feel that the “sub oxy” is a great idea.  I understand that quitting is hard, and since the drug is becoming rare, people are forced to quit cold turkey.  This sub oxy slowly helps in the quitting process as it a lower dosage, and helps with all the aches and pains.   In Sioux Lookout, the medical center there just expanded their center adding a five bed unit for the mentally challenged.  These rooms were converted into a drug clinic, but with so many people hooked on the drug, the beds are always full (The Star).  When I reflected on this, I really respected the nurses and doctors taking care of theses patients.  And I realized there doing all they can to help these addicts without being granted money to expand their services. In Cat Lake, Health Canada has converted an old building into a medical center to assist individual’s struggling.  The recovering addicts are to be sent out in the bush, with minimum tools and gadgets.  They will be out there for several weeks, watched by a doctor.  The plan is for the addicts to soak in nature and conquer their addictions (The Star).

Since I am in the social work program, reflecting and researching this issue really opened my eyes to seeing issues I may be dealing with when I am older.  I personally would like to get involved with helping individuals with addictions, because I have many friends who have gone through the same thing.  I have seen all these symptoms in my friends; I just did not know that so many people were struggling with the same problem.  In my years to come, I would like to help out communities and individuals suffering with this issue, as no one should have to go though that awful stage of life.

References

Addiction | Define Addiction at Dictionary.com. (n.d.). In Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/addiction

Scoffield, H. (2012, April 15). First Nations children send distressing letter to addicted parents - thestar.com. News, Toronto, GTA, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Canada, World, Breaking - thestar.com. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1162160--first-nations-children-send-distressing-letter-to-addicted-parents

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