For people with substance use disorders, starting on a road to recovery can seem impossible. Even after admitting they have a problem, people who want to overcome their addictions have many other issues to consider: How do they find available treatment programs? Will health insurance cover the costs of the services they need? Will they be able to stay on the job while seeking help?

Answering these questions can help people with substance use disorders take the first steps to get the help they need. The Substance Abuse Action Council of Central Connecticut (SAAC) works to inform residents in our communities that dependence on and addiction to drugs and alcohol is a disease that can be treated. Nationally in 2003, only 1.9 million persons (0.8 percent of the total population and 8.5 percent of the people who needed treatment) received treatment at a facility that specializes in treating alcohol and drug dependence and addiction, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. As responsible communities, we must ensure that addiction is recognized as a disease, and treated as such. We can do this by educating ourselves about the signs to look for in friends, family, and co-workers, such as a sudden decline in performance or attendance at work or school, or sudden changes in behavior or personality. We can call upon our doctors to actively screen patients for and diagnose dependence and addiction. We can ask our employers to help make treatment available through an Employee Assistance Program.