Treating Deaf addicts

bree · 12-14-2003, 07:45 PM

I recently posted this up on my site , but I'm not getting much traffic yet.

I think this is important enough to really need to be discussed seriously, and as openly as possible. Lack of treatment for addicts can be life-threatening, as the article shows. When deaf people often don't get effective treatment, there is a problem.
Cut and paste job follows:

The Columbian discusses the issue of Deaf addicts, noting both positives and negatives. The Vancouver area hosts the Northwest Deaf Addiction Center, one of only five residential treatment centers for the Deaf in the U.S., as well as the Sign Oxford House, the only U.S. Oxford House for the Deaf. Good news for Vancouver, but the picture for Deaf addicts nationwide is not as bright. Deaf people have a higher addiction rate than the population at large, a problem multiplied by the lack of appropriate treatment and support for deaf addicts. What can we do to help the treatment of Deaf addicts improve?

BabyPhat21 · 12-14-2003, 09:19 PM

Well, I know a couple of Deaf people that smoke weed because they have ADD/ADHD and it helps them but of course they will end up dependent. This is why I support supervised medication..........Also, there is another issue of Deaf people using SSI money to buy weed, alcohol, etc.........
I dont know. I dont use so I cant speak for why they use but there is always an underlying reason and once they work through that reason, then they really can start to recover from their addiction. Stopping cold turkey does not help because you are not solving the cause.

deafdyke · 12-14-2003, 09:59 PM

Well what causes those higher rates of addiction? I think among late-deafend people it may be the stress of dealing with a new disabilty....among the pedatric population, it could be the stress that so many kids deal with...for oral deaf kids it's probaly due to the stress of living in the hearing world 24/7, without a break, and if you're not really high powered living in the hearing world 24/7, can cause major burnout and frustration. I think also maybe b/c so many oral deafies feel like they don't fit in any where...my psycologist told me that the number one reason why people do drugs or drink is b/c they feel like they don't fit it .... for Deaf kids it might be due to the fact that they don't really have any commuication with their parents (remember most kids who Sign, their parents don't Sign

)

knightwolf68 · 12-15-2003, 10:32 AM

It can be come from peer pressure , low self esteem (sp?) , no big roles model to look up , lonely in their childhood , whatever u names these list goes on .. sometimes deaf ppl like to have "buzz" to make them think of something else ... just depend on who ... that's all i can say for now .. why did i got addiction myself ??? i got a influnce by my father's roles .. Thats how i end up ...

bree · 12-15-2003, 10:51 AM

I have ADHD myself, plus a family history of alcoholism. Due to these facts, I have always been careful around drugs. Probably way too easy for me to get addicted.
I don't know if its true or not, but it appears to me that deafies seem to have higher rates of ADD and other learning disabilities, as well as a larger number who are adopted. (in other words, multiple educational and social problems are common)

knightwolf68, I'm curious. You said you had an addiction? how did you recover? If we could hear some more from your perspective, I think it would be helpful.

Fly Free · 12-15-2003, 11:20 AM

its not an easy thing to do especially when theres NOT enough Deaf treatment services nationwide -- i have been clean 11 years and still counting and i did it on my own without professional help

deafdyke · 12-15-2003, 05:10 PM

actually Bree...I do know that many oral deaf mainstreamed kids are very often dx as ADD. I know that ADD is a common co-dx for oral deafies, whereas at schools for the Deaf it tends to be kind of a rare dx. Some Deafies may have syndromes which predispose them to ADD, or bipolar or other co-morbid mental health conditions.

12-14-2003, 07:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
bree UnSane Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 158	Treating Deaf addicts I recently posted this up on my site , but I'm not getting much traffic yet. I think this is important enough to really need to be discussed seriously, and as openly as possible. Lack of treatment for addicts can be life-threatening, as the article shows. When deaf people often don't get effective treatment, there is a problem. Cut and paste job follows: The Columbian discusses the issue of Deaf addicts, noting both positives and negatives. The Vancouver area hosts the Northwest Deaf Addiction Center, one of only five residential treatment centers for the Deaf in the U.S., as well as the Sign Oxford House, the only U.S. Oxford House for the Deaf. Good news for Vancouver, but the picture for Deaf addicts nationwide is not as bright. Deaf people have a higher addiction rate than the population at large, a problem multiplied by the lack of appropriate treatment and support for deaf addicts. What can we do to help the treatment of Deaf addicts improve?

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12-14-2003, 09:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
BabyPhat21 Sex Univ. Head Mistress Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: CALI Posts: 3,108	Well, I know a couple of Deaf people that smoke weed because they have ADD/ADHD and it helps them but of course they will end up dependent. This is why I support supervised medication..........Also, there is another issue of Deaf people using SSI money to buy weed, alcohol, etc......... I dont know. I dont use so I cant speak for why they use but there is always an underlying reason and once they work through that reason, then they really can start to recover from their addiction. Stopping cold turkey does not help because you are not solving the cause.

12-14-2003, 09:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
deafdyke So NOT a Princess! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Trebekistan Posts: 6,685	Well what causes those higher rates of addiction? I think among late-deafend people it may be the stress of dealing with a new disabilty....among the pedatric population, it could be the stress that so many kids deal with...for oral deaf kids it's probaly due to the stress of living in the hearing world 24/7, without a break, and if you're not really high powered living in the hearing world 24/7, can cause major burnout and frustration. I think also maybe b/c so many oral deafies feel like they don't fit in any where...my psycologist told me that the number one reason why people do drugs or drink is b/c they feel like they don't fit it .... for Deaf kids it might be due to the fact that they don't really have any commuication with their parents (remember most kids who Sign, their parents don't Sign )

12-15-2003, 10:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
knightwolf68 I am darts player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mile High City Posts: 1,902	It can be come from peer pressure , low self esteem (sp?) , no big roles model to look up , lonely in their childhood , whatever u names these list goes on .. sometimes deaf ppl like to have "buzz" to make them think of something else ... just depend on who ... that's all i can say for now .. why did i got addiction myself ??? i got a influnce by my father's roles .. Thats how i end up ...

12-15-2003, 10:51 AM	#5 (permalink)
bree UnSane Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 158	I have ADHD myself, plus a family history of alcoholism. Due to these facts, I have always been careful around drugs. Probably way too easy for me to get addicted. I don't know if its true or not, but it appears to me that deafies seem to have higher rates of ADD and other learning disabilities, as well as a larger number who are adopted. (in other words, multiple educational and social problems are common) knightwolf68, I'm curious. You said you had an addiction? how did you recover? If we could hear some more from your perspective, I think it would be helpful.

12-15-2003, 11:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
Fly Free Just me Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Wherever i want to be LOL Posts: 9,101	its not an easy thing to do especially when theres NOT enough Deaf treatment services nationwide -- i have been clean 11 years and still counting and i did it on my own without professional help

12-15-2003, 05:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
deafdyke So NOT a Princess! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Trebekistan Posts: 6,685	actually Bree...I do know that many oral deaf mainstreamed kids are very often dx as ADD. I know that ADD is a common co-dx for oral deafies, whereas at schools for the Deaf it tends to be kind of a rare dx. Some Deafies may have syndromes which predispose them to ADD, or bipolar or other co-morbid mental health conditions.