Addictions Outreach Workshop

The presenter will give a brief description of personal history and acquirement of information

This workshop is designed to educate on the various forms of social escapism and the substances and behaviours that enable this. Instead of giving solutions, we set the stage to create an attitude and understanding that we are all this solution, and so create the setting for a real and effective course of action and thus become stakeholders in these solutions as well as effective players in the general health of society.

Addictions range from eating, shopping, and gambling, to drugs including alcohol.   Sex addiction for instance can be very detrimental to those afflicted, destroying self-esteem and reputations. The phenomena of high adrenaline release activities even though generally excepted as healthy outlets are causing immense physical damage to some of these people and repeatedly putting their lives at risk for no other reason than this rush. This often causes great stress to their families not to mention the health care system.

The workshop will cover most drugs, hard and soft, what their effects are and how to detect this, what the various behaviours are that manifest with these varying substances, what their uses normally are (if any) and how to approach the people using them.  It will teach children what to be aware of in and around school and their neighbourhoods.   We will also cover a number of other behaviours such as eating disorders, and behavioural extremes of all types, including life-challenging activities such as extreme sports, which at its highest point is nothing more than adrenaline dependence.

A general description and Philosophy of the role we play

In many communities in the west where Middle Eastern, South Asian, South and Central American as well as African peoples are now part of the general cultural mix, the attitude amongst many still holds that just say NO should be enough and silence the best maintenance program. (This does not discount any of the longer settled populations that live in this part of the world).

We know that this compounds any problem because it is in no way being addressed, especially for those who have already said yes, there is a desperate need to go beyond this and we believe with the right tools this will be widely embraced. We must introduce an effective and balanced approach in all communities and the need for openness as well as a balanced knowledge on the subject.

No one community is impervious to this world phenomenon, and as problematic as it may be, we as a community can minimize the damage through open and intelligent dialogue, with an attitude of education and harm reduction. Admitting this Human problem and thus taking the isolation and singularity out of the equation.

According to the stats of the few agencies and places where this is being attempted, one must seek intelligent approaches without the interference of, or at least in cooperation with the legal system, using the traditional treatments as well as holistic healing systems. These should go hand in hand with the education of as many individuals as we can reach.  In the forefront there has to be an example of a healthy, fulfilling and well-balanced life style with a strong support group consisting of peers, family, faith healers and support workers.  This must be the main objective of any group or community and the need for family support and interaction must be brought to these and all communities for this to be successful. With all these supports in place in a wraparound system.

If we wish to have a true understanding and a healthy way of dealing with these tendencies, there must be a focus on educating as many people as possible.  Addiction of any kind must be accepted as a social disease and not an individual or family failing or weakness, so we can go forward and leave the shame, hurt and suffering that addiction often causes parents, families and those afflicted and as a reflection society’s massive shortcomings.

We must seek through education and the encouragement of self-exploration to soften the attitudes of all of society, as ambitious and impossible as this may seem and bring forward the realization that we are indeed interconnected and all in this together.

When we cease seeing those whom suffer from addiction as weak and incapable of making the seemingly simple decision to stop, it becomes apparent that it goes much deeper and has entrenched and long running roots in the persons psyche and indeed in society as a whole.  No one is exempt from indifference for the silent reinforce the critics. Each time we make someone feel inadequate or inferior especially in childhood but at any time in life, we add to the possibility of the desire to escape manifesting in someone.

Families are often lost in silence or empty complaining, and frequently is the only way people know how to deal with this, or not to deal with it at all.  This happens because we cannot understand the nature of addiction and destructive behaviours, but can only see this as a weakness and a form of recklessness, and often take this as a reflection upon our shortcomings and inadequacies.  Other families lecture, punish, and seek punishment and as a consequence completely ostracize and isolate those whom suffer from addictions.  As a result, they themselves become isolated in their attempts of trying to cover up, deny, and hide, in order to maintain a facade of the perfect family.

We really need to approach addiction with a healthy and open attitude, create a solid understanding environment for both those suffering from substance use and other dangerous behaviour, as well as families and loved ones.  This is the first step to getting a handle on this growing problem, and will lead us to identifying those prone to this before entering this gate to hardship.  Instead surrounding people with the care and understanding that will keep individuals from developing these feelings of extreme dissatisfaction and thus creating the tendency to escape.   In order to catch those that may have at-risk personalities before traversing this journey of difficulty and pain we must have the tools, insight, and education to assist in overcoming this from happening.

With the war in Afghanistan, for instance, and so many other places where drugs can be and are cultivated, the phenomena of drug use has sky rocketed and has now become so obvious that it can no longer be hidden.  The irony is in the sure signs that misery, hopelessness and dissatisfaction are one of the great impulses towards developing an addiction of whatever sort. This is clear in all parts of the world no matter how well or how poorly these function. The more violent, the more hopeless, whether rich or poor in economic centres or the most impoverished village, there are no exceptions.  Contrary to popular belief, the ability to accumulate possessions because of one’s geographical location has little bearing on this phenomenon, and makes it a human problem.  This leads all of us to ask if indeed society is such a wonderfully happy thing to be part of especially when one finds him or herself in an economically prosperous place, why then are there so many that want to get away from it through one form of escape or another?

This sets the stage for a huge change in attitude and the need for dialogue.

The object of education in the field of well being is always knowledge, compassion, patience and foremost understanding for knowledge and compassion etc allow us to approach our subject with wisdom, in open acceptance of the truth one person at a time. 

The single person with no other interest other than the truth and concern for his or her fellow human beings becomes a force in the world and invokes change for the better, this for no other reason than to be of service to ones fellow human being and on a greater scale society and the world.

For Whom

This workshop is designed to be adaptable to every age group, from 7 to 12, 13 to 17, 18 to 20 and then 21 to 45 and up to 65 and older, when put in these categories they are directed towards a group where if we conduct a more general workshop it becomes more over reaching.  We can adapt it to train the trainer workshops, as well as for every level of classrooms from grade 2 and up. As well as parents and grandparents and cross groups including family settings.

For a ripple of unselfish LOVE can become a tidal wave.