Why quit the addiction?

By Jenna Burleigh

Too buzzed to work, drive, or function in general? Face it, you need help. Your family and friends aren’t intervening, perhaps because you are a good actor and don’t let on that you are a drunkard, or because they are afraid that you’ve crossed over to the dark side. Either way, you need help, and you are the only one to take the initiative and DO IT!

What can you do about that little pill-popping habit? Well, reading this is a good start. There are many clinics and rehabilitation centers in the area; that’s the first step. However, many facilities in the region appear to be inadequate and may not be able to treat a patient to the best of their ability.

For the teen with too many joints under his/her mattress: If one were an adolescent, seeking help parting with their wicked ways, one might be tempted to check into Conifer Park Inc. in Plattsburgh. Looking at the website, one would see a lovely, ghostly-pale page with terrible formatting. According to the site, they offer “residential chemical dependency treatment for adults and adolescents, including aftercare in the local community.” Also, CPI is family friendly, and they offer “outpatient clinic services… available for those individuals seeking help with any alcohol and substance abuse problem and their families.” So drug addiction can now be fun for the whole family! However, if one were to call to make an appointment, they would not even reach an answering machine. Considering that the web page has not been modified since Feb. 2004, one could assume that this place has long since been out of business. Perhaps, that is because no one does drugs anymore? Fat chance.

Behavioral Health Services North may be able to help if one were to go to their clinic in Plattsburgh; however, they are not very efficient on returning e-mails, so don’t bother doing that.

For the alcoholic parent: For someone who is used to snippy remarks and cold shoulders, getting by only with a glass of scotch (on the rocks with a twist), Howard Center might be a good match. With an unwelcoming tone and unfriendly staff, anyone could use a drink after making an appointment here. As far as the services they provide, “Call 488-7711 and ask whoever answers,” Dana Poverman, outpatient programs director said. Certainly, this is not how patients are treated, but the impolite attitude didn’t help anything. She finally did mention Howard Center has “adolescent, adult, methadone, outpatient counseling in two counties, a harm reduction program and drug treatment court programs.” So if that’s something you’re into, call the number listed above. Don’t send an e-mail. E-mailing is not advised.

For the mother-to-be without nicotine: The UVM Substance Abuse program is specifically for those smokin’ ladies out there that got pregnant but couldn’t give up their slender, daily dose of cancer. Choosing this program, ladies will be provided with incentives (like food stamps and discounts) for giving up their addiction. Many women have been received treatment through this program, which has been running for over 20 years with a success rate of 40 percent. This is the “most successful of all treatments,” said the Post Doc who oversees the program. She was eager enough to help, but her thick accent and refusal to say her name was a deterrent. However, this program may prove to be very helpful to all the pregnant ladies out there. The staff is friendly and keen to help, and they provide incentives to continue with their treatment.

For the underachiever: Looking for the bare minimum? St. Joseph’s Addiction Treatment is for you! They will be more than happy to respond to all of your questions… in half a sentence or less! According to Robin Gay, spokesperson at SJAT, “337 people entered treatment in 2008.” Of those patients, “56% completed” their treatment, and “44 percent did not complete,” their treatment. So there’s even more than a 50/50 chance that you will pay them a ton of money and actually get something out of it! Really, it’s a win/win all the way around.

So when all is said and done, the Plattsburgh area is not very helpful for drug users. Users in the area are advised to look elsewhere for treatment. Burlington has a slew of treatment centers, including the UVM Substance Abuse program mentioned above. So hop on the ferry or take a long drive through the islands, but don’t forget about that New Year’s resolution to break the habit!