Treating the individual, the addiction & the family

Speakers from across the board at a conference called The Trends and Future Challenges of Addiction, agreed that being an alcoholic alone is very much the exception for addicts seeking treatment and that the majority also use street drugs and/or painkillers and benzo-diazepines.

Champion of the homeless, Fr Peter McVerry, said when he started out over 30 years ago, "the biggest problem was the off-licence selling drink to kids".

"I wish that was still the challenge. Each drug that comes along is doing more harm then the last.
"In a few years time, we’ll wish we had a heroin problem because what we are facing now with crystal meth and crack cocaine is terrifying."

The challenges of treating multiple addiction in an under-resourced sector were highlighted by a variety of professionals yesterday attending the Tabor Group annual conference in Cork.

By Catherine Shanahan, Irish Examiner.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/scourge-of-multi-drug-addiction-highlighted-300102.html