Prescription painkiller drug abuse is now one of the leading killers of middle-aged Floridians. And, with painkiller abuse on the rise,  a coalition of Florida health organizations is launching an awareness campaign called The Pain Truth.

The Pain Truth is a 3-month public education program, which will include public service announcements, education, awareness, Internet, and community events across the state.  This offensive will canvas the state and reach people at home, workplaces, schools, churches and more, leading up to a Dec. 1 event when
Florida, the Sunshine State, ”Goes Dark for a Day.”

  The event is meant to recognize lives lost, by offering an official day of mourning for families and friends of thousands who have died.

The Pain Truth is the brainchild of the Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (FSIPP), with endorsements from the Florida Medical Association (FMA), and the Florida Society of Addiction Medicine (FSAM).  The program is also supported by the Florida Office of Drug Control’s 2009 Drug Control Strategy regarding prescription drug abuse and diversion.

 Recent statistics demonstrate the importance of growing awareness of prescription drug abuse throughout the state:

• Nearly 3,000 Floridians died from prescription drug use in 2009.
• Prescription Oxycodone was responsible for more deaths in Florida in 2009 than cocaine, heroin and morphine combined.  The increase is up 25.9% over 2008.

 

This type of therapy involves the dynamics of group interaction, including group confrontation of denial, dealing with issues of interpersonal conflict or closeness, and the sharing of painful experiences or affects. Group therapy can be a supportive, therapeutic, and educational experience that can motivate and sustain invididuals struggling to cope with life stresses and drug craving while remaining drug free.

Group therapy offers individuals opportunities to identify with others who are going through similar problems, to understand the impact of substance use on their lives, to learn more about their own and others' feelings and reactions, and to learn to communicate needs and feelings more constructively. Group therapy can also be useful in providing a forum for discussing and updating the treatment plan and for developing and monitoring specific behaviors that promote recovery and prevent relapse.

 

It is accepted knowledge that addiction is a family disease. This means that people have become ill with this disease while in a family unit and every person in the family is somehow affected by the disease. Once the addicted person reaches out for help, it is important for those close to the individual to participate in the treatment process. 

Family Therapy programs recognize the concept of "family system" in offering help to those served in residential substance abuse treatment. The "family system" model proposes that the family consist of individuals whose behavior impacts others in the system and the system as a whole. Better healing occurs if as many people as possible from the system work together to form a healthier group. It is quite common to find relationships in recovery in which communication is difficult, or non-existent, improve once the substance is gone. All too often, relationship stress leads to relapse for the recovering person.

The family program attempts to change the habit of blame into actions of healing.  Families are assisted in moving toward healthier family relationships by first understanding the impact of learning experiences in the family of origin. Assessed is the functional "climate" of the current family unit that promotes skill building that enhances communication, builds problem-solving behaviors, and strengthens trust and commitment. Families in treatment work with other families to support, encourage, and share experiences in an air of acceptance.