LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Behavioral Health Services invites you to join in observing National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, March 21 to 27, by engaging in intentional and active learning about alcohol and substance use in our communities.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines drug addiction as, “A chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences. It is considered a brain disorder, because it involves functional changes to brain circuits involved in reward, stress, and self-control.”
Alcohol addiction can likewise cause even severe social, occupational and health consequences.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes alcohol addiction is a, “Chronic relapsing disorder associated with compulsive alcohol drinking, the loss of control over intake, and the emergence of a negative emotional state when alcohol is no longer available.”
Someone's first time using a substance is typically considered voluntary, though social determinants of health can play a role in the overall effects and consequences of substance use and abuse.
If use is continued, the brain can begin to physically change. An individual’s use transitions into the chronic brain disease we dub “addiction.” Addiction is not a choice.
Lake County residents who engage with substances primarily use alcohol, methamphetamine and/or opioids.
The Community Health Dashboard generated by Hope Rising Lake County reported that, as of 2019, approximately 15% of Lake County adults engaged in binge drinking. The number of overdoses due to substance use increased dramatically from 13 deaths in 2018 to 66 deaths in 2021; methamphetamine overdoses were most common.
In 2020, the annual opioid prescription rate was 545 prescriptions per 1,000 residents. In 2019 Lake County had more than triple the number of overdose deaths than the statewide average.
Substance use, when not managed, is fatal. However, help and treatment options are available.
Alcohol use disorder can be treated with naltrexone or acamprosate, both of which reduce cravings.
Effective treatment options are also available for opioid use disorder. These include buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone, all of which help stop the cravings.
This information and more can be found in medication-assisted treatment resources available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Contingency management, or CM, is a treatment approach that relies on operant conditioning, a type of learning that uses incentive-based interventions to modify behavior.
CM uses incentives to promote achievement of treatment goals. When used in conjunction with other treatment therapies or medications like those listed above, it can be highly effective in treating substance and alcohol use disorders.
Regardless of our personal status, whether we have a history of substance use or not, being equipped with knowledge and resources to aid our fellow community members can be lifesaving.
The visual signs of an overdose are unconsciousness or slowed and irregular breathing, pinpoint pupils, limp body, and if the person is of fairer skin tone, blue lips and fingers is another indicator. If you come across someone demonstrating some or all of these indicators, call 911 for medical help.
Additionally, administering Naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug that comes in a nasal spray, can restore breathing in a matter of minutes. Just as carrying a first aid kit is intended to reduce potential harms, carrying Naloxone is a preventive tool we can empower ourselves, knowing it could potentially save a life. You can learn more at www.Narcan.com.
Lake County SafeRx offers no-cost Naloxone and training on how and when to use it. Organizations like the National Harm Reduction Coalition assist in locating resources near you and NIDA's webpages also provide valuable drug facts, strategies and direction.
Drug and alcohol addiction can be scary, and deadly, but it doesn't have to be managed alone. As a county, learning together and equipping ourselves with preventive tools and resources is an essential part of our collective healing process.
For more information, contact Lake County Behavioral Health Services at 6302 13th Ave., Lucerne, telephone 707-274-9101, or 7000-B South Center Drive, Clearlake, telephone 707-994-7090.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week observed
- Lake County Behavioral Health Services
- Posted On