Everywhere you look these days there is media coverage of the perils faced by our nation with regards to the ?economic crisis?. New reports each day remind us more and more how grave our economic situation has become and how difficult it will be to undo. For those addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, this climate of fear and insecurity only functions to exaggerate their already present reliance on substances of abuse for coping or not coping with what may seem to be ?the end of the world?. So what does this mean?



For those suffering from addiction, life already presents untenable challenges. The difficulties are found at work while trying to hide their substance abuse, difficulties at home trying to keep everything functioning and in tact and difficulties in life in general attempting to sort out the direction their life is heading and why it is perpetually getting worse. As if life wasn't already an overwhelming nightmare, what happens when that person is finally let go from their job because the company can't afford to keep looking the other way due to the recession? What happens when the bank finally forecloses on their house due to non payment? What happens when the stress and struggle felt by their spouse our loved ones finally results in leaving them behind? Desperation can result from an already lowered tolerance for problems and, now overwhelmed, the person addicted often dives directly and completely into the abuse they are accustomed to as the only coping mechanism they know.

For millions, arrest due to intoxication or crimes, overdose, violence previously not experienced and many other horrors are the result of falling head long into the downward spiral of addiction behind stresses related to the nation's economic perils of recession. This is evidenced by the massive numbers of people who are finally seeking help for their addiction whom previously wouldn't have even given treatment a second thought. If there is on single positive factor associated with the struggles we are experiencing in the financial sector, it has forced thousands to finally admit they have a problem and seek the help of addiction treatment facilities and recovery centers. However, there are thousands more who won't be so lucky as to finally get the help they need. For those who get arrested and wind up in prison or those who die due to overdose, physical problems or suicide, the path of recovery is permanently blocked. The key then is to help those suffering as quickly as possible and before a major tragedy strikes.

Families across the nation are performing interventions of one kind or another every day. During this time of recession families should be aware of the heightened struggles experienced by those addicted and use that condition to get the person help NOW instead of the usual ?he just doesn't want to hear about it? excuse so often used by those torn as to what to do. It is time to save a life! The intervention starts from the second those involved decide that enough is enough and the person addicted WILL RECEIVE THE HELP THEY NEED.