People once thought that addiction was just a problem of will, but one man has seen society begin to understand that addiction is a disease in his 38 years in substance abuse services.

After helping thousands of substance abusers recover, the man is retiring at the end of the month from his position as clinical supervisor at a substance abuse center that he started working at in 1975. He like many believed it was a problem for the poor and homeless, but soon learned that homeless people and criminals represent only 5 percent of people suffering from addiction.

He said in his experience there are a lot of “closeted alcoholics” such as a mother who routinely waits for her husband to leave home and takes her kids to school before drinking or a businessman who needs to drink with every meal in order to get through the day. He learned that most people at the facility are people who are able to go for some period of time, and they’re functional as an alcoholic. These people don’t want to be associated with the stigma of addiction and try to deny that there is a problem. The wise man truly believes that recognizing that addiction is out of one’s control is a big step in healing.

The first step to healing is admitting you have a problem. At Seabrook we have a dedicated call center to answer the phones and talk you through all the questions you have about treatment. We want you to understand that you do not have to be go through this alone. Call us today (888) 223-0298.