SUBSTANCE ABUSE CAN BE MORE SERIOUS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
- For people taking anti-seizure medication, even a little alcohol can have serious side effects. Some people may decide not to take their medication so they can drink, resulting in seizures.
- People who take multiple medications must pay close attention to whether any other drugs or alcohol can cause severe problems.
- People who already have difficulty making decisions due to mental impairment will have even more problems when under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
- People who have problems with mobility, balance or coordination will have even greater difficulty under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
People who abuse alcohol or drugs, and who have a disability, may need other kinds of care than what is usually provide by a treatment facility. The following should be considered:
- People with disabilities may have lots of spare time and few social opportunities. Many studies find that one of the reasons people with severe disabilities use alcohol and other drugs is that they have excess free time, are isolated and unemployed. These same reasons are true of many people who live on the reservations, but the situation is even more severe for people who are limited in their ability to see, hear or move. This may be particularly true on the reservation where there is limited public transportation (difficult to get places), there are not many activities and many of those, for example, basketball, may not be an option for people with disabilities.Staff members need to help people with disabilities find ways to use their free time without drugs or alcohol. One possibility is cultural events. These include pow-wows, which are always handicap-accesible, and traditional arts and crafts.
- Involvement in activities outside the home, with opportunities to make friends and spend time in productive activities reduces the rate of substance abuse for people with disabilities (and for people without disabilities, too.)
EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES AND WORK OPPORTUNITIES