April is National Alcohol Awareness Month. Established in 1987 by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, it’s a time to reach out to communities across the country and provide answers to end the stigma associated with alcohol abuse.
As part of our Psychiatry and Counseling team, Gifford offers two Addiction Medicine Providers, Dr. Chris Lukonis and licensed drug and alcohol counselor, Jennifer Pelletier. Jennifer joined the Gifford team in 2016 just as the Addiction Medicine program was getting off the ground. She was a guest on the most recent addition of the Gifford Provider Podcast.
“It is really unique and it’s a great opportunity for providers to be able to have that direct referral service,” Jennifer said on the Podcast. “I think it’s also really wonderful for our patients because they don’t have to seek services outside of their home networks.”
This is a second career for Jennifer, who received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Northern Vermont University in Johnson.
“I’ve had a lot of people in my life who were really close to me who have struggled with addiction. My mother was a guidance counselor, so there’s a little bit of counseling history in the family,” Jennifer said. “Just being able to have those connections with people daily was definitely missing for me when I was working in an office and I was by myself all day. I really missed having that connection and wanted to hopefully be able to try to help some people who are struggling.”
Dr. Lukonis has a background in psychiatry, but decided to put his focus strictly on addiction medicine. He prescribes medications that can help with alcohol and opioid use disorders. Many of the people who need additional support outside of the medications get referred to Jennifer for counseling.
“I know the medication is an important piece of it, but there are usually underlying issues for people struggling with addiction,” Pelletier said. “It’s not just having a physical addiction to a substance. There’s usually co-occurring mental health issues like depression, anxiety or trauma.”
There has been no period in history that has tested our mental health like the COVID pandemic. Jennifer said on the podcast that they are seeing more people seeking help, because alcohol use has gone up.
“I think with people being isolated and being home alone, having downtime, not having to go to work, being stressed with taking care of their kids. But also, that idea of I’m not going anywhere, I can’t do anything, there’s no danger, so I’m just going to stay home and drink,” Jennifer said.
The patients Dr. Lukonis and Jennifer see range in age from young people under the legal drinking age to folks in their seventies.
Can a Family History of Drug and/or Alcohol Abuse Cause Someone to Inherit a Similar Fate?
Jennifer Pelletier says there’s definitely a genetic component when it comes to addiction and substance abuse. Parents who struggle with these issues can often pass these issues onto their children. There are also traumatic events children can be exposed to such as:
- Incarcerated parents
- Domestic violence
- Poverty
- The difficulty of parents maintaining jobs
These types of events lend themselves to future substance use in the next generation because Jennifer says they just don’t know how to manage that trauma. “If they have parents who have been struggling with their substance use, they probably haven’t learned any coping skills outside of substance use.”
Signs Your Family Member, Friend, Loved One or Colleague May be Battling a Form of Addiction.
- Changes in behavior
- If they’re drinking a lot more or trying to hide their alcohol use
- Taking higher risks like drinking and driving
It may get to a point where people who are drinking or using substances are doing so just to avoid withdrawal. At that point, it’s not really fun for them anymore. There’s a pretty wide range of things to look for and to see. If you’re concerned, it’s always okay to call.
But It’s the Patient Themselves Who Need to Reach Out for Help.
Jennifer says she’s spoken with many parents, husbands, wives and even kids who are worried about their loved ones.
“I have to try to explain to them that I understand they’re worried and scared, but unless the person they’re worried about wants to come to treatment, it’s probably not going to be helpful. Telling them they have to come in or there will be a consequence doesn’t typically work, especially not long term. So, we do require that the individual reaches out to schedule the appointment and come in, because we want to see that there’s some level of motivation on their side.”
As for trying an intervention as you see on the TV show, Jennifer doesn’t recommend trying to do something like that on your own. “People get trained specially to be an interventionist and do those types of things with people, because it has to be done in a really specific way. But I think it’s also important for family members to learn to set boundaries. Sometimes we have to tell ourselves that we can’t give this person money anymore or drive them to get more alcohol when they run out, because I’m sober and they’re not. It’s about your comfort level and then the safety of your loved ones and the safety of the people who are around them.”
Jennifer encourages people to talk to their loved ones in a way that is gentle and from a place of concern as opposed to a place of anger. Giving them a phone number or a website and saying, “just look at what they have to offer and check it out and see what you think.” Or just tell that person you love them, care about them and you’ll assist them in getting help when they’re ready.
“I think that’s kind of the best that we can do as family members or loved ones who have people in our lives that are struggling.”
If the person won’t seek help, Jennifer recommends the family and friends get support for themselves first because, “You can’t make someone want to get into treatment. So, if you’re going to have to continue to deal with their behaviors or if there are issues in the relationship, the individual must get help for themselves.”
There are resources like Al-Anon and Turning Point Centers with locations throughout Vermont. “They offer support groups for families and a lot of those organizations are offering more Zoom meetings and online meetings. So you don’t necessarily have to be able to go somewhere at a certain time to attend a meeting.”
The best way to reach the Gifford Addiction Medicine team is by calling 802-728-7744. If the off chance someone doesn’t answer, leave a message. The team works out of our Kingwood Health Center in Randolph and in our Primary Care Health Center in Berlin. Gifford is also a Narcan distribution site if people are concerned about themselves or loved ones. No names are necessary.