Bringing Addiction into the light, unlocking secrets and shifting perspectives
In 2004 the World Health Organisation claimed that “dependence” was as much a “disorder of the brain” as any other psychiatric or neurological illness. This changed the way addiction was viewed and indicated it was to be treated as a disease rather than a moral and/or behavioural issue. Addicts were to start being treated as patients with an illness rather than individuals with bad attitudes, no will-power and/or no morals.
Unfortunately, not all of society accepts this finding and addicts are still treated as second class citizens with bad attitudes, criminals and a menace to society. We see bigger prisons being built, we see and read of a war against drugs, money thrown at the “ice and opioid epidemics” and so very little focus on treating the underlying issue – the trauma of disconnection felt by the addicts themselves. What we witness is addicts dying on the waiting list as they try to get into treatment.
It is not just the addicts themselves that are dis-advantaged by this misunderstanding and judgement – it impacts the family, loved ones and ultimately society at large.
“Addicts and their loved ones may not have a choice about being an addict…. But they do have a choice about being in recovery and living a miserable life at the mercy of the disease” MH
After going into treatment for her disease of addiction in the early 1990’s, Maria has spent her life living with, understanding, studying and working with the disease of addiction – exploring and facing its impacts on her life, the conditioning, the brain wiring, the traumatic events that enhanced the disease and ultimately discovering a way to live a life of freedom despite understanding that there is no cure. Some of Maria’s experiences are captured in her book titled “Facing Maria” and available for order:
Along with her own experience, Maria has worked with hundreds of addicts, their families and their loved ones. Developing and facilitating programs for treatment centres, providing coaching and counselling for many individuals and assisting many lives to break free from the constraints and pain that active addiction brings to the lives of so many.
Maria has an ability to simplify and make understandable this complex disease, breaking it down into programs developed to look at it from the angle of the addict, their loved ones, and to support society at large.
“Addiction is a misunderstood disease of dis-connection”
Addiction is a brain disease which impacts the mid brain – making it difficult to control impulses, understand consequences of choice and which means that the drug or behaviour of choice becomes about survival – not so much about enjoyment.
We see across the world headlines of drug epidemic and drug induced crime and so much focus is on the substance and so little focus is on the individual which is suffering the disease.
Addiction is a physical, psychological, mental and emotional disease and while many of us think its about the substance it is not!
Addiction is 15% substance - 85% life issues.
Addiction is a disease of dis-connection – dis-connection from self, from others and from purpose.
Maria Hutchison offers programs to addicts, to loved ones and to organisations to demystify the topic of addiction. To bring the disease into the light and to provide a pathway for re-connection and healing for all.
