This article is from page 8 of the 2011-07-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
ALCOHOL abuse has become a significant issue among people checking into the Bushypark Treatment Centre in Ennis.
“The main issue is alcohol. Alcohol is the big one,” said the manager of the centre, Margaret Nash.
“People can’t believe they are alcoholics because they drink pints,” she said.
“It has taken years for alcohol to be included in the National Misuse Strategy,” she said.
Polydrug use – a combination of alcohol, prescription drugs and illegal drugs – is the biggest issue among those who check in for treatment at Bushypark. This is followed by alcohol issues and this in turn is followed by illicit drugs on their own.
“Anyone who is taking illegal drugs is taking prescription drugs as well,” she said.
“Prescription drugs is huge. There isn’t a client that doesn’t take them. People take repeat prescriptions without ever analysing what the problem is. 80 per cent of clients would be coming in on prescription drugs because of their addictions,” she said.
“There are guys as young as 19 taking fistfuls of sleepers at night and something else to pick themselves up the next day. It is a quick fix solution. That is a national trend. It has not decreased,” she said.
“There is a complexity of issues that clients are presenting with. It seems to be more deep rooted. People have very complex addictions. It is very difficult to get people off prescription drugs,” she said.
There has been an increase of four per cent in admissions to Bushypark last year and a number of patterns have emerged.
“We would see that increase spread across the 18 to 35 age group. The 26 to 35 age group would have stayed consistent over the years but that has increased. More people are acknowledging their difficulties. You can get away with addictions for many years,” said Ms Nash.
In 2007 and 2008, there was an increase in the number of women presenting for treatment, but this has since steadied off. Younger women in the 18 to 25 age group attend in quite high numbers, often in relation to alcohol, polydrug use and food addictions.