Straight Answers from Rachel Benjamin

Facts and answers straight from Rachel Benjamin, Master of Social Work intern at St. Peters Addiction Recovery Center in Albany, NY.



Q: What age do you see the most amount of people needing help for substance abuse?

A: In my particular substance abuse treatment program, the majority of clients are in their thirties. The reason for this is that people in this age bracket are being mandated by parole, probation, CPS (Child Protective Services) or their place of employment because of positive drug screens. The majority of my clients began regularly using drugs in their late teens.

Q. What kind of reason do many have for their use of drugs?

A. There are multiple reasons for drug use, the most prevalent being family history of drug use, social and peer influences, mental health issues (anxiety, depression etc.) environmental factors (socioeconomic status, peers, family, education).

Q: How does an addict begin the process of seeking help for their problems?

A. Some are mandated to treatment while others recognize that they have a problem with drugs and they seek out help on their own. Depending on the severity of the individual’s drug problem, they would seek help at either the inpatient, outpatient or detoxification level.

Q. Do you think the actions of elders have a good amount of bearing on the way teens may act, especially if a family member is influencing a child?

A. Definitely, children model and learn from the people around them and their parental figures. Additionally, the way that elders treat teens and adolescents impacts how those children deal and cope with treatment. If the adult is an abuser user, the teen is more likely to turn to drugs to cope with abuse. Moreover, if a parent is an active drug user, they are more likely to abuse drugs themselves (Sometimes with the parent).