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Archives of Myth
 
 
HIV doesnt cause AIDS.
 
 
There is overwhelming scientific evidence and medical consensus that the disease we call AIDS is caused by the virus we call HIV. Scientists have been able to document how HIV infects cells, attacks the immune system, and causes the symptoms of AIDS. HIV is measurable in the blood of an infected individual and antiretroviral medications have clearly been shown to suppress the virus and improve the symptoms of AIDS.
 
 
Because of antiretroviral medications, we no longer need to be concerned about HIV/AIDS.
 
 
Antiretroviral medications are a great leap forward in the fight against HIV, but they are not a cure. If your doctor prescribes ARVs, you will have to take every dose on schedule to minimize the risk that the HIV in your body will develop resistance to the medication. Additionally, in developing countries, HIV/AIDS is continuing to spread, not only in Africa, but increasingly in India, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Clearly, the world has not yet experienced the full global impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on politics, economics, and the livelihood of those most affected.
 
 
If you have HIV already and are sexually active, you no longer need to practice safer sex.
 
 
HIV positive individuals who choose to be sexually active need to practice safer sex to reduce the risk that their HIV negative partner will become infected. When both partners are HIV positive, they also need to practice safer sex to protect themselves from contracting each others strain of HIV, a possibly more aggressive and drug resistant strain of HIV. If a person is HIV positive and chooses to be sexually active, it is important for them to inform their partners. Additionally, it is vital to practice safer sex with each sexual encounter.
 
 
You cant contract HIV through oral sex.
 
 
Although the risk of spreading HIV through oral sex may not be quite as high as through some other sexual practices such as vaginal or anal sex, the risk is still there. There are documented cases of people who only engaged in oral sex and nonetheless contracted HIV as a result. Therefore, people who choose to be sexually active should reduce their risk via condoms for men and dental dams for women.
 
 
A woman cannot spread HIV to another woman by having sex with her.
 
 
Although the risk of an HIV positive woman infecting another woman by having sex is lower, the risk is still not zero. If a woman is HIV positive, her vaginal fluids contain HIV, and it is possible for her to infect her partner. If a person is HIV positive and chooses to be sexually active, it is important for them to inform their partners. Additionally, it is vital to practice safer sex with each sexual encounter.
 
 
If you are HIV positive but your HIV viral load is undetectable, you cannot spread HIV
 
 
Anyone who is HIV positive can spread the virus to their sexual partner. Its true that if your viral load is lower, your risk of spreading HIV is lower, but the risk is not zero. If you are HIV positive and you choose to be sexually active, no matter how healthy you feel and how low your viral load may be, you must inform your partners in advance of your status so they are fully informed and you can work together to reduce the risk of spreading HIV.
 
 
AIDS can be spread by kissing, hugging, or shaking hands
 
 
Though there are other means of transmission, there are four primary ways that HIV spreads: through intimate sexual contact; sharing needles through injection drug use; blood transfusions, and from mother to child. You cant contract HIV by kissing a person, hugging them, or shaking their hands. You cant contract HIV by working or living with them.
 
 
If you have HIV, you can cure it by having sex with a virgin.
 
 
There is currently no cure for HIV or AIDS. The myth that you can cure HIV/AIDS is prevalent in some parts of Africa and has even led to incidents where HIV positive men rape young women or girls in the hope of curing their HIV.
 
 
Every individual with HIV will eventually develop AIDS.
 
 
There is a group of individuals with HIV who have not progressed to AIDS, despite being infected for over 20 years. Some appear to have a natural ability to suppress the virus in their body without medications. Others may have acquired a weaker strain of the virus. Still others took medications before their CD4 cells dropped below 200 and therefore, do not have an AIDS diagnosis. Regardless of the circumstance, time will tell whether it continues to be possible for an individual to remain HIV positive without progressing to AIDS.
 
 
HIV is a gay disease.
 
 
Worldwide, 98% of HIV infections are spread through heterosexual intercourse.
 
 
The only way men can become infected sexually is if they receive anal sex from another man.
 
 
Men can contract HIV from their female sexual partners, or if they perform penetrative anal sex.
 
 
You can get HIV from a toilet seat.
 
 
HIV is very difficult to transmit. It requires close personal contact and exchange of bodily fluids. The virus does not live long outside the body.
 
 
Young gay men don't have to worry about HIV.
 
 
Everyone who has unprotected sex or shares needles/syringes needs to worry about HIV.
 
 
HIV is no big deal.
 
 
Although current HIV treatment has greatly extended the healthy lifespan of HIV-positive individuals, it is still a serious disease.
 
 
I would know if my partner had HIV.
 
 
People can live with an HIV infection for years, or even decades, without symptoms. The only way to know if someone is HIV-positive is to ask if they've been tested.
 
 
Seeking mental health treatment means that I'm weak.
 
 
This could not be further from the truth! Seeking treatment means that an individual is not afraid to acknowledge that he or she needs help. This self-awareness represents strength, not weakness. The mind and body are connected, and behavioral medicine is very similar in many respects to physical medicine. Just like taking care of the body strengthens the immune system, taking care of the mind results in greater psychological strength and also plays a role in immune system functioning. For example, stress wears the body down, which results in increased susceptibility to everything from high blood pressure to the common cold to cancer. Think of mental health treatment like a course of antibiotics or physical training to prepare for a marathon. Therapy can provide people with a more objective viewpoint on their situation and additional insights into their personality and behavior. When an indivi actually impact various brain chemicals, which in turn, can affect the way an individual feels.
 
 
Coming to mental health will negatively affect my chances for promotion.
 
 
CMHS does not have direct input to promotion boards. Mental health issues can affect an individual's career to the degree that he or she suffers from problems in thinking, impaired judgment, unreliability and poor decision-making. The truth is, NOT getting treatment for mental health issues is more likely to have a negative impact than getting treatment. Mental health issues tend to affect occupational, academic and relationship functioning. Chances are, an individual with mental health problems is not performing at his or her best in one or more of these areas. As with security clearances (below), the provider determines if the patient's issues are severe enough to significantly impact the patient's ability to do his or her job.
 
 
Going to mental health means that I'm out of control.
 
 
Actually, going to mental health is a way of TAKING control. We were not put on this earth alone, so what makes us think we have to deal with its ups and downs alone? Talking to a mental health professional is a great way to take control of your thoughts, feelings and behaviors and make changes to improve your quality of life. Since mood and behavior can be contagious, an improved quality of life has obvious benefits for those around you as well.
 
 
I have a great family and supportive friends—I don't need to talk to a professional.
 
 
Friends and family members can be great sources of support and advice, and social support is one of the best mediators of stress and other psychological issues. But these individuals can be biased in our favor (in fact, we like for them to be!) and, therefore, less able to help us see different perspectives, different solutions and so forth. Counseling is a way to get guidance from someone who is more objective, someone who can help us see additional viewpoints.
 
 
If you go to mental health, you're crazy.
 
 
This myth is perpetrated due to a lack of information about mental health. Mental health, like most things, runs on a continuum. While mental health treatment is appropriate for people with psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, it is also appropriate for people with less intense concerns, such as those having relationship problems, anxious and depressive symptoms, stress, anger-management concerns, and problems adjusting to a change or loss, substance use or difficulties with their children. If you were completely "crazy" or not in your "right mind," it is very unlikely that you would be able to recognize the need for treatment. Mental health professionals realize that there is still, for many, significant stigma associated with seeking treatment. In reality, some people feel more comfortable talking to their physicians about their concerns (i.e., sadness, anxiety, constant worry, panic attacks, mood swings, etc.). This is understandable since the mind and body are one—there are physical components and/or ramifications to psychological issues and vice versa. Mental health professionals work with physicians on a daily basis to make referrals for people to get the treatment they need. In fact, there is an entire branch of psychology, known as health psychology, that has been built around this premise and involves having mental health professionals in primary-care settings. If you would prefer to talk to your physician or other healthcare provider, simply schedule an appointment to discuss your concerns.
 
 
Coming to mental health will negatively impact my credit.
 
 
CMHS does not release information to credit bureaus or financial institutions without the patient's consent.
 
 
There's no way for me to know what's being said about me.
 
 
A copy of an individual's mental health record can be obtained by the individual via the patient administration division of your medical treatment facility. First, the patient completes a request for disclosure of information at PAD. The record will then be reviewed by the mental health practitioners who have provided care (or their designees) to ensure the release of appropriate documents. Finally, the record will be copied and released to the patient through PAD. The first copy of the record is free of charge.
 
 
I'm a smart person. Smart people should be able to solve their own problems.
 
 
Seeking mental health treatment has nothing to do with your intelligence. Rather, it is a way to gain some insight into aspects of your personality, situation and life that you may not have thought of due to being the person actually in the middle of it. If you needed surgery, wouldn't you consult a surgeon? Would you try to do it yourself? Even if you ARE a surgeon, this is not a good idea! Counseling helps you step outside of yourself—think outside of the box, if you will—and look in from a different perspective. The idea is to gain some objectivity, and often this involves taking a look at the big picture and not getting bogged down in the details.
 
 
Therapists just ask you about your childhood and then blame everything on your parents.
 
 
While it is important to obtain a good history to help ensure an accurate understanding of what makes an individual who he/she is in the present, treatment is about taking responsibility for your own actions regardless of your past. Therapy is designed to help you understand the ways in which you may be sabotaging yourself or setting yourself up for failure with your thought processes and actions. Therapists want you to take ownership and choose to change your life rather than playing the victim and blaming everything on someone else. Of course, we recognize that bad things happen to good people, but everything that happens provides a lesson of some sort, even if it is difficult to see at the time. Part of being in treatment involves learning from past hurts and past mistakes so as to do better in the future. Our past is important, but it does not have to dictate who we are. The poet laureate Maya Angelou says it beautifully: "You did then what you knew how to do. Now that you know better, you can do better.
 
 
Therapy is voodoo and conflicts with my religion.
 
 
Those of us in the field have seen magical transformations in people, but therapy is about as far from magic as you can get. When you receive treatment, you are in control; you make the decisions about whether and how to change your life. Therapy is not a supernatural thing; it is not a pagan endeavor. In fact, an important part of mental health treatment is an assessment of an individual's spirituality, whatever that may be. If spirituality is important to the individual, it can be incorporated into the treatment plan. Mental health professionals also work closely with chaplains and other members of the clergy when assistance is needed regarding spiritual or religious issues.
 
 
Mental health treatment is just mind-reading.
 
 
Mental health providers are not in the business of reading minds. If that were the case, we would all be rich and famous! We are not psychics, nor do we have magical powers. So if that is not what mental health treatment is, then what is it? The first few appointments with a mental health professional are part of an ongoing evaluation process. This evaluation includes an interview and may also involve psychological testing. Both of these components are designed to obtain more information about an individual's history, personality style, and current issues or symptoms. Once the initial evaluation is complete, a treatment plan will be developed between the patient and the professional. The treatment plan takes information from the evaluation process and uses it to establish goals for treatment. The treatment plan is created with patient and therapist input and can include referrals to various entities, such as a substance-abuse treatment program; an evaluation for medication to help treat self-destructive habits, depressive or anxious symptoms, or problems with cognitive and behavioral functioning, to name a few; an inpatient psychiatric facility that can provide specialized treatment on a daily basis; and so forth. Treatment plans help providers ensure that they are working toward useful goals for the patient. With reviews and updates, treatment plans also help ensure that therapy is a dynamic process that changes with the patient's needs. As an example, take a person who has "generalized anxiety disorder," a condition characterized by constant, chronic worry about a number of things or aspects of his or her life. The person finds the worry difficult to control and may have problems sleeping, eating, concentrating, finishing tasks, remembering things and/or relating to others. The treatment plan for this individual will likely involve the development of coping skills to manage worry. These may include principles such as thought stopping, relaxation, hypnosis, distraction, development of organizational skills, and increased awareness of what is in the individual's control and what is not. The treatment plan may also include a medication regimen designed to correct a possible chemical imbalance in the brain that is partly responsible for the excessive worry.
 
 
If I go to mental health, they're just going to give me some pill to take.
 
 
In actuality, medication is not right for everyone. If, after the initial assessment or evaluation phase, your provider thinks that medication may be useful to help manage your symptoms, he/she may talk to you about a referral to a specialist for a medication evaluation. If you agree, you will schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner to obtain additional information about treatment options involving medication. Meeting with one of these specialists does not automatically mean that you will be started on medication. Rather, if the specialist believes that medication is appropriate for you, he/she will discuss the available medication options and the risks and benefits of the various medications with you. The ultimate decision is yours and should be a well-informed one. One exception to this rule is severe cases where an individual is not in control of himself or herself. In these cases, the first step is usually to place the individual in an inpatient psychiatric facility for his or her own safety and the safety of those around the individual. In a facility of this sort, the individual can be closely monitored and have access to care at any time of the day or night. Should you decide to give medication a try, it will likely be recommended that you become or remain involved in some form of counseling or talk therapy as well. Be aware that any form of therapy—medication or otherwise—will only work if you WANT it to work.
 
 
If I start taking medication, I'll have to take it for the rest of my life.
 
 
People may take medication on a short-term or long-term basis. Short-term use of medication may be appropriate if a person is experiencing significant difficulty sleeping, overwhelming depressive symptoms related to the loss of a loved one, intense anxiety over an upcoming event or transition, and so forth. Alternatively, some people take psychiatric medications—known as psychotropics—all of their lives. They realize that they feel and function better with the medication than without it and, after swallowing their pride and obtaining information about any long-term effects, make an informed decision to continue on the medication. For example, research has shown that many mental health conditions run in families. Someone with a significant family history of depression may very likely be predisposed to develop depression himself/herself. A stressful event or life-changing situation can trigger a depressive episode in this person more quickly than in it would in someone without that family history. If the individual experiences recurrent depressive symptoms, there may very well be a chemical imbalance in the brain that needs to be corrected. That is, the nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain are "misfiring" in some way, much the same way that the pistons in a car engine can misfire. When this occurs in the brain, there is generally nothing that the person did wrong as much as it is just part of how the person's brain was formed. (Drug use is one exception. Use of illicit drugs—even one-time use—or abuse of prescription drugs can result in some of the same psychological symptoms mentioned previously.) Medication therapy and talk therapy together are often the best, most effective treatment combination for mental health issues or psychological problems. With medication, many people make the mistake of discontinuing a medication because they are feeling better. They assume that they no longer need the medication because they feel good at that moment. While it may be true that they are better and no longer need the medication, it is also often true that the medication is in large part responsible for the fact that they do feel better. Before changing or discontinuing any medication, you should always consult with a healthcare provider. Some medications, if stopped suddenly, can cause withdrawal syndromes characterized by significant physical and/or psychological problems.
 
 
No one can understand what I'm going through!
 
 
No one is the ONLY person who has ever gone through an experience. Individual reactions to the same event or experience can vary widely, but the basic human emotions are the same across individuals and cultures. An individual's own experience of happiness, sadness, anger or fear and the thoughts and behaviors that result from this experience are what are unique to that person. To understand the process and usefulness of therapy, an important distinction between sympathy and empathy must be made: Sympathy is what you feel when you have been there yourself. Empathy is what you feel when you care and try to understand what it is like to be there when you have not. You do not have to personally experience the same thing as another individual to understand what it might be like. So, no one has been through everything; but working with an empathic, objective person with the same basic human emotions is very powerful and can result in tremendous changes in feelings, thoughts and behavior. We hope this article has shed some light on common myths regarding mental health treatment and answered some of the questions people have but are afraid to ask. The bottom line is that we want you to get the help you need. Let us know how we can help you or someone close to you. If you do not feel comfortable receiving treatment at the health center on post, tell us. If you are a Tricare beneficiary, we can help coordinate a referral to a professional off-post for treatment, in the majority of cases at no cost to you.
 
 
There’s no hope for people with mental illnesses.
 
 
There are more treatments, strategies, and community supports than ever before, and even more are on the horizon. People with mental illnesses lead active, productive lives.
 
 
I can’t do anything for someone with mental health needs.
 
 
You can do a lot, starting with the way you act and how you speak. You can nurture an environment that builds on people’s strengths and promotes good mental health. For example: Avoid labeling people with words like “crazy,” “wacko,” “loony,” or by their diagnosis. Instead of saying someone is a “schizophrenic” say “a person with schizophrenia.” Learn the facts about mental health and share them with others, especially if you hear something that is untrue. Treat people with mental illnesses with respect and dignity, as you would anybody else. Respect the rights of people with mental illnesses and don’t discriminate against them when it comes to housing, employment, or education. Like other people with disabilities, people with mental health needs are protected under Federal and State laws.
 
 
People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
 
 
In reality, the vast majority of people who have mental health needs are no more violent than anyone else. You probably know someone with a mental illness and don’t even realize it.
 
 
Mental illnesses cannot affect me.
 
 
Mental illnesses are surprisingly common; they affect almost every family in America. Mental illnesses do not discriminate—they can affect anyone.
 
 
Mental illness is the same as mental retardation.
 
 
The two are distinct disorders. A mental retardation diagnosis is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and difficulties with certain daily living skills. In contrast, people with mental illnesses—health conditions that cause changes in a person’s thinking, mood, and behavior—have varied intellectual functioning, just like the general population.
 
 
Mental illnesses are brought on by a weakness of character.
 
 
Mental illnesses are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Research has shown genetic and biological factors are associated with schizophrenia, depression, and alcoholism. Social influences, such as loss of a loved one or a job, can also contribute to the development of various disorders.
 
 
People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.
 
 
In essence, all jobs are stressful to some extent. Productivity is maximized when there is a good match between the employee’s needs and working conditions, whether or not the individual has mental health needs.
 
 
People with mental health needs, even those who have received effective treatment and have recovered, tend to be second-rate workers on the job.
 
 
Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses report good attendance and punctuality, as well as motivation, quality of work, and job tenure on par with or greater than other employees. Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) show that there are no differences in productivity when people with mental illnesses are compared to other employees.
 
 
Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover.
 
 
Studies show that most people with mental illnesses get better, and many recover completely. Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life. For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. Science has shown that having hope plays an integral role in an individual’s recovery.
 
 
Therapy and self-help are wastes of time. Why bother when you can just take one of those pills you hear about on TV?
 
 
Treatment varies depending on the individual. A lot of people work with therapists, counselors, their peers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers in their recovery process. They also use self-help strategies and community supports. Often these methods are combined with some of the most advanced medications available.
 
 
Children do not experience mental illnesses. Their actions are just products of bad parenting.
 
 
A report from the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health showed that in any given year 5-9 percent of children experience serious emotional disturbances. Just like adult mental illnesses, these are clinically diagnosable health conditions that are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, social, and sometimes even genetic factors.
 
 
Children misbehave or fail in school just to get attention.
 
 
Behavior problems can be symptoms of emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders, rather than merely attention-seeking devices. These children can succeed in school with appropriate understanding, attention, and mental health services.
 
 
Drug addiction is voluntary behavior.
 
 
A person starts out as an occasional drug user, and that is a voluntary decision. But as time passes, that person goes from being a voluntary drug user to being a compulsive drug user. Why? Because over time, continued use of addictive drugs changes your brain -- at times in dramatic, toxic ways, at others in more subtle ways, but virtually always in ways that result in compulsive and even uncontrollable drug use.
 
 
More than anything else, drug addiction is a character flaw.
 
 
Drug addiction is a brain disease. Every type of drug of abuse has its own individual mechanism for changing how the brain functions. But regardless of which drug a person is addicted to, many of the effects it has on the brain are similar: they range from changes in the molecules and cells that make up the brain, to mood changes, to changes in memory processes and in such motor skills as walking and talking. And these changes have a huge influence on all aspects of a person's behavior. The drug becomes the single most powerful motivator in a drug abuser's existence. He or she will do almost anything for the drug. This comes about because drug use has changed the individual's brain and its functioning in critical ways.
 
 
You have to want drug treatment for it to be effective.
 
 
Virtually no one wants drug treatment. Two of the primary reasons people seek drug treatment are because the court ordered them to do so, or because loved ones urged them to seek treatment. Many scientific studies have shown convincingly that those who enter drug treatment programs in which they face "high pressure" to confront and attempt to surmount their addiction do comparatively better in treatment, regardless of the reason they sought treatment in the first place.
 
 
Treatment for drug addiction should be a one-shot deal.
 
 
Like many other illnesses, drug addiction typically is a chronic disorder. To be sure, some people can quit drug use "cold turkey," or they can quit after receiving treatment just one time at a rehabilitation facility. But most of those who abuse drugs require longer-term treatment and, in many instances, repeated treatments.
 
 
We should strive to find a "magic bullet" to treat all forms of drug abuse.
 
 
There is no "one size fits all" form of drug treatment, much less a magic bullet that suddenly will cure addiction. Different people have different drug abuse-related problems. And they respond very differently to similar forms of treatment, even when they're abusing the same drug. As a result, drug addicts need an array of treatments and services tailored to address their unique needs.
 
 
People don't need treatment. They can stop using drugs if they really want to.
 
 
It is extremely difficult for people addicted to drugs to achieve and maintain long-term abstinence. Research shows long-term drug use actually changes a person's brain function, causing them to crave the drug even more, making it increasingly difficult for the person to quit. Especially for adolescents, intervening and stopping substance abuse early is important, as children become addicted to drugs much faster than adults and risk greater physical, mental and psychological harm from illicit drug use.
 
 
Treatment just doesn't work.
 
 
Treatment can help people. Studies show drug treatment reduces drug use by 40 to 60 per cent and can significantly decrease criminal activity during and after treatment. There is also evidence that drug addiction treatment reduces the risk of HIV infection (intravenous -drug users who enter and stay in treatment are up to six times less likely to become infected with HIV than other users) and improves the prospects for employment, with gains of up to 40 per cent after treatment.
 
 
Nobody will voluntarily seek treatment until they hit ‘rock bottom.’
 
 
There are many things that can motivate a person to enter and complete substance abuse treatment before they hit "rock bottom." Pressure from family members and employers, as well as personal recognition that they have a problem, can be powerful motivating factors for individuals to seek treatment. For teens, parents and school administrators are often driving forces in getting them into treatment once problems at home or in school develop but before situations become dire. Seventeen per cent of adolescents entering treatment in 1999 were self- or individual referrals, while 11 percent were referred through schools.
 
 
You can't force someone into treatment.
 
 
Treatment does not have to be voluntary. People coerced into treatment by the legal system can be just as successful as those who enter treatment voluntarily. Sometimes they do better, as they are more likely to remain in treatment longer and to complete the program. In 1999, over half of adolescents admitted into treatment were directed to do so by the criminal justice system.
 
 
There should be a standard treatment program for everyone.
 
 
One treatment method is not necessarily appropriate for everyone. The best programs develop an individual treatment plan based on a thorough assessment of the individual's problems. These plans may combine a variety of methods tailored to address each person's specific needs and may include behavioral therapy (such as counseling, cognitive therapy or psychotherapy), medications, or a combination. Referrals to other medical, psychological and social services may also be crucial components of treatment for many people. Furthermore, treatment for teens varies depending on the child's age, maturity and family/peer environment, and relies more heavily than adult treatment on family involvement during the recovery process. "[They] must be approached differently than adults because of their unique developmental issues, differences in their values and belief systems, and environmental considerations (e.g., strong peer influences)."
 
 
If you've tried one doctor or treatment program, you've tried them all.
 
 
Not every doctor or program may be the right fit for someone seeking treatment. For many, finding an approach that is personally effective for treating their addiction can mean trying out several different doctors and/or treatment centers before a perfect "match" is found between patient and program.
 
 
People can successfully finish drug abuse treatment in a couple of weeks if they're truly motivated.
 
 
Research indicates a minimum of 90 days of treatment for residential and outpatient drug-free programs, and 21 days for short-term inpatient programs to have an effect. To maintain the treatment effect, follow up supervision and support are essential. In all recovery programs the best predictor of success is the length of treatment. Patients who remain at least a year are more than twice as likely to remain drug free, and a recent study showed adolescents who met or exceeded the minimum treatment time were over one and a half times more likely to abstain from drug and alcohol use 4 However, completing a treatment program is merely the first step in the struggle for recovery that can extend throughout a person's entire lifetime.
 
 
People who continue to abuse drugs after treatment are hopeless.
 
 
Drug addiction is a chronic disorder; occasional relapse does not mean failure. Psychological stress from work or family problems, social cues (i.e. meeting individuals from one's drug-using past), or their environment (i.e. encountering streets, objects, or even smells associated with drug use) can easily trigger a relapse. Addicts are most vulnerable to drug use during the few months immediately following their release from treatment. Children are especially at risk for relapse when forced to return to family and environmental situations that initially led them to abuse substances. Recovery is a long process and frequently requires multiple treatment attempts before complete and consistent sobriety can be achieved.
 
 
Addiction is a bad habit, the result of moral weakness and over-indulgence.
 
 
Addiction is a chronic, life-threatening condition, like hypertension, atherosclerosis, and adult diabetes.
 
 
Addiction is a bad habit, the result of moral weakness and over-indulgence.
 
 
Addiction has roots in genetic susceptibility, social circumstance, and personal behavior.
 
 
Addiction is a bad habit, the result of moral weakness and over-indulgence.
 
 
Certain drugs are highly addictive, rapidly causing biochemical and structural changes in the brain. Others can be used for longer periods of time before they begin to cause inescapable cravings and compulsive use.
 
 
Bad, stupid, and crazy people are most susceptible to becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs.
 
 
Addiction is an equal opportunity disease. It does not discriminate in any way against any class of people. It strikes equally among individuals in all ethnic, socio-economic, intelligence, and emotional wellness categories.
 
 
If an addict has enough willpower, he or she can stop abusing alcohol and using drugs.
 
 
Few people addicted to alcohol and other drugs can simply stop using them, no matter how strong their inner resolve. Most need at least one course of structured substance abuse treatment to end their dependence on alcohol and other drugs. Some achieve sobriety through participation in community-based support organizations (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous), but relapse rates under this condition are very high. The most effective approach is one that combines structured treatment and community-based support.
 
 
Many people relapse, so treatment obviously does not work.
 
 
Like every other medical treatment, addiction treatment cannot guarantee lifelong recovery. Relapse is often a part of the recovery process; it is always possible--and treatable. Even if a person never achieves perfect abstinence, addiction treatment can reduce the number and duration of relapses, lower the incidence of related problems such as crime and poor overall health, improve the individual's ability to function in daily life, and strengthen the individual to better cope with the next temptation or craving. These improvements reduce the social and economic costs of addiction.
 
 
People with alcohol and other drug problems must attend 28-day hospital-based treatment programs, where they dry out and emerge new individuals, cured of their problems.
 
 
Treatment is provided in many different settings, in many different ways, and for different lengths of time. It is provided in hospitals, residential facilities, free-standing clinics, and counselors' and therapists' private offices. Treatment often follows a "continuum of care," within which the individual participates in one or more levels of care. These levels range from highly restrictive and intensive to only slightly restrictive and intensive, as follows: Medically supervised detoxification; Intensive residential treatment; Extended residential care; Halfway house, or supported living; Partial hospitalization, or day treatment; Intensive outpatient treatment; Supportive outpatient treatment; Continuing Care; and Individual counseling and therapy.
 
 
Once sobriety is achieved, whether with or without the benefit of treatment, most individuals can eventually return to social use of alcohol and/or drugs.
 
 
Addiction is a chronic condition that does not disappear, even after extended periods of sobriety. This is true regardless of the individual's drug of choice, level of self-control, or length of abstinence.
 
 
An individual who is addicted to one drug or family of drugs can undergo treatment for and recover from addiction to that particular drug and still use other drugs with impunity.
 
 
Cross-addiction nearly always occurs when an addict tries to switch drugs, regardless of the reason. Cross-addiction invariably takes the form of one or the other of two possible outcomes: 1) The individual quickly becomes addicted to the second substance, or 2) The individual returns to the original drug while under the influence of the second one.
 
 
We have reached the limits of what we can do to treat addiction.
 
 
The more we learn about addiction, the more effective treatment becomes. Even though current treatment methods are far from perfect, today's treatment providers are being challenged to stretch their knowledge base and find more effective approaches to prevention, intervention, and treatment.
 
 
I'd have to be unemployed, homeless, or on skid row to need rehab.
 
 
Because of heightened awareness of drug and alcohol abuse, people now seek treatment much earlier than they used to. In the early days, "hitting bottom" often meant losing everything: home, family, possessions or job. Today, this does not have to be the case.
 
 
If I go to treatment, I'll lose my job.
 
 
Actually, many people enter rehab these days as a condition of keeping their jobs. Today's employers know that while they can't tolerate drug and alcohol abuse among employees, holding a job for someone in treatment generally makes good economic sense. If they fire the employee, they lose the investment they've already made and incur the expense of training someone new. Waiting a few weeks for someone to complete treatment is often considered a better decision.
 
 
Treatment centers are like "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest," or "The Snake Pit."
 
 
This is one of the most common myths about treatment and rehab, and one of the most inaccurate. Serenity Lane and most other centers are completely voluntary and patients are free to leave at any time. Surroundings are warm and caring, and though people are usually anxious about entering treatment, they often don't want to leave.
 
 
Alcoholics and drug addicts are coddled in treatment.
 
 
Just about anyone who has successfully completed treatment will report that the experience is a balance of compassionate care and a strong dose of reality. It's important to remember that addiction to alcohol and other drugs is a life-threatening illness that thrives on denial. That means that counselors must break down this structure, usually built and fortified over years, to change the person's life. It's sometimes said in treatment that "I'm more interested in saving your life than sparing your feelings." Alcoholic/addicts often demonstrate thinking errors, self-centeredness, immaturity and a lack of social skills. Each of these must be addressed as compassionately as possible and as directly as necessary.
 
 
Treatment centers force religion on their patients.
 
 
While the debate on the spiritual aspect of recovery continues, the treatment community has widely accepted the recovery model developed by Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930s. Based on the admission that the addict or alcoholic is in rehab because he or she has clearly not been able to manage life successfully, this model encourages reliance on a "higher power" something outside themselves that is greater than they are. While some people in recovery join a religion or increase participation in one, AA strongly emphasizes that it is not allied with any denomination; each treatment center chooses its own approach to this question and most try to accommodate a wide variety of beliefs. Generally, though, treatment professionals use the spiritual model because, in many cases deemed "untreatable," it has been shown to work.
 
 
If I go into treatment, I won't see my spouse or children for weeks.
 
 
Statistics have shown that people addicted to alcohol or other drugs find much more success in quitting - and staying stopped - when their family members participate fully in treatment and recovery. That is why treatment centers now strongly encourage the families of residents to gain a better understanding of the role they play in the disease and to commit to their own programs of change and healing. Like it or not, alcoholism and drug addiction are "family diseases," so the whole family needs to have its own recovery program.
 
 
Rehab centers make you go "cold turkey" from Day 1.
 
 
Of course, the point of treatment is to stop the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. But today, physicians specializing in addiction medicine can use a wide variety of techniques and medications to help combat the more difficult physical and emotional problems of withdrawal and early recovery. While each case is taken individually, doctors may prescribe drugs to help with the craving for opiates, alcohol and cocaine. Antidepressants or anti-anxiety products may also be medically indicated and necessary. Today's treatment centers, however, generally take a "holistic" approach addressing the mental, physical and spiritual needs of the person in treatment. In addition, a healthy diet and moderate exercise program are always recommended.
 
 
Once treatment is completed, the battle against addiction is pretty much over.
 
 
Everyone involved - the addict, his or her family, insurance companies, elected officials, corrections officials, even treatment professionals - would love treatment to be a "quick fix," permanently ending the problem of alcohol and drug addiction for the person and his or her family. Unfortunately, this is not the case. It is generally accepted that addiction to alcohol or other drugs is an incurable disease that can be arrested only if the addict finds and maintains a lifetime commitment to recovery. The time in treatment offers a solid foundation for this effort to begin.
 
 
Treatment is only available or effective on an inpatient basis.
 
 
When people think of treatment, they generally think of inpatient treatment - what we would call "residential." As a result of greater awareness, earlier detection and efforts to control costs, outpatient treatment has become a more important treatment option. 10 to 15 years ago, 80 to 90 percent of all drug and alcohol treatment was done on a residential basis. Today, the ratio of residential to outpatient treatment is roughly 50-50. Outpatients continue on a regular work schedule and have time for family and other activities.
 
 
I can't afford to go to a rehab center.
 
 
While concerted efforts are made to control costs, treatment, like all other forms of intensive medical care, can be costly - even at non-profit facilities like Serenity Lane. To keep costs in perspective, it is important to recognize that a single DUI can cost $6,000 - $7,000 in legal fees, court fees and fines (and alcoholics often rack up two or three DUIs). It is also common for addict/alcoholics to spend hundreds of dollars a month on their habits. American businesses alone lose more than $100 billion each year to drugs and alcohol. Today, we know that 70 percent of addicted people are employed; many are under some kind of health insurance plan that covers treatment for alcohol and/or other drug dependencies. The Oregon Health Plan also covers some kinds of treatment.
 
 
Substance abuse is an acute disease. If people do not get better after a treatment episode, it is their own fault.
 
 
Substance abuse is a chronic condition with acute episodes. As with any chronic condition, such as cancer, remission rather than cure might be a more appropriate objective. Also, substance abusers are more likely than patients suffering from other chronic medical disorders to comply with treatment requirements. For example, while 40 percent of addicted patients comply with treatment attendance, only 30 per cent of hypertensives comply with their medication regimen, according to a 1996 study by Drs. Charles O'Brien and Thomas McLellan at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School.
 
 
Substance abuse is not a disease at all. It stems from the weakness of the individual, the inability to resist temptation.
 
 
Character weakness is no more the cause of relapse in a substance abuser than it is for someone with diabetes or heart disease. Personal behaviors can lead to relapse in all of these cases, yet there is much less inclination to blame the victim or withdraw treatment when a "medical" condition is involved. Furthermore, the evidence of a genetic predisposition to addictive behaviors is now as persuasive as that which exists for heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. There is no longer any doubt that addiction should be viewed as a brain disease rather than as some weakness of spirit. Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse have concluded that the fact that similar brain effects can be seen in users of a variety of addicting substances suggests common brain mechanisms underlying all addictions. As is the case with other brain diseases that are considered medical problems, actual physical changes can be observed in the brains of substance abusers.
 
 
Substance abuse is comparatively rare among workers. It is a problem of the poor and unemployed.
 
 
The largest single economic group of substance users are people who have full-time jobs. They constitute, for example, almost two thirds of regular marijuana and/or cocaine users. While there has been an overall decrease in drug use in recent years, this decline has been much slower among full-time workers. According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 54 per cent of all regular cocaine users had full-time jobs in 1991. Four years later the percentage had increased to 65 percent.
 
 
Substance abuse is a public health and social problem, not a corporate responsibility.
 
 
Substance abuse has an enormous impact on many other corporate costs, including employee and dependent medical and mental health benefits, workers' compensation and long-term disability, corporate liability, worker attendance, productivity and product quality. A 1994 study found that the overall health care benefit costs for an untreated substance abuser were about $550 a month greater than those for an abuser who had received treatment.
 
 
The best strategy is exclusion of substance abusers from the workforce. This is a more practical and less costly approach for a corporation.
 
 
While some companies claim that it is easier and cheaper to fire substance abusers, turnover and retraining costs, employee morale and corporate compassion often make firing a counterproductive and/or costly solution. In a shrinking labor market and an increasingly high-tech workplace, hiring and retraining are difficult and expensive propositions. Various surveys estimate the cost of replacing an employee in a range of $10,000 to as much as two years salary. Even in highly regulated industries like transportation and energy, these factors make treatment a better choice than dismissing those workers.
 
 
There are no good standards for selection of the appropriate mode of treatment for substance abusers.
 
 
This is simply not true. Improved placement criteria and lower-cost, effective modalities are available. In addition, while a recurrence of a substance problem is viewed as a treatment failure, the fact is that, like any chronic disease, more than one treatment episode is necessary for many patients. There is growing evidence that, with each repeated treatment, outcomes improve and the chance for complete abstinence increases significantly.
 
 
There are no adequate means of assessing treatment outcomes. "We do not know what we are buying."
 
 
While much outcomes analysis may not be able to demonstrate permanent abstinence, there is a growing body of literature on treatment's effect on reducing health care and other costs. A variety of studies from different states, even using different methodologies, have consistently demonstrated that every dollar spent on substance abuse treatment generates $6 to $7 in savings resulting from reduced medical care, welfare and criminal justice costs.
 
 
Sexuality education teaches students how to have sex.
 
 
There are a number of confusions about sexuality education, the worst one of which is defining it as sex education. Sex is used in our culture as a euphemism for sexual intercourse. Sexuality is a much broader issue and includes talking about values, decision-making, biology, emotions, gender identity, and sexual feelings.[i] Classes do not include teaching about sexual techniques. Sexual health education emphasizes that abstinence is the best behaviour choice for adolescents, and that the next best alternatives are postponement of sexual intercourse, limiting the number of sexual partners, and the effective use of protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
 
 
Teaching sexuality in school takes it out of being taught at home.
 
 
Various studies have shown that sexuality education programs result in increased parent-child communication about various topics concerning sexuality.
 
 
Comprehensive sexuality education leads to increased rates of sexual behaviour in adolescents.
 
 
A World Health Organization literature review concluded that there is "no support for the contention that sex education encourages experimentation or increased activity. If any effect is observed, almost without exception, it is in the direction of postponed initiation of sexual intercourse and/or effective use of contraceptives."[iii]
 
 
Students in elementary school are too young to need information about sexuality.
 
 
In every subject, students are given a foundation in the early school years that is expanded upon in later years. Children are often curious about issues related to sexuality and need accurate, age-appropriate information.[iv] Students in elementary school learn about physical, emotional and social changes that occur during puberty, the basic components of the reproductive system, fetal development and risk factors associated with exposure to blood borne diseases.[v]
 
 
Comprehensive sexual health education doesn't address abstinence.
 
 
Comprehensive Sexual Health Education stresses abstinence as the preferred sexual behaviour amongst teens. Abstaining from sexual activity that involves exchange of bodily fluids and/or genital to genital or skin to genital contact is the only way to be absolutely sure of avoiding the risk of pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. Postponement of initial sexual activity until maturity, adherence to one sexual partner and protected sexual intercourse are sequentially offered as the next best alternatives.[vi] The programs that have been most effective in helping young people to abstain discuss both abstinence and contraception.[vii]
 
 
Condoms are not very effective in preventing pregnancy and STIs.
 
 
Repeated studies show that condoms used consistently and correctly offer a high degree of protection against pregnancy and STI/AIDS. The most common cause for failure is improper or inconsistent use. Using a condom is 10,000 times safer than not using a condom at all. That is why including condom instruction in sexuality education is so important. [viii]
 
 
If you talk to kids about sex they will go out and experiment.
 
 
Children who are well informed and comfortable in talking about sexuality with their parents are also the least likely to have intercourse when they are adolescents. It appears that knowledge does not lead to inappropriate behaviour, whereas a lack of information poses greater risks.
 
 
If sex is not talked about, then students won't be exposed to sex education.
 
 
Our children learn from us by observing. We become models of how to be healthy adults, to have relationships, to show affection, and to resolve conflict. In these ways, we are the primary sexuality educators of our children. When we avoid talking about sexuality we give our children the message that this topic is not proper to discuss, to learn about, to have questions on. Our silence is as eloquent as our words.
 
 
If I don't feel completely comfortable talking to my students about sex, it's better not to say anything at all.
 
 
It is quite common to be uncomfortable in talking about sexuality. However, we should not let this stop us from educating our students. Sexual Health Education must address and acknowledge the diverse needs of all students.[ix] It is important for sexual health educators to provide comprehensive Sexual Health Education that is both culturally and socially appropriate. Talking about facts rather than values is an effective way to combat apprehension.
 
 
A pregnant woman should continue performing heavy physical labour.
 
 
Too much heavy work like working in the fields, or picking heavy loads, can cause problems such as miscarriage, premature delivery or underweight babies. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid heavy physical labour.