'DON'T CALL MY DAD THE "A" WORD,' says Jessica Hulsey Nickel, President of Addiction Policy Forum, op-ed in Washington Times

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jessica Hulsey Nickel, who testified before the Christie Commission in June and is the President of the Addiction Policy Forum, has written an op-ed in the Washington Times, "Don't call my Dad the 'A' word".  Nickel says that using the correct language when discussing those who struggle with drugs removes stigma and encourages individuals to seek treatment.  Jessica Hulsey Nickel's father, the title subject of the piece, died with a heroin substance use disorder.

Hulsey Nickel argues that when someone is labeled an "addict," it makes people think different about their disease. That stigma means that those suffering are less likely to seek help.   

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that over 33,000 persons last year died from opioid overdoses. Opioid overdoses — not just heroin, but prescription pain medicine, fentanyl and carfentanil sold and used illegally or legally — have quadrupled the last two decades. Drug overdose deaths are now more than from car crashes, equal to 17 times the deaths on 9/11.

Hulsey Nickel begins, "September is National Recovery Month. We are facing an epidemic in America. Over 50,000 people a year die from drug overdoses, 144 a day. President Trump recently declared it an 'emergency.'"

She goes on, "Growing up, I heard many people call my dad the 'a' word — an addict. In reality, he was a brilliant man and the father of two girls. He had a debilitating medical condition called a substance use disorder — a heroin addiction. He died much too young at the age of 48."

Jessica Hulsey Nickel today provided the following chart:

USING THE MOST EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SEEK TREATMENT:

In addition, Jessica Hulsey, Nickel reminded the public of the simple, direct 4-minute explainer video by the Addiction Policy Forum, "What is Addiction?", which illustrates the opioid epidemic our country faces, the brain science of addiction, and tells how to take action.

Nickel, who this summer was one of the first witnesses to testify in front of both the White House Christie Commission and Director Francis Collins's new Opioid Initiative at NIH, again emphasized that opioid addiction has quadrupled in America over the past two decades.

Using a hijacker metaphor, she said that "the video demonstrates how repeated substance use can overpower the brain's hardwiring, causing drug seeking behavior and changes in primary motivations – exceeding the need for food, sex, and even caring for your children, as the video shows." The video also shows how substance use disorder "changes the survival hardwiring deep within the brain." However, Nickel explained, "There is hope. Addiction is preventable and treatable. The video provides important information on what works in prevention, treatment and recovery. People can get better. We need to treat addiction like the medical issue it is," Nickel said in releasing the video. "It's our hope America can watch, learn and take action to confront this illness which is running rampant in America."

Here is the link to watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRyeAL9tAVs

Here also is a link to the "video explainer": http://www.addictionpolicy.org/what-is-addiction

The opioid epidemic is having a devastating effect on public health and safety across the United States. According to the CDC, drug overdoses now surpass automobile accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death for Americans aged 25 to 64. More than 144 Americans die as a result of overdose every day, the equivalent to two sold-out 747s crashing every week in America.

This video is a tool to educate all audiences across the country on the science and responses to addiction. By equipping families with this resource, they can better understand addiction, educate others, and have better resources to address addiction in their own localities.

About: Addiction Policy Forum is a 501(c)3 established in 2015 as a diverse partnership of organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to working together to elevate awareness around addiction, and to improve programs and policy through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, recovery, and criminal justice reform.

Jessica Hulsey Nickel, whose own family was devastated by addiction, is the founder of a coalition of 1,200 families impacted by substance abuse disorders and is available for further explanation and interviews by media—contact Bob Weiner [email protected] 301-283-0821, cell 202-306-1200.

Jessica Hulsey Nickel, president of the Addiction Policy Forum, was one of the first witnesses to testify this year in front of The Christie-White House Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis and at NIH Director Francis Collins' Opioid Initiative

Contact: Robert Weiner 301-283-0821/202-306-1200 [email protected]

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates and Addiction Policy Forum