Cultural Insight: Native American Ideals and Addiction Treatment

As the opioid crisis continues to devastate families of all walks of life, we must take the time to learn about some of the more vulnerable communities. Among one of the often-overlooked minority populations, the Native American communities remain one of the hardest-hit groups.

Opioid Use Disorder Among Native Communities

In general, these native communities are especially vulnerable to health problems for several reasons. A leading issue tends to bet poor access to adequate healthcare. AI/ANs rank second in overdose mortality in the United States after Caucasians.

The National Institute of Drug Abuse expressed a compelling interest in exploring intervention methods.

A Culturally Centered Intervention

Your cultural upbringing significantly impacts how you interact with the world. Your culture dictates your perception and your internal feelings. Researchers must consider these social aspects when investigating treatment efficacy.

To effectively target the AI/AN community, you need to take a “two-eyed seeing” approach. This approach integrates the knowledge and perspectives of Indigenous and Western ideals. This perspective would take advantage of some of the many strengths that the native communities have to offer.

Notably, this would incorporate their collectivism, tribal sovereignty, and resilience. One of the biggest obstacles that we can all benefit from overcoming is the inherent stigma that plagues addiction.

Reducing the Stigma

Addiction is not something that you choose for yourself. Many experts refer to it as Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). There are underlying hereditary and biological mechanism which impact addiction.

Addiction is a disease, and we need to recognize it as such. It is not something you can easily get over overnight, and the stigma that those suffering from addiction are lazy is harmful to anyone seeking treatment.

In the United States, obtaining a prescription for opioids is incredibly easy. Some so many people suffered an injury or underwent surgery and went home from the doctors with a new narcotic prescription. In attempts to practice pain management, these people end up developing a dependency on the pills.

When people feel too embarrassed to seek help for fear of judgment (or friends and family blame the person), you end up with problems. If you have a cold or a broken leg – would you ignore it or blame yourself for not getting better without help? No, you would go to the hospital or doctors and get treated.

As a society, we need to get rid of the idea that addiction is any sign of weakness.

At Holistic Hope, we are tired of opioid addiction, devastating families, and communities across the nation. Our mission is to use science, technology, and research to battle the opioid crisis and give support to survivors. Contact us today for more information about our mission and what we can offer you.

About Holistic Hope  

Holistic Hope, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, is dedicated to reversing the opioid addiction crisis around the world. 

Our mission is built on helping survivors recover from Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Through the development of emerging technologies, scientific discoveries, and alternative medicines, we actively work to remove the societal, regulatory, legal, legislative and ideological barriers that prevent opioid addiction survivors from accessing the treatment, care, and support they need to make a full recovery. 

Visit Holistic Hope online at https://holistichopenp.org/ today.