Substance abuse occurs as frequently in the deaf population as it does within hearing communities. In fact, it’s often with heavier use. Unfortunately, deaf-friendly addiction treatment can be hard to find. Locating American Sign Language (ASL)-friendly support groups can be equally as challenging.
We’re going to tell you what you need to know about substance abuse in the deaf community. Additionally, we can help you find detox, treatment or meetings near you.
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Deaf-Friendly Addiction Treatment: What You Should Know
Not all American deaf people can read English. As a matter of fact, many only understand American Sign Language (ASL.) With this said, treating a deaf patient can be difficult if there is no interpreter available.
Once you find a capable treatment center, you may wonder if you’ll receive the same quality treatment. The answer is yes. Hard-of-hearing and deaf patients will undergo the same treatment as their hearing counterparts. The treatment team will teach each patient about their addiction, as well as the root cause(s) of the disorder.
The interpreter will help the patient understand group discussions, one-on-one sessions, and how to take medications. Additionally, the interpreter helps patients understand materials the staff uses during treatment. One such example is The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Finding Support for Deaf-Friendly Addiction Treatment
Although finding deaf-friendly addiction treatment is difficult, it may be easier to find an ASL 12-step support group. Use our website to see what’s available near you.
Additionally, there are AA meetings that allow members of the deaf community to come together through online streaming. These meetings usually occur at regularly set times. They allow deaf and hard-of-hearing participants to communicate comfortably.
Meeting online isn’t for everyone. Sometimes a person needs real, live human interaction. 12-Step meeting participants of any group welcome a deaf person with open arms. If an interpreter is unavailable, ask about a video relay service or other forms of telecommunications to help. In other words, you have a place to go if you’re unable to locate a deaf-friendly addiction treatment program nearby.
ASL / Hearing Impaired Addiction Treatment Program
The disease of addiction is understood by the medical community to be a chronic, relapsing mental illness. This devastating disease claims many lives every year, even more than car accidents and gun-related deaths.
Almost no one has been spared pain by this disease. The Center for Disease Control estimates that one in ten American adults struggles with substance abuse issues. With such high statistics, almost every has been directly or indirectly affected by this cunning, baffling and powerful disease.
Addiction affects an individual physically, mentally, and spiritually. In order to overcome this complex and insidious disease, addiction treatment is needed.
Addiction treatment utilizes various therapeutic methods to address the underlying issues that promoting an individual to use. Through individual therapy, group therapy, educational seminars and other activities, clients learn about the disease of addiction, what caused him or her to use, and how to cope with situations, stress and triggers without the use of mood and mind-altering substances in the future.
Clear communication is vital for effective addiction treatment. For individuals who speak sign language, ASL, finding a treatment center that caters to your needs is critical.
