Substance Abuse and Disability
RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM

Yes, people with disabilities abuse alcohol and drugs. In fact, substance abuse is MORE common among people with physical and learning disabilities. Youth with disabilities do abuse alcohol and other drugs. There are a lot of reasons. They may want to feel accepted, and while they can’t be in the classroom and learn with the other kids, they can go to a party and drink with the other kids.

Don't make the mistake of excusing the behavior, "If I had a disability, I would drink,too."

People with more severe disabilities may be excused for their behavior or protected from its consequences. Again, this is something that may happen to anyone on the reservation, but may be more common for people with disabilities.

Also, don't overlook warning signs as due to disability rather than substance abuse. What should you look for?

Many of the same signs in people without a disability

* Changes in behavior, such as difficulty getting to school or work on time, when the person has not had such a problem in the past.

* Increased incidence of accidents or violent behavior. Men who drink are eight times as likely to act violent when they have been drinking compared to when they are sober. Yes, falls and other accidents may be due to physical disability, but if the person has had the disability for a long time and is only recently having such problems it may be a sign of something more than disability.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE CAN BE MORE SERIOUS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

1. For people taking anti-seizure medication, even a little alcohol can have serious side effects. Some people may decide not to take their medication so they can drink, resulting in seizures.
2. People who take multiple medications must pay close attention to whether any other drugs or alcohol can cause severe problems.
3. People who already have difficulty making decisions due to mental impairment will have even more problems when under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
4. People who have problems with mobility, balance or coordination will have even greater difficulty under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

People who abuse alcohol or drugs, and who have a disability, may need other kinds of care than what is usually provide by a treatment facility. The following should be considered:

* People with disabilities may have lots of spare time and few social opportunities. Many studies find that one of the reasons people with severe disabilities use alcohol and other drugs is that they have excess free time, are isolated and unemployed. These same reasons are true of many people who live on the reservations, but the situation is even more severe for people who are limited in their ability to see, hear or move. This may be particularly true on the reservation where there is limited public transportation (difficult to get places), there are not many activities and many of those, for example, basketball, may not be an option for people with disabilities.Staff members need to help people with disabilities find ways to use their free time without drugs or alcohol. One possibility is cultural events. These include pow-wows, which are always handicap-accesible, and traditional arts and crafts.

EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES

Tribal colleges often offer classes in quilt-making, native languages, beadwork and other cultural activities. Of course the colleges also are an important educational resource for people who wish to return to school to obtain a GED or college degree. Click on any of the college names below to go to the website for a tribal college in North Dakota.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Vocational rehabilitation will assist individuals who are interested in beadwork, quiltmaking or other traditional Native American arts and crafts. They can help buy supplies and help with business plans.

The combination of a disability or health condition, substance abuse and the few jobs available on the reservation may make it harder to find a job. Vocational rehabilitation programs help people with disabilities find work The policy of the vocational rehabilitation programs on the Spirit Lake Reservation, Lake Region Human Services and the Fort Berthold Reservation is that the individual must have completed substance abuse treatment before being eligible for vocational rehabilitation services.

For general information on vocational rehabilitation, click here.

For the Spirit Lake Vocational Rehabilitation website, click here.Their phone number is (701) 766-4446.
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