Treatment and Recovery
What is detox, and what is its main goal in addiction treatment?
Detox is a short-term medical process that removes drugs from the body and helps manage withdrawal symptoms, but it does not treat the long-term causes of addiction.
What drug has largely replaced heroin in Vancouver’s street drug supply?
Fentanyl
What term describes mental illness and addiction occurring at the same time
Comorbidity
Why is stable housing important for people recovering from addiction?
Stable housing provides safety, routine, and access to services, which are essential for consistent recovery.
Why do many people relapse after completing detox programs?
Detox does not address brain chemistry changes or underlying issues like trauma and mental illness, which leads many people to return to drug use.
Why is fentanyl especially dangerous compared to older street drugs?
Fentanyl is extremely potent, meaning very small amounts can cause overdose, especially when users do not know the strength of what they are taking
Why are mental health issues closely linked to substance use in Vancouver?
Many people use drugs to cope with untreated mental illness, trauma, or stress when proper mental health support is unavailable.
Why is the Downtown East Side heavily affected by addiction and homelessness?
High housing costs push low-income individuals into the area, and many support services are concentrated there.
Why are long waitlists for rehab a serious problem in Vancouver’s drug crisis?
Long waitlists delay treatment, allowing addiction to worsen and increasing the risk of overdose, homelessness, and repeated hospital visits.
Why do people using street drugs often not know what they are consuming?
The drug market is unregulated, so drugs are often mixed with unknown substances and sold without consistent dosage or ingredient information.
How did the closure of large psychiatric institutions contribute to the drug crisis?
When institutions closed, community mental health services did not expand enough, leaving many people without long-term care or support.
How does homelessness increase the risk of overdose?
People without housing often use drugs in unsafe conditions and have limited access to healthcare and support services.
How do privately owned rehab centres create challenges for effective treatment?
Because they are not consistently regulated, the quality of care varies widely, and patients may not receive evidence-based or long-term treatment.
How does the unregulated drug market increase overdose deaths?
Inconsistent drug strength and contamination make it difficult for users to control dosage, leading to accidental overdoses.
Why are emergency rooms an inefficient way to address addiction and mental health crises?
Emergency care treats immediate symptoms but does not provide long-term solutions, leading to repeated visits and higher healthcare costs.
What is one problem with concentrating addiction services in one neighborhood?
It increases pressure on the area and concentrates poverty, addiction, and social challenges in a small space.
Why is long-term addiction treatment more cost-effective than repeated short-term detox programs?
Long-term treatment reduces relapse, lowers emergency room visits, decreases hospitalizations, and reduces long-term healthcare and social service costs.
Why is the unregulated drug market considered a major economic and public health failure?
The harms of overdoses and healthcare costs are paid by society rather than suppliers, creating high public costs and ongoing health crises.
Why is investing in long-term mental health care important for reducing drug use and public spending?
Preventive mental health care reduces reliance on emergency services, lowers relapse rates, and improves long-term stability and recovery.
Why is supportive housing considered a long-term solution to Vancouver’s drug crisis?
Supportive housing reduces hospital use, emergency responses, and justice system involvement while improving recovery outcomes.