PAGE 8 APRIL 7, 1978
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Part II of a three-part series
Alcohol Abuse
Why Do I Drink Too Much?
Why are we so frequently
witness to the-highly destructive
effects of alcohol abuse here on
the reservation? And why does
the sadness and all too often
tragic result of this problem
touch the lives of so many here?
It’s hard not to be aware of
the high number of accidents
and acts of violence attributed to
the excessive use of alcohol,
particularly on weekends, and
we know that half the deaths
among tribal members last year
were related to alcohol abuse.
Theories which attem pt to
explain some of the reasons
Indians across the nation tend to
drink to excess are numerous,
and the subject is one which
produces a variety of opinion
and very little agreement.
Among the reasons cited are
negative self-image, boredom,
frustration, anger, and identity
loss.
The staff of the W a r m
Springs Alcohol Program has
offered some of their findings as
to the probable causes of alco
holism and problem drinking
here on the reservation. Some of
the following have been identi
fied:
as babysitters. It’s easy to tell a
child, “Don’t bother me now, go
watch T.V.”
SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE
given to each individual from
significant persons in the early
years of life. It can be parents,
relatives, or any provider of
knowledge at this state of learn
ing.
Social standards set by this
society have accepted the use of
alcohol as a p art of modern PEER PRESSURE
Young people are most often
American culture.'Social gath
erings usually include a “Cock faced with this problem. To be
tail Hour” . Parties and dances, part of the “in crowd” he either
dining out, picnics, dates, all drinks or takes dope with his
seem to call for “a few to loosen peers or he is abandoned by his
up w ith.” Too often, the party friends. Every age group has a
sim ilar situation. Sometimes
itself is a drinking excuse.
The social structure of this when a person tries to sober up,
culture allows time and provides friends or family harrass him
places for permissive drinking with “you must be sick, whatsa
attitudes to be formed, to, the m atter, too good to drink with
point of openly advertising this me? Oh, come one, one little
attitude in all media for young drink won’t hurt.” Many forms
of put-downs may be used.
and old to see.
FAILURE SYNDROME
POOR SELF-IMAGE
Causation: The fear of suc
cess is a high probable cause of
alcoholism and problem drink
ing here. When a person suc
ceeds in any situation, he may
feel that more will be expected
of him, making failure a comfort
zone. Most problem drinkers
feel that they are useless, un
necessary humans who have
very limited talent to offer and
that it is easier to give up rather
than reach for a goal.
Many set unrealistic goals to
avoid success by setting a type
of life pattern of “failure back
ing up failure.” Explanations no
longer need to be made and
failure has become expected.
This is a m ajor behavior
pattern the Alcohol Program
Excessive drinking among
Indians is sometimes related to
feelings of inadequacy and in
feriority in relating to non-In
dian society, particularly to the
dominant society. Indians’ un
certainty in relating to white
people is a development which
has helped create a poor self-
image, particularly among male
Indians.
The female Indian, often
because of her male counter
part, has t£ken the position of
defeat early in adult life. She is
taught to guide her life head-
down in social situations and
that her rightful place is ten
paces behind her husband who,
in reality, may be ten paces
behind everyone else. Drinking
enforces the negative self-
image, especially when she sees
her mate in the role of the “poor
drunken Indian.”
INADEQUATE HOUSING
Due to the shortage of hous
ing on this reservation, many
households contain more than
one family. Generally, newly
m arried family members or
transient families move in with
relatives. When there is more
than one family in a house, often
the pressures of limited space
and privacy are immense.
Often the attitude of “what’s
the use” or “I’ve just got to get
away from h ere” will trigger
prolonged or abusive use of
alcohol or other drugs.
Parents sometimes want to
keep newlywed sons or daugh
ters in the home and as a result,
tend to have negative input into
the new m arriage. In many
cases this helps put the m arr
iage on the rocks, causing the
young people to look for comfort
in drugs or alcohol.
In homes where drinking is
the accepted behavior, it is
available to all members of the
household including children.
We see very young children
being given beer or wine in baby
bottles. We also see preteen and
teenagers of permissive house
holds at parties just as loaded as
the adults.
Usually the result of too
many familes in one home, no
one assum es responsiblity for
discipline or managem ent.
When financial strain is felt, and
is on one person in a multi-
family household, the rebellion
that takes place is nearly always
alcohol.
MARRIAGE
FAILURE
AND
FAMILY
The courts have indicated
that at least two-thirds of their
divorce and juvenile delinquen
cy cases are associated with
alcoholism "in a family member.
Communication breakdowns due
to fam ily separation are too
many tim es a direct result of
alcohol abuse. Again inadequate
housing can be a factor.
Another contributing instru
ment is modern technology in
the form of television and ster
eos. Parents, especially drinking
parents, rely on television sets
Television
commercials
show healthy, robust young men
and women in drinking situa
tions. Billboards, newspaper and
magazine ads are constantly
reaching out to the public, and
radio and television com m er
cials play catchy little songs
advocating booze.
It is the responsibility of
parents to prepare their children
for life in a predominately
drinking society. This involves
teaching and conveying healthy
attitudes regarding alcohol, its
proper use and potential for
misuse. In order to prepare
children to make responsible
decisions about whether or not
to drink or how and why alcohol
is to be used, parents need to
acquire factual knowledge about
alcohol. They should be con
sistent in teaching and set a
good example regarding alcohol
use. Only then will young people
be equipped to make their own
responsible decisions about
drinking.
ENVIRONMENT
Learned behavior and pat
terning one§ self after an ad
mired person is a factor. When a
child sees a parent or other
relative drinking every day or
every weekend, it b e c o m e s
“okay” in his learning years. If
this is a normal sight it becomes
a norm al life pattern for the
child. A child’s life patterns are
formed between the ages of one
and five.
Attitude, behavior and so
cial: structure is based on what is
One of the strongest pres
sure groups is the drinking
peers. It is very likely that
unless one continues to drink
with them and be a partner,
brother, buddy, friend indeed,
he will be exiled from the group.
The drinking group becomes
extremely suspicious of a mem
ber who suddenly sobers up.
Thoughts of why is he not
drinking usually carry heavy
paranoia. “Will he take advan
tage of me? What’s he trying to
prove? Is he going to be better
than me?” These are questions
a drinking group would rather
not face, so rejection of the rebel
takes place.
LONELINESS AND BOREDOM
Indian people both on and
off reservations are many times
faced with loneliness and bore
dom (when I am lonely, I look
for company-when I am bored I
look for something to do). In a
tavern or bar, there is a “com-
araderie” that serves as a sub
stitute for real friendship or
companionship.
It is a com raderie, true or
false, that some cannot or are
.unable to find elsewhere. The
bar is a place where “ Indians
stick together” , sharing and
caring. Here, everyone is rela
tive to one another. And there
are psuedo brothers, sisters,
aunts and uncles who, in their
loneliness, willingly claim
everyone and anyone to make
life bearable in an unbearable
situation.
looks at in setting up individual
ly tailored program s for each
client. The object is to help the
person gain a positive attitude
toward self and then set a real
istic growth goal. In this way
each person allows himself to
make decisions in all phases of
his recovery, knowing finally
that he is a valuable human,
responsible for success and
growth of self.
These are only some of the
known causes of alcoholism
among a large segment of the
Indian people in this commun
ity. There are numerous psy-
cological and physiological rea
sons behind alcohol and drug
abuse, some of which are based
on mental health problems de
veloped during childhood or in
early adult life.
Whatever the cause, if you
feel you have a problem, Alcohol
Treatment Counselor Billie Jo
McConville suggests you seek
help. Says McConville, “ The
Warm Springs Alcohol T reat
ment Center has-been available
to this community for about
eight years. Going to this help
ing agency isn’t a shame, as
some seem to think. It isn’t
going to ruin your reputation,
that is if you had one that could
suffer further damage. The
shame is that you would rather
be seen staggering in and out of
taverns or parties or jail than to
reach out for help with your
drinking problems. Give your
self a break. Call 553-1161 Ext;
205 or 553-1417. Or just come in,
you sure are. welcome.”
NEXT: Booze & The Brain
Program Services Available
Total Awareness: Sensitivity and awareness groups, Reality
Therapy, Gestalt, role playing, paraphrasing, relaxation exercises
all forms of soft and hard “touch” therapy (trust circle, trust walk).
Tues. and Fri., 4 p.m.
Alcohol Education: This class includes lectures, films
guests, speakers on psychological and physiological effects of alcohol
on the human body, nutrition in recovery, law and consequences due
to alcohol related offenses, behavior modification, goals and
objectives of a recovering alcoholic. (Tuesday - 9:30 a.m.).
Indian Is: This class is about alcoholism in relationship with
being an Indian, cultural insight, affirmations, cultural acceptance-
rejection. (Mon.-Wed.-Fri. -11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.).
Assertive Training: Taken from Manuel Smith’s book “When
I say No I Feel Guilty”, and Lynn Z. Bloom, Karen Coburn, Joan
Pearlman’s book “The New Assertive Woman”. (Mon and Wed. •
pjn.).
Arts and Crafts-Culture and Heritage: The intent here is to
provide at least an idea of some background information on the use of
Arts and Crafts in Warm Springs Alcohol Program. Literature on the
use of Art Therapy in rehabilitation exists but is limited.
Art Therapy is practiced in an Alcohol Program in
Cleveland, Ohio, as well as here. The productions, whatever their
nature serves as a means of emotional catharsis and as vehicles for
revealing inner problems and fears. Culture and Heritage Classes!
are classes to give our prople a better insight to the foundation of thej
spiritual aspect of Indian existance, background, and living!
situations. (Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri., - 2:30-4 p.m., Sat. 3 to 6 p.m.).