Plenty Fox

From time to time I've seen posts about the above. There were also threads about suicide. Having just returned from an IHS conference on substance abuse in NDN Country among Native Americans AND Alaska Natives I thought I would share some of the wisdom. I am not claiming to be an expert but I work with addicts and alcoholics on a daily basis. I went to the conference to continue to learn and I feel compelled to share what I heard because the message is important. Thank you.

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Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.

The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."

The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!

Plenty Fox

The following is from a survey done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) a major funding source of Indian Health Services as well as many non-Native programs across the country. The survey asked respondents aged 12 and up across the US to report cigarette use during the month prior to the survey.

In 2000, there were approximately 144,000 youths aged 12-17 in the US who were Native responding. 28 percent of Native youth were current smokers compared to 16 percent of White youth, 10 percent of Hispanic youth, 8 percent of Asian youth and 6 percent of Black youth. Male and Female respondents were about equal--there were not significantly higher male Native respondents than female Native respondents. Geographically there was also little difference between Native respondents--similar responses came from Native youth in the South as did from the Western US.

However, 80 percent Native youth were significantly less likely to reprt that they thought their parents would strongly disapprove of their smoking one or more packs per day when compared with youth from other ethnic/racial groups. Previous research has shown that rates of substance abuse are lower among youths whose parents disapproved of such use than among those whose parents did not disapprove. And, 77 percent Native youth were less likely to report that they strongly or somewhat disapproved of their peers smoking one or more packs per day than youths from other ethnic/racial groups. Prior research has shown that youths who disapproved of peer smoking were less likely to smoke themselves.

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Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.

The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."

The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!

WocusWoman

This is good information you are sharing; I'm giving you some good rep... BTW...My hubby and myself; made it clear to each other none of these things would be apart of our lives or marriage, we wanted our kids to grow up without these things in the home. It's been over 15 years, and we still live this way, he taught me how to be "high on life!"

CandaePrincess

I think it's great when people start hearing the stats of problems of natives compared to whites and other minorities. To me it's shocking and sad that we as a group top the lists of alcoholism, suicide, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, STD's and on and on and on..... And then to see parents who allow their children to drink or do drugs in their own house is unsettling. I worked for a school for a year working with native children 1st thru 5th grade. I was saddened by the amount of kids who would miss school, be late for school, would talk about their parents being drunk, or talked about weed (yeah, one of my first grade students knew what weed was....). To me this is not a household I would want my child to grow up in. DHS does nothing, ICW does nothing...so what should we do as a community to make parents get their **** together?? If you can't get your act together as a person, do it for you kids, if you can't do it for your kids...you don't deserve to be a parent and should be thankful GOd and Gov't has allowed you to keep them.
I feel teens and even as young as 8-10 yrs old should know that just b/c they were raised in that type of environment, they do not have to live like that. All it takes is one person to help break the cycle that has overcame their family. If kids would only realize that high school is such a shallow ending to life and that the real world starts once that's over, they would see that there is so much more out there than what they are living in at the moment.

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Mussy by birth.....Native by the Grace of God.......

superndngyrl

when people have addictions they dont seem to see past it. they dont see how their kids are affected or how much their kids dont want them to be part of a it. But so far the only wake-up calls happen whenever lives are lost or something equally tramatic occurs. til then life remains the same and the same addictions continue on an on...

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The only time its too late to start dancing is when you're dead.

Plenty Fox

From Patterns, Trends and Interventions: Substance Abuse and Suicide among Native Americans and Alaska Natives
SAMHSA Conference:

Several studies were presented.
The first was an 18 year study of the Native population in New Mexico which comprises 9% of the total population for that state. 19 Pueblo nations, 2 Apache nations and the Navajo nation were studied from1980-1998. Data was taken from NM Vital Statistics and toxicology reports from the NM Office of the Medical Investigator (autopsy reports). Alcohol was a factor in 69.4% of all NM Native suicide when compared to the NM overall population alcohol/suicide stats of 44.3%. Navajo reported the lowest incidence of alcohol related suicide at 62.4%, Pueblo nations 78.4% and Apache nations 81.8%. The mean blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of Native suicides was 0.198; were higher in men: 0.199, than female: 0.180. [overall, Native male suicides were also higher than Native female: 71.2% vs 50%] Thus, 90% of Native suicides were above the NM legal limit of 0.08. Also, two-thirds of these Native suicides occurred in men and women between the ages of 15 and 34 years of age. Firearms, followed by hanging were the preferred method.

Stats from other studies mentioned in this report were:
In Oklahoma, intoxication levels of over 0.10 were found in over 65% of Native suicides compared to 24% in non-Natives. 80% of Native suicides involved alcohol.
In Manitoba the Native youth suicide rate was 10 TIMES HIGHER Than the non-Native rate [50 vs. 5.3 per 100,000].
In British Columbia the suicide rate where alcohol was a factor was 60% compared to 24% non-Native; with 20% having a BAC above 0.20.
In Montana, 64% of Native suicides involved alcohol with the mean BAC of 0.13 [the range was 0.0 to 0.370 BAC].

The second presentation was by the Dept of Health & Social Services in Alaska. Their study found that in Southwest Alaska 66-75% of Alaska Native males of who died by suicide had alcohol in their blood at the time of death; and that 46% of adolescents who died by suicide had alcohol in their blood. [The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) concurs reporting that 79% of all Native suicides have detectable BACs. Between 1992 and 2001, 1296 Alaskans died by suicide. Of these, 465 or 36% were Alaska Natives. This is double the rate of US suicides. Alaska Natives made up 16-19% of the total Alaska population at that time. Of the 1263 Alaskans who died by suicide between 1993 and 2002, 40% had not reached their 30th birthday—again, not typical of the US overall. For 2002, of 131 suicides, 42 were Native, the two youngest were Native youth 15 years of age. The oldest was a Native male 51 years of age. Of the Native suicides 71% were 29 or younger. One quarter of those 42 Native suicides were in the 18-21 age bracket. The highest levels occurred in the NW Arctic and Bering Straits regions. The Alaska Federation of Natives reported that in rural communities in 1999 55 percent of misdemeanor assaults (including domestic violence) were related to alcohol. 97 percent of all crimes committed by Alaska Natives were committed while under the influence. The Native mortality rate overall is more than three times the national average; a significant number being alcohol-related. But what are they doing about it? The greatest success has been with community based programs which included giving villages ‘local option law’ to either prohibit the sale of liquor entirely, allow its sale only at a community liquor store or ban the sale but allow the importation for personal use. Between 1981 and 1999 112 Alaskan communities held 197 alcohol control elections. 69% of these elections resulted in new restrictions placed on alcohol. Most communities chose to ban the sale of alcohol in their community and ban the importation. In communities that went dry, homicide rates dropped dramatically: 91.7% vs 26% alcohol related homicides. Suicide rates changed slightly in dry communities, from 95.4% vs 85.6% alcohol related. But where communities remained ‘wet’, suicides where alcohol was a factor rose from 53.2% between 1980 and 1986 to 92% between 1987 and 1993. Through federal govt grant-funded community-based suicide prevention programs designed to reduce self-destructive behavior and suicide, communities are working to increase individual, family and community health.

The following conclusions came from these studies:
People with severe alcohol dependence or alcoholism are at increased risk for suicide.
Alcohol increases the likelihood of using a firearm to commit suicide.
Suicide attempts often occur in the context of binge drinking.
Increased drinking of alcohol is a suicide warning sign.
Alcohol depresses mood, weakens inhibitions and confuses rational thinking.

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Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.

The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."

The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!

Plenty Fox

With community-based programs and collaboration between tribes, communities, schools and colleges, state and federal governments the depressing reality of alcohol controlling so many lives can change. But no one can make an individual quit shooting up, snorting, drinking...they have to do it themselves; or better yet, never start. Each of us has to decide if we are going to be part of the problem or part of the solution.

The Rural Human Services System Project in Alaska is a partnership between the State, the University of Alaska and regional behavioral health and social service providers to employ, train, supervise and support village-based counselors. It is a two-year course of study at the U of A, and is intended for Alaska Natives who are natural helpers and healers in their communities, and is designed to offer culturally appropriate training. Alaska Native culture, traditions and learning styles are used in courses combining Native and Western knowledge, values and principles and Elders co-teach EVERY class. The first graduating class was in 1994 and by May of 2004 there were 180 graduates. Many have gone on to pursue AA through MSW degrees and most continue to work in their communities as they learn.

At the top of the "Wellbriety" movement is White Bison Inc., http://www.whitebison.org. Don Coyhis, Mohican from Munsey-Stockbridge founded White Bison in 1988. There are numerous training programs for our Native people so that they can go out into their communities and help the healing.
I encourage anyone who wants to 'give back' to their communities to investigate these programs. They are excellent. Trainings are held all around NDN country, and tribal communities are encouraged to commit individuals within their community to the programs as a group, so that their is a grass roots movement. Recovery is NOT just for othe person dealing with addictions or substance abuse, but for his or her family members. We as family members take on coping behaviors of our own to deal with the addict and alcoholic; and as the addict/alcoholic changes for the better there is alot of adjustment to be made, a lot of work to be done to regain trust, etc. White Bison has programs not just for counseling the addict/alcoholic, but for the sons and daughters and spouses. Give it a look because alcoholism affects us all. Left untreated Native children of alcoholics face these possible consequences: psychiatric problems, acting out behaviors, social relationship difficulties, school drop out, youth violence/gangs, teen pregnancy, STDs, HIV exposure, lack of discipline, structure, lack of effective parenting to their own children, physical and mental impairment.

If your community has no program you need to impress upon your Council their responsibility to the Seventh Generation. It was inspirational to see that Alvin Windy Boy, Chair of the Chippewa-Cree at Rocky Boy rez in MT attended this conference. It showed his dedication to realizing hope for our children...

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Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.

The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."

The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!

Plenty Fox

YOU DONE GOOD!

The comment was made at the conference by Native speakers that there will be no change until Native women refuse to date/marry Native men that drink or use and vice versa. We need to help our brothers and sisters clean up their acts by not condoning their actions. This means that our silence condones as well as our encouragement condones.

I was greatly saddened to hear that the average lifespan of a Rez male is........47 years of age. Very sad.

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Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.

The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."

The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!

Plenty Fox

ALOT!
Methamphetamine use has risen drastically in NDN country. Unlike some other popular street drugs Meth has immediate and long lasting consequences and is both physically AND psychologically addictive. It is harder to quit Meth, go clean and live your life than with other drugs because with it causes immediate brain damage. That damage is irreversible.

Meth is a souped up amphetamine mostly 'cooked' in dirty 'underground' or 'clandestine' labs in often filthy conditions. It comes in a powder, crystal or in rock-like chunks of varying colors. It has become cheap to buy and easy to manufacture making it readily available to teenagers and lower income groups. It is injected, snorted, smoked or ingested orally. It produces an immediate and intense rush followed by a euphoric feeling. Meth abusers who inject also expose themselves to HIV, Hep B and C and other maladies. If you hear your kids mention any of the following slang street terms for Meth, listen carefully and ask questions: Beannies, Brown, Chalk, Chicken Feed, Cinnamon, Crink, Crypto, Fast, Getgo, Methlies Quick, Mexican crack, Redneck cocaine, rock, tick tick, wash, yellow powder...

Myth: meth can be taken safely in small does to help you stay awake and study. FALSE. There is no such thing as a safe dose. Particularly, since you have no way of knowing the purity of what you've bought.

Myth: meth helps you lose weight fast. Girls, listen up here: FALSE. Along with extreme agitation and irritability, meth does cause loss of appetite but it comes with negative results: extreme weight loss, tooth loss, hair loss, brain damage; not to mention the social factors of losing friends and family as they either watch you slowly die or are victimized as you steal from the to sell and get money for your habit.

Addiction to Meth is guaranteed.

Myth: meth labs are a big city problem. FALSE. Labs are usually set up in rural areas because it produces a very strong odor. The speaker on this topic is an FBI agent assigned to the White Mountain Apache reservation to fight the escalating use of Meth on the rez. Compounding the problem is when tourists come to the rez which encourages buying and selling.

Myth: You can't contract HIV or Hep from snorting meth, only injecting. FALSE. Sharing 'snorting straws' spreads HIV or Hep. Meth abusers are HIV and Hep carriers because of their dirty lifestyle and unsanitary living conditions. They don't take care of themselves because they are focused on the drug--at the expense of personal hygiene and safety. Body odor, rotten or no teeth, clumps of hair missing or generally unkempt hair, living on the street.

Meth causes the heartbeat to increase, at times becoming irregular. It raises BP and damages blood vessels in the brain increasing the likelihood of a stroke. Overdose causes hypothermia and convulsions leading to death. Prolonged meth use inflames the heart lining, forcing the heart to work harder. Intravenous use ruins blood vessels and causes skin sores. Psychologically users experience acute paranoia, anxiety, confusion and sleeplessness. They can exhibit extremely violent behavior with hallucinations and delusion. Kicking the habit, as said before, is not enough to eliminate psychological risks, which can surface months or years later. Families and even some health providers are too quick to deny drug use, with diagnoses of schizophrenia all too common instead of the true problem being addressed.

Pregnant women deliver premature babies, fraught with deformities and their own addiction.

Ever heard of meth bugs? It is believed that as meth flows through our body system and is not able to be absorbed by our system it rises to the surface escaping through our pores. Meth users frequently experience intense itching all over their body actually believing they are being attacked by bugs, scratching themselves to the point that they have open sores.

And what goes in to meth? Ingredients for meth are available at the supermarket and hardware store. You probably have some in your home. Depending on the method, this man made synthetic stimulant is made up of various compounds you would never think to ingest. Ingredients in many of the compounds mentioned are separated out during the cooking process to extract the desired byproduct. Some methods use Iodine, ephedrine or pseudophedrine--yes, Pseudophed. There is a general alert in affect that if someone attempts to buy mass quanities of Pseudophed over the counter that it is likely for Lab purposes and the feds are usually notified and the customer detained. Sulfuric acid, sodium chloride, anyhdrous ammonia, acetone, naptha, rubbing alcohol, draino and other drain cleaners, soda pop, cold medicines, battery casings, aluminum foil, phosphorous from stick matches, etc. the list goes on.

Close to 3% of high school seniors have used meth in the past month according to a U of Michigan survey. More than 8% of high school seniors have used the drug at least once. Please don't wait until your kids are seniors in high school to show them 'the red road' so they make the right choices. As always, kids often take cues from their parents. If you don't 'use', whether it be drugs, cigarettes or alcohol, chances are your kids won't either! It is a proven fact.

Thank you.

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Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.

The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."

The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!

oneidagurl

I'm really happy to see the A/SA issues being discussed on this board and really glad that you are sharing your information from that conference. I was hoping to go, but my agency lacked the funds to send me..

Gache