Unlike others his age who may live a lively student life or are excited about their first job, 23-year-old “Thomas” is at a decisive turning point in his life. Is he going to get off the hook or not? “The black sheep in the city” Thomas tells of growing up with bullying and a lack of belonging. He was not at the same parties as the other peers, which is noticeable in a small space. He describes himself as the black sheep of the town and says he started doing his own thing at the age of 16. Thomas discovered the intoxication, and it became an escape. – It created a new door so I could forget the past. news knows the true identity of “Thomas”. He wants to remain anonymous, among other reasons, for fear of ending up further down the applicant list if a future employer finds out about his addiction. “Thomas” thinks he would have been in a darker place today, had it not been for the Church’s City Mission. Photo: Andreas Trygstad / news – Belonging has a lot to say, says Thomas. He says that he previously had a psychologist who believed that he got too drunk and that the treatment was of no use. – Then I told her that the fact that I could come there once a week could be what kept me alive until next week. Men top the drug statistics Thomas Clausen is professor and head of the center for drug and addiction research at the University of Oslo. He says that approximately 70 percent of drug addicts are men. Photo: Kristin Ellefsen / © UiO/Kristin Ellefsen – This applies both to the total proportion of drug addicts, but also to the proportion who are in for treatment for addiction. According to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s (FHI) figures from 2020, it also appears that men are overweight for all main diagnoses. The biggest overweight was in cocaine problems. There, 87 percent of the patients were men. Bare ground after rehabilitation Thomas has been to rehabilitation twice. The second time he wanted it himself. – The program lasted 11 months and I was quite hard at it. I had a great desire to become drug-free and make it happen. He says that he thrives in treatment because you get to cover a bit of the sense of community there. – Everyone understands and respects what you are talking about and your efforts in life. You can be open and honest without feeling judged, while at the same time getting traumas processed. – But then you will be treated, you will arrange an apartment and go out into the world and try again. Then you stand on bare ground all alone again. “Thomas” says that you encounter a lot of resistance after drug treatment, and that there can be many who try to pull you back into addiction. Photo: Andres Trygstad / news – Loneliness and economy; that’s usually where people fail. Myself included. He talks about tough requirements to get municipal housing, and about a friend who chooses not to have it because it is too expensive. – When you are desperate enough for drugs, the desire for a roof over your head disappears. Why are most men? Jørgen Gustav Bremness is professor at UiT and senior researcher at FHI. He has some explanations for why men are overrepresented among drug addicts. Bremness believes that one should look for the justification on a social science level, and not on a neurobiological level. Among other things, far fewer boys than girls complete upper secondary school. – There is something about falling out of the expected and becoming a kind of outsider. There are several boys and men who end up in such a position in society. Photo: Christian Ziegler Remme / news – If you don’t get a sense of belonging in a public arena like school, the drug environment can fill that space. In drug environments and in criminal environments, they are very accepting of new people. – Because they would like to have new customers, adds Professor Thomas Clausen. – But another possible explanation, which is more culturally conditioned, is that committing illegal acts is to a greater extent part of an accepted and established form of expression among men than women. In addition, the professor believes it is worrying that many do not seek help until many years have passed. Below you can see the age distribution of patients in substance abuse treatment in 2020. Clausen says early treatment is important. Therefore, he believes that facilitating good growing conditions for children and young people is good prevention. – It is important that teachers facilitate safety at school, that students are not bullied or excluded, that sport has room for those who are good and those who are not, and those who cannot afford football boots. Thinks the requirement to be drug-free before getting help should be scrapped According to Professor Thomas Clausen, 50 per cent of all drug addicts have a mental disorder such as anxiety or depression. When Ine Korsnes-Nergård asks drug addicts at Kirkens Bymisjon if they have received good treatment and mental health follow-up, the answer is often no. Korsnes-Nergård is a social worker at Kirkens Bymisjon, and believes there is an expectation that one must first become drug-free before one can benefit from help. Ine Korsnes-Nergård is a social worker at Kirkens Bymisjon, and believes that there must be an increased focus on mental health in addiction care. Photo: Andreas Trygstad / news – When you become drug-free, the underlying issues often come up so violently that it makes no sense not to treat the drug addiction and the psychological at the same time. – It doesn’t help to enter drug treatment, to be detoxified, to be in the institution and to get away from the drug environment, if you don’t get help with the core of what caused you to become drugged in the first place, says Korsnes-Nergård. She adds that there is a threshold to get out into society, work and school. – In many cases, you have to renounce your entire environment and network in order to stay drug-free after treatment. In addition, Korsnes-Nergård believes that there is a distinction between what makes you worthy of getting help and follow-up from a doctor or not. – If you use opioids, you are a patient, but if you still use the other drugs and obtain them illegally, you are a criminal addict, says Korsnes-Nergård. – But when a 25-year-old is in and out of drug treatment five or six times, is it the 25-year-old himself who lacks motivation and is unable to do it, or is there a deficiency in the system? Kirkens Bymisjon takes action Head of department for the street-level work of Kirkens Bymisjon, Børge Hansen, says that they see a great need for activity, work and follow-up of people who come from drug treatment or find themselves at a tipping point. Børge Hansen is head of department in the Church’s City Mission, and believes that there is a lack of activities and opportunities to get away from the drug environment. Photo: Andreas Trygstad / news – We have a desire to help even more people even better, and we want to adapt to the needs we see in society: Then it is especially in addiction care that we work. That is why the Church’s City Mission in Bodø is establishing the new “Værekraftsenteret”. It should promote social sustainability, the power to be oneself and to change: Værekraft. The Værekraftsenteret must be a place free of drugs, because there is a lack of activities and opportunities to get away from the drug environment, says Hansen. Thomas appreciates that enormously. – The Church’s City Mission is everything to me. This is the first time in my life that I have been able to lower my shoulders and be myself, smile and be happy. – Without them I would probably have been in a much darker place than where I am now, concludes Thomas. Hi! Do you have thoughts, tips or a story to share? Then I’d love to hear 🙂 Send me an email!
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70 percent of drug addicts are men and Thomas (23) fled to addiction – news Nordland
