Maine, we have a drug addiction problem. Substance-use disorders are serious conditions that require rigorous treatment, and many Mainers struggle.
Tens of thousands of people in Maine are receiving treatment for substance-use disorders, with opioids accounting for the largest share of cases. Indeed, nearly 10% of Mainers above age 12 suffer from substance misuse.
Last year, Maine experienced nearly 400 confirmed or suspected fatal overdoses due to opioids and other substances. While that number has dropped since 2024, we are still seeing hundreds of people lose their lives due to dangerous addictions.
Mainers are suffering at home and at work. Nearly two-thirds of people who struggle with a substance use disorder are employed. Working conditions, including the risk of work-related injury, can increase the risk of harmful substance use.
But substance misuse doesn’t have to rip workplaces apart or ravage our communities. I know firsthand: For more than 20 years, I have been treating countless patients who suffer from a substance use disorder, and many have recovered fully to live healthy lives.
Cultural taboos
What is the secret to success? First and foremost, it’s important to get rid of the cultural taboos surrounding alcohol and drugs. Those who struggle with substance misuse aren’t just “addicts” or “alcoholics.” They are people with a substance use disorder. This is a mental health condition that you can’t just flip on and off like a light switch.
At the same time, those struggling can still be productive members of society, succeeding on the job while suffering in other aspects of life. Employers need to recognize that stereotypical caricatures of substance misusers don’t tell the full story. Managers, colleagues and even family members can’t always tell who may be suffering or not, so it is important to treat everyone with respect.
Workplace culture is key in good times and bad. Given that most people who struggle with a substance use disorder are employed, businesses can play a pivotal role as support systems, making people feel seen and heard. We need to keep an open mind, show compassion, and practice empathy.
This doesn’t mean enabling or encouraging substance use. It means that workplaces can provide information on opioids and other substances or offer peer support at the office, among other resources. If an employer finds out that substance misuse is an issue for an employee or group of employees, it also means promoting treatment and trusting in the medical community.
Treatment flourishes when it is first considered a viable option. With the right help, patients can crush addiction and lead a rewarding, fulfilling life — free of alcohol and drugs.
Treatment
The basis for treatment is the best available science. Intensive outpatient programs, like CoRecover’s RESET program (Real Evidence-Based Science Empowering Transformation), consult the science, which means recognizing that many patients dealing with a substance use disorder will require medication-assisted treatment to manage mental health and prevent substance cravings from becoming overwhelming. Mental health concerns and substance use disorders are often inextricably linked as co-occurring issues.
Medication is just one component. Consistency is another, with patients ideally gathering four times a week for three-hour sessions. Then there is social interaction, so patients can respond positively to others. This is why employer-sponsored peer support groups can be so impactful, and the same logic applies to other forms of treatment. People with lived experience are strong advocates.
Still, while we need each other, we are not all the same. Too often, medical professionals resort to one-size-fits-all approaches, repeating what has been done before without necessarily taking into account the unique case study in front of them. Patient care is a deeply personal process.
Maine can only solve the drug addiction problem if we encourage treatment. The recent downtick in fatal overdoses has to do with more people choosing treatment as a viable path to recovery.
Let’s keep up the positive momentum — at home, at work, everywhere.
