Drug addiction, alcoholism, and mental disorders know no boundaries. They affect people of all races, religions, colors and creeds. In certain instances people seeking treatment for such disorders are more comfortable being placed in facilities where they are among the majority.
Jewish people make up less than 3% of the population of the United States. In many Jewish communities across the country there is still a deep level of denial regarding addiction. However, roughly 10% of the population of the United States suffers from drug addiction and/or alcoholism. This stands to reason that roughly 10% of the 5.5 million Jewish people living in the United States struggle with addiction and alcoholism as well.
For many people considering a treatment facility, one of the determining factors is the level of comfort and acceptance they feel. Sharing a common heritage and background can help someone struggling with addiction to feel at ease entering a treatment facility. At such a challenging time, when most addicts and alcoholics have run their lives into the ground, finding a treatment facility which can help instill hope is crucial.
There are many Jewish institutions dedicated to helping people recover from drug addiction, alcoholism and mental disorders. These facilities can utilize a number of treatment modalities including; psychotherapy, 12-steps, behavior modification, harm reduction, Jewish traditional spirituality and others.
Many people in the Jewish community are uneducated about addiction, alcoholism and mental disorders. Due to this level of denial, it is often difficult for Jewish people struggling to come forward and seek treatment, much less feel comfortable in a facility where they are in the minority.
The solution to this issue is simple. Publicizing the available help for Jewish men and women struggling with addiction and other mental illness, and educating the Jewish community at large about these issues. The point is; there is help out there for Jewish people with these disorders. There are facilities dedicated to helping people and providing treatment.
If you are currently in recovery, check out this page for a list of Jewish twelve-step meetings In the U.S. and a few other countries.