Addiction has always been a plague. Although alcohol is still the most common addiction, the U.S.A. have to deal with addiction to opiates since morphine was administered to soldiers during the Civil War. Alcohol is still the first substance of abuse today but the epidemic of opiates is killing more than traffic fatalities now, and someone dies every 14 minutes from a drug overdose in our country. Although progress have been made in the field -research; treatment; recognition of number and the quality of the tools we can use to fight the beast- our society as a whole is in danger. As a dual diagnosis therapist (addiction and mental health) my objective is to help all the victims of addiction. The alcoholic/addict first. However, the scope of my practice includes assistance to other victims such as families, friends or employers. It is a human, professional, and economical priority for me. The damages for families and friends are emotional, and developmental, and most of the time financial as well. The cost to our health care system is astronomical. The economy is affected when employers must deal with absenteeism and work-related incidents. Misery makes his bed on unemployment and the underground economy of drug dealing and drug trafficking. I made it my personal responsibility to work with the persons who are the actors of addiction. It is my passion, whether I am working in therapy with the clients, or writing progress reports, or collaborating with psychiatrist and other professionals in the field. My objective is to be part of an effective team.

Highlights:

• Addiction
• Dual-diagnosis
• Virginia
• substance abuse
• mental health
• Counselor
• company
• integrated