Discover Recovery educates on Butler County families affected by substance abuse
BUTLER TWP — Kara Nastasi said her brother, Krispen, died in April 2017 after struggling with addiction, and that 20 years ago, talking about that struggle was taboo.
“It doesn’t bring people together like cancer does,” she said. “It’s created a big divide.”
On Monday, Jan. 8, the second annual Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center’s Discover Recovery event focused on the importance of communication within families of those struggling with addiction.
Held in Founders Hall at Butler County Community College, the event was created to shed light on prevention and treatment of addictions through informative talks, small group sessions and a panel discussion.
According to Joe Mahoney, executive director of the Gaiser Center, the 2024 theme “Family Matters” was conceptualized after discussions about overlooked groups that addiction can affect.
“We realized that adolescence and young adulthood is a crucial part of life,” he said. “Maybe parents are starting to notice something is off … we thought this would be a really important topic, especially after the holidays.”
Panelists included Nastasi and two other family members of people who struggled with addiction. Mahoney said they would discuss how to love and support someone struggling.
“Our hope is that maybe someone in our audience will hear a story they will resonate with,” he said.
Nastasi said she wanted to share her story as a means of awareness.
“(It’s) taking stigma away from talking about it in the open, feeling like you’re not alone,” she said. “I definitely see a lot of improvement now from 20 years ago.”
The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. C. Thomas Brophy, medical director of the Gaiser center. According to him, genetic factors account for only 50% of a person’s risk for addiction, and addiction impacts everyone, even if they don’t realize it.
He said experimentation has always been a part of young adult life, but could lead teenagers to trying marijuana and vaping.
“The evolution of marijuana is greatly impacting families at home,” he said. “The right way is to educate (children) honestly … explain to them the different consequences.”
Brophy said 66% of teenagers interviewed in a recent scientific study thought vapes contained only flavoring, not other substances.
Other risky substances like xylazine, a mix of marijuana and opioids called “African Kush,” and isotonitazene are impacting the world of illicit drugs.
Regardless of the new drug trends, Brophy said drugs affect developing brains the same way, and understanding how is the key to preventing addiction.
“I believe until we understand the neuroscience of addiction, we won’t make progress,” he said.
Part of this understanding comes from studies about neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to change and adapt based on dopamine. Brophy explained that using drugs can create dopamine in a brain, which creates pathways in a person’s brain to make them crave certain drugs.
Families are one line of defense for preventing young adults from trying drugs at all, according to Brophy, and education and treatment should always include them, too.
“It impacts every single level of development, even before a child is born,” he said.
He added that communication and observing healthy behaviors can help prevent children from falling into addiction, and establishing recovery-friendly activities with family members overcoming addictions are crucial forms of help.
Brophy also shared how prevention is personal to him, and how love isn’t always the answer to helping someone through their struggle with substance abuse.
“It will never convince them to get treatment,” he said. “We know it’s in their readiness … that motivation has to come from within.”
Following his talk, Brophy said simple actions can allow a person to continue in their pursuit of a substance. Financial support of any kind, even just paying a bill for someone in the throes of addiction, frees up their savings to pursue drugs, he said.
“Support needs to consist of communication, transportation, empathy,” Brophy said.
Mahoney said if the Gaiser Center’s event helped to save even one life, it would be worth it.
“We have an opportunity to share education, to share prevention … to break down the stigma, if nothing else,” he said.
The keynote talk was followed by several breakout sessions titled “Be Aware. Take Action,” “It’s Just a Pop Can,” and “Plan Ahead to Prevent.” Attendees then were invited to attend the panel discussion.
Though Nastasi said she’d never spoken on a panel before, she felt her participation was important for this event.
“I’m willing to put myself out there in hopes people realize they’re not alone,” she said. “(Addiction) can truly happen to anyone.”
