By Earl Phillips

Guest columnist

Substance use disorders are treatable diseases, and when properly addressed, those affected can lead productive, healthy lives. Yet people in our community mistakenly believe that abusing alcohol or drugs is a personal weakness, not a medical illness.

The truth is that addiction is a medical condition that should be treated like any other illness. The 2008 expansion of the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996, which provides equity in the coverage of mental health and substance use disorders, proves we have made many strides. We must continue to collaborate to educate people about addiction and the benefits of treatment and recovery by sharing this message.

As chair of the Area Board of The Durham Center, I have firsthand knowledge of this reality. Addiction is a real issue, with an estimated 23.2 million people needing treatment for an alcohol or illicit drug-use problem in 2007. In Durham County, an estimated 21,000 people are in need of treatment.

Yet not enough enter treatment. In fact, only 3.9 million people nationwide received some kind of treatment for an alcohol- or drug-related problem in 2007; millions of others did not get help, partly due to shame relating to their addiction.

This September marks the 20th annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

Durham's City Council and the Durham Board of County Commissioners have proclaimed September to be Addiction Recovery Month in Durham and Durham County, and I call on everyone to educate others about this disease and encourage access to treatment and recovery services in our commmunity.

We can give teachers resources to support children who need help for their own or a family member's addiction, open communication lines through our everyday interactions, and provide the media with up-to-date, accurate scientific information about addiction, treatment and recovery to dispel the myths.

We also can do this online. Approximately 75 percent of adult Americans use the Internet to search for health information online and indicate that the Internet is a great medium for educating our community about substance use disorders, treatment and recovery. To maximize this opportunity, I urge local businesses, government agencies, and community organizations to showcase details about local treatment and recovery resources on their websites and link to additional information available at www.recoverymonth.gov.

The Internet can help people find treatment and recovery resources, including SAMHSA's Treatment Locator, the SAMHSA Access to Recovery program, and the Recovery Community Services Program.

Additionally, the Internet provides a safe haven for people who may be afraid to publicly voice their struggle with a substance use disorder. They may find support and treatment services through social networking sites, chat rooms and organization listserves -- resources that remind them that they are not alone. These online tools also may direct people to valuable face-to-face support meetings. Other important resources are the SAMHSA 24-hour national helpline for information and treatment referrals in English and Spanish at 1-800-662-HELP, and Durham Center Access at 919-560-7100 or 1-800-510-9132, 24 hours a day.

Addiction affects our entire community. Together we can help people, families and our community. Together we can learn about addiction and begin to heal.

Earl Phillips is chair of the area board of directors of The Durham Center.