The visionary behind Los Angeles-based 12 Angels Mission Fund, therapist
Bernadine Fried has seen the massive toll that addiction can take on both local and national levels.
Q: In your experience as a therapist, how has the problem of addiction ravaged communities throughout the U.S.?
Bernadine Fried: Essentially, the U.S. economy is experiencing a significant amount of damage as a result of addiction. It’s important to note that addiction has caused pain and stress to countless families across the country. Part of that strain is being felt in their pocketbooks.
Q: What evidence have you found that supports these observations?
Bernadine Fried: In a recent survey developed by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, some troubling information about drug abuse was brought forward into the light. Approximately 8.7 percent of the American population had abused some form of psychotherapeutic medication – tranquilizers, stimulants, or pain relievers – or used an illicit drug within the previous 30 days. Those numbers are staggering.