Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jun 2005
Source: Aspen Times (CO)
Copyright: 2005 Aspen Times
Contact:  http://www.aspentimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3784
Author: Naomi Havlen

COMMUNITY ADDRESSES ADDICTION, SUICIDE

Doctors, business owners, people struggling with substance abuse, 
local parents, public officials and many more convened Wednesday to 
discuss substance abuse and suicide in the valley.

And the collective message from the 180 people who attended The 
Divided Self: Crisis in Paradise at the Hotel Jerome was clear: 
Something must change.

Public awareness - shining a light on substance abuse and suicide in 
the valley - might be one way to keep the problem at bay.

"We are hopeful that this conference is a new beginning on the path 
to finding creative, healthy approaches to cope with our conflicts - 
within ourselves and as members of our community," said Kris Marsh, 
president of the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation, which presented the 
conference.

Although the nonprofit brainstormed the conference last fall, this 
spring a number of suicides and drug overdoses reported in local 
newspapers brought the issues to the top of the public consciousness.

It's rare to see a cross section of the community gathered together 
when there's not a free music performance involved. It's even more 
rare when that group gathers to confront some of the community's 
biggest problems.

This was the first community gathering of its kind since the 
mid-1990s, when a small group of locals organized by The Aspen 
Institute identified substance abuse and suicide as the primary 
health problem in the community.

Addicts told their stories about the depths of their addictions and 
their journey to recovery, and counselors and doctors spoke about the 
damage they've seen in the community as a result of rampant drug 
abuse. A panel of people who have lost family members to suicide 
somberly told of their loved ones' last days alive, and counselors 
relayed suicide rates and how to identify when a someone is suicidal.

Although there were pin-drop silent moments and rapt attention in the 
ballroom, the conference was about opening up a dialogue, and there 
was no shortage of participation.

Community members hugged in the hallways during breaks and had lively 
exchanges about what should be done to shed light on problems that 
are often swept under the rug in a picture-perfect resort town like Aspen.

Dr. Michael Weissberg, a psychiatrist from the University of Colorado 
Medical School, summarized the suggestions at the end of the day, 
most of which included raising community awareness.

Participants theorized that more education in the community about the 
problems could lead to early interventions. An annual fund-raiser - 
even a float in the Fourth of July parade - could keep the community 
aware of struggles with addiction and depression, they said.

Some larger questions were raised in small group discussions, 
including whether Aspen needs to change its image from a party town 
to a health-loving community.

Many conference attendants said they are impressed with the local 
groundswell of support.

"This has been going on for a long time, but right now these concerns 
are coming to the forefront," said Brush Creek Village resident 
Carolyn Harder. "People are willing to deal with this themselves and 
believe that changes can be made and our community can be known for 
its beauty and being a healthy community."

Harder and her friend Laura Smith are both parents of teenagers and 
say they have confronted their own concerns about kids and substance 
abuse by forming a parent peer group that meets regularly. The 
parents support each other in making tough decisions to keep their 
children safe and well accounted for.

Smith, an Old Snowmass resident, said going to the conference 
reconfirmed her feelings that these are issues the community needs to 
work on as a group.

"We are individuals representing the community and the world, and we 
need to decide how we can minister to ourselves," Smith said. "This 
was an affirmation coming forward - as a community, we have to help 
each other."

A report from Wednesday's conference will reflect all of the problems 
and ideas expressed, and a film crew will edit footage from the day 
into documentaries that may be presented to the community in the 
future. Marsh said that the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation will 
analyze data to come up with a strategic plan for the future.

"It's so tempting to want to move quickly, but we'll move 
strategically because, honestly, talk is cheap," she said. "But 
action is where it's going to happen. We have work to do."

For more information on The Divided Self: Crisis in Paradise, contact 
the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation at 544-1298.
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MAP posted-by: Beth