INTRODUCTION
As a Native American college student representing the Navajo tribe, I propose the effectuate agendum of recuperating the alcohol issue occurring on the Navajo Nation. This agendum will be sustained by myself and through the collaboration with experts from both substance abuse organizations and rehabilitation counselors, or any Navajo individual willing to advocate for the project. We will work to unite in gathering resources for the prevalent issue of alcoholism affecting indigenous health, and to guide struggling alcoholic individuals towards a healthier, functional life on the Navajo Nation.
This project will effectively eliminate alcoholism with resources for every indigenous person on the Navajo Nation, making rehabilitation programs easily accessible, and to raise awareness to destigmatize the normalization of toxic stress through alcoholism.
ALCOHOLISM ON THE NAVAJO NATION
Alcoholism is defined by Carol Galbicsek, an editor of the Alcohol Rehab Guide website, “as the most severe form of alcohol abuse and involves the inability to manage drinking habits. It is also commonly referred to as alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder is organized into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. Each category has various symptoms and can cause harmful side effects. If left untreated, any type of alcohol abuse can spiral out of control.” (2020)
To be more distinct, Dr. Emily Guarnotta, defines “Native Americans as an ethnic group comprised of American Indians and Alaska Natives residing throughout North, South, and Central America.” (2019).
According to the research Guarnotta did, “Native Americans have historically experienced a high prevalence of alcoholism. Understanding the causes and impact of alcoholism and finding recovery options available can help Native Americans find the necessary help.” (2019).
When focusing upon the specificity of the Navajo Nation’s alcoholism problem, the Associated Press of the Navajo Times stated that, “Alcoholism is one of the largest social ills on the 27,000-square-mile reservation that reaches into New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.” (2020).
CAUSES OF ALCOHOLISM
Economic disadvantages, cultural loss due to colonization, long-term abuse due to boarding schools, health problems, mental health problems, systemic racism, unresolved trauma, toxic stress, etc. have caused the drastic epidemic of alcoholism within my community and many other communities located on the Navajo Nation.
Toxic stress involves indigenous individuals postponing their stress and problems they have through the recurrent trend and reliability on alcohol substances like beer, liquor, spirits, etc.
In most cases, Navajo youth are exposed to alcoholism. This becomes a culture known to them from birth or childhood. Minority groups or individuals are initiated in some societies into the culture of repeatedly utilizing alcohol as a beverage for everyday life. This is a direct cause of alcoholism that continuously recurs, increasing the problem to aim towards Navajo youth in their pre-adolescence experience into their adulthood.
Within the article written by Bill Donovan, he states that “According to the report, 23,000 Navajos – that’s almost one out of every four adult members of the tribe – were listed as “problem drinkers.” (2018).
According to the American Addiction Centers Rocovery.org website, “Native Americans have some of the highest rates of alcohol and drug abuse among minority groups—which leads some to ask whether they are prone to alcoholism. Certain factors may contribute to the development of alcohol use disorders among Native Americans as well as prevent them from seeking help. Economic issues, cultural loss, domestic abuse, and physical and mental health issues may put Native Americans at higher risk of alcoholism.
• Economic disadvantage: Native Americans have high rates of unemployment and low rates of high school and college completion, and they are less likely to have medical insurance and access to healthcare. Poor education, poverty, and limited resources may contribute to greater use of alcohol.
• Cultural loss: Native American culture was significantly threatened after Europeans colonized the United States. Some sources speculate that the brutality and loss experienced by Native Americans, including loss of family members and tribes, land, and traditions, led to historical trauma. This unresolved grief has been transmitted across generations from parents to children, which has led to the development of negative coping mechanisms such as drinking.
• History of abuse: Throughout history, Native American children have been involuntarily taken from their homes and sent to boarding schools. Children did not have contact with their families and lived in schools with poor conditions, harsh discipline, and physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Some children turned to alcohol to cope with the turmoil.
• Physical health problems: Native Americans have high rates of physical health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, liver disease, hepatitis, and stroke. Native Americans are also at higher risk of being hurt in unintentional accidents and having children die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Chronic illnesses can lead to significant stress and increase the risk of alcohol abuse.
• Mental health problems: Native Americans experience high rates of mental illness and suicide. The suicide rate among Native American teens is 2.5 times greater than the national average. Native Americans also have high rates of co-occurring disorders, which refers to having both a mental illness and a substance abuse problem. Having a mental illness or having a loved one suffer from one can cause a great deal of distress.
Although certain factors are believed to cause high rates of alcoholism among Native Americans, the specific reasons that people drink vary. Each individual is unique and influenced by economic, cultural, and other factors in different ways.” (2019).
This article thoroughly explains why Native Americans, such as Navajos, drink and continuously deal with alcoholism. There are systemic issues that date back to centuries ago upon Native American history that deal with the colonization of North America, and the horrid experiences through genocide and cultural racism upon indigenous groups due to European descent and religion.
The Navajo Nation and its people struggle with the oppression daily, and it needs to be talked about to prevent alcoholism and other straining problems that affect the Navajo community.
Credit: Google Images
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLISM
When people drink, they may reach the criteria for an alcohol use disorder (alcoholism). In this case, Navajo individuals overreach that criteria leading to the prevalent issue of alcoholism. This can lead to drastic health problems and mental health problems, and even social problems.
Symptoms of an alcohol use disorder include:
• Drinking frequently, reaching an overlimit of alcohol consumption.
• Failed attempts to lower consumption.
• Struggling with the amount of time spent on drinking or recovering from the effects of alcohol.
• Lack of care for responsibilities at home, work, school, etc.
• Continuously drinking despite problems between one’s family and friends.
• Absence in important activities or hobbies to drink.
• Drinking despite physical or mental health problems. (Causing more health problems.)
• Alcohol tolerance increases.
• Becoming violent/hostile when drinking.
• Neglection of eating (eating poorly).
• Neglection of personal hygiene.
• Lapses in memory (blacking out).
Some life-threatening health problems or effects alcohol has on the Navajo Nation are:
• Liver cirrhosis is a disease common with most alcoholics as it damages the liver of a person thereby causing many malfunctions of the liver and subsequent diseases as well. This automatically shortens the lifespan of an individual.
• High blood pressure occurs because of the rate of stimulation caused by alcoholism.
• Pancreatitis: due to the sugar levels contained in alcohol that overwork the pancreas in its role in regulating the blood sugar level therefore causing the swelling.
• Nerve damage: causes nerves to be less responsive to changes that the body normally respond to pain, etc. This impairs normal body function and creates a problem in normal body functioning.
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: a range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications.
Alcoholic withdrawals can put high risks on Native American communities like the Navajo Nation that can cause more trauma strain on the body and one’s mind as mentioned by American Addiction Centers Recovery.org, “Acute alcohol withdrawal can be quite dangerous and, in severe instances, even fatal; individuals at risk of experiencing severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome should be supervised by a medical professional. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may include:
• Sleep disturbances.
• Poor appetite.
• Headaches.
• Confusion.
• Hallucinations.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Fever.
• Sweating.
• Rapid heart rate.
• High blood pressure.
• Anxiety.
• Agitation.
• Tremors.
• Seizures.
• Inadequate breathing.” (2019).
The mental and psychological state of Navajos consuming alcohol can lead to depression. It causes and leads to the underlined consequence of why Native American communities tend to venture into innate circles of despair and doom with no hope of positivity.
PLAN FOR ALCOHOL PREVENTION ON THE NAVAJO NATION
The project being directed by those who choose to join like health experts and local community members of the Navajo Nation would work upon creating resources for every single indigenous enrolled Navajo, ensuring that rehabilitation programs or detox centers are accessible, and to overall raise awareness everywhere possible on the Navajo Nation to stop the toxic cycle of alcoholism.
Resources: The resources would be created by ideas or programs located in every community on the Navajo Nation, especially in rural parts of the Navajo Nation. There would need to be buildings built and to hire those passionate in training to provide struggling alcoholics resources or to help them on their journey of healing from alcoholic stress. These resources would need to be effective and available 24/7 in cases of crisis. Resources can include a Navajo-run hotline for alcoholic crisis and outreach.
Accessibility of Rehabilitation Centers: Rehabilitation programs must be accessible; this has been a huge goal for the project to be effective in battling Native alcoholism. Due to the location of where most Navajo residents reside and the geography of the Navajo Nation, it is rural which leads to the factor that most Navajo residents do not have the accessibility to go to health care centers or places that provide health wellness and improvement. There can be lack of transportation for the elderly Navajos or for impoverished families who live in a deserted place. Accessible rehabilitation centers can be super beneficial in lowering the alcoholic crisis, this means that there will need to be buildings established and willing, licensed counselors having the specialty in rehabilitation/detox or abuse experts to commit to work at these buildings in rural areas where families need it. This can even be in the form of non-profit organizations being built to provide rehabilitation programs. These program centers will be located and established in every district or rural community who face the disadvantage of lack of transportation and desertedness. This will strongly prioritize medical treatment for alcoholic Natives suffering economic disadvantages.
Raising Awareness: The efforts of raising awareness can surely make known of alcoholism abuse on the Navajo nation. Raising awareness can be in the forms of working with Navajo broadcasting stations to announce to the residents of the Navajo Nation of how prevalent it is, and what individuals can do to stop their addiction. Awareness can be made by starting partnerships with local news stations run by Navajo business owners, investing in making commercials of alcoholism and why it is bad on the Navajo people. This will take money and the involvement of many experts and professionals within the alcoholism wellness aspect and uniting community members to use their own personal platforms to raise that awareness on social media, at monthly Chapter meetings for communities, and holding yearly conferences to discuss personal stories and the statistics of alcoholic disadvantages of health on the Navajo Nation.
THE BENEFITS OF RESOURCES, ACCESIBILTY, & AWARENESS ON THE NAVAJO NATION
In order to uplift the Navajo Nation of systemic alcoholism and health problems, I am asking for funding of the rehabilitation center/programs that will be located in every suburban community, payroll for hired experts and professional that will be working for these centers, partnerships with Navajo business that can provide consumer exposure, and various materials for non-profit organizations that want to raise awareness on the prevalent issue.
I can receive the funding from the Navajo Nation government or even President Nez (the Navajo Nation President). I will also need to receive the allowance of partnerships with Navajo business owners to produce commercials and publicity. Most importantly, I will need the approval from communities all over the Navajo reservation to proceed with this project. I need to be assured that the residents are comfortable with this project, so that it will not spark controversial outrage or problems already occurring on the Navajo Nation.
Doing so will help regain the outcome of drastically improving the health population of Navajo residents on the Navajo Nation, provide Native families healthy functionality rather than exposure towards the negative effects of alcoholism, and it can drastically stop systemic oppression and trauma that causes alcohol addiction in the first place. The Navajo tribe deserve excellence and peace in health, in their families, and in a safe community for every indigenous person regardless of age on the Navajo Nation.
CONCLUSION
As a first-generation college student who has experienced losing loved ones to alcoholism coming from the Navajo reservation, I have the aspiration in uplifting the Navajo Nation through alcohol prevention and improving Indigenous health by pursuing a Population Health degree with a minor in Community Health at the University of New Mexico.
This project will constructively destigmatize the toxic alcoholic culture in Indigenous tribes like the Navajo Nation with resources for every Indigenous person on the Navajo Nation, making rehabilitation programs easily accessible for disadvantaged individuals, and raising awareness to break the normalization of alcoholism on the reservation. It can pursue the outcome of the greater good of Navajo health for all, ensuring proper co-existence and development of indigenous people’s livelihoods.
RFEFRENCES
Donovan, Bill. “50 Years Ago: Alcoholism, Littell, and 10,000 Navajos.” Navajo Times, 26 Aug. 2018, navajotimes.com/50years/50-years-ago-alcoholism-littell-10000-navajos/.
Galbicsek, Carol. “What Is Alcoholism? - Learn about an Alcohol Addiction.” Alcohol Rehab Guide, 19 May 2020, www.alcoholrehabguide.org/alcohol/.
Guarnotta, Emily. “Native Americans and Alcoholism: Statistics, Causes & Help.” Recovery.org, 2 Nov. 2019, www.recovery.org/alcohol-addiction/native-americans/.
Press, Associated. “Navajo Leader Urges Unity after Mayor's Alcoholism Comment.” Navajo-Hopi Observer News, 5 May 2020, www.nhonews.com/news/2020/may/05/navajo-leader-urges-unity-after-mayors-alcoholism-/.