I am delighted to welcome Dr. LaPaglia who is running as part of the Partners for Hope team in the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon.
In our interview, Dr. LaPaglia shares the work that she is doing to spread awareness about addictive disorders in the medical community. It is important for all of us to know that while doctors do their best to serve you, they are human too and can have biases against addictive disorders. I appreciate the work that Dr. LaPaglia is doing to change the lens.
Welcome, Dr. Donna LaPaglia!
1. Thank you for being one of the Partners for Hope. Please introduce yourself for those that may not know you.
I am Dr. LaPaglia, an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, the Director of the Substance Abuse Treatment Unit (SATU), Associate Director of Addiction Services for the Connecticut Mental Health Center and also direct the psychology training program at SATU. I serve on the board of directors for the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers and for the American Psychological Association’s Division 12.
I have published in the areas of psychotherapeutic interventions for substance use disorders, medication implementation in addictions treatment, and in the area of residency training. My clinical work and research have focused on addiction treatment; specifically on cognitive-behavioral interventions for substance use; public sector addiction services; addictions leadership; curriculum development for psychology, and residency training in treatment interventions for substance use disorders; auricular acupuncture, self-care approaches, and leadership development.
Personally, I am a wife (28 years) and mother of two boys 20, 18 — a greyhound lover, sports enthusiastic both as a spectator and player, a cook who likes to eat, an avid watcher of the Hallmark channel, and at my core, an Eternal Optimist with deep faith.
2. What motivated me to work in the addiction field for 26 years? What are the rewards and the biggest challenges?
The best and the brightest suffer from addiction. Getting help to stop the using behavior leads to healing and health which leads to personal insight, continued personal development, growth, and family reconnection.
Working in the addictions field allows one to bear witness to the human miracle: the drive to get better, to dig even deeper when you thought you had nothing left in the tank, to keep going and moving forward. The experience is similar to what long-distance runners go through.
3. What should the public be aware of when making appointments with a doctor for care around substance use disorder?
The public should not assume that the Physician is an “all-knowing being”, without prejudice or judgment. A physician is a human being with her/his own set of experiences and biases that often color their practice. Physician bias towards patients with addiction is high (there is much written about this in the literature).
There are programs like Recovery Speaks which works with stakeholders to help break down barriers and dispel myths about people who struggle with addiction. We run an impaired health care providers program because health care professionals have addiction issues too.
4. How long have you worked in the addictive disorders field?
I have worked with patients with addictive disorders for 28 years. Over the years, I have worked at every level of care in addictions treatment from residential (therapeutic community), to clinical research unit, nonprofit outpatient; to for-profit hospital-PHP-IOP; and community mental health ambulatory services.
5. What have you found to be most helpful in treating addictive disorders?:
Clinicians must have good self-knowledge, they must be confident, knowledgeable, well trained, flexible, compassionate, have healthy boundaries, be insightful, must possess stick-to-itiveness, must have faith, and belief beyond what others believe is possible.
6. Any suggestions for parents who are just learning about their child’s substance use disorder?
I recommend that parents access information on the following website because it is accurate, detailed, heavily researched, and can point them in the right direction https://www.drugabuse.gov/patients-families. Parents need accurate and up to date information.
Read as much as you can and access community supports (church, friends, guidance counselors, teachers, and neighbors). And most importantly make sure to maintain your personal self-care routine. Stay healthy, strong, and energized to fight using a confront- support approach.
Lastly, do not personalize your child’s substance use. It has nothing to do with you.
7. As part of the Partners for Hope team, what is your motivation to run in the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon?
I wanted to give back personally. My very first marathon, Marine Corps, I ran on behalf of the Semper Fi Fund for wounded veterans and their families. Running on behalf of a charity allowed me to put my fear (of fundraising and running 26.2 miles) at bay and commit to doing something larger than myself, with greater meaning and purpose.
This time I am running to support all the people who I’ve met over the years who have suffered from addiction, died, sustained injury, suffered multiple traumas, were locked up in hospital wards or prison cells, lost faith in themselves and the world; and for all the bystanders-the family and friends pulled in and forced to watch helplessly from the sidelines, vicariously traumatized by what they witness.
Running confirms what’s possible, it shows us that we are stronger than we ever thought. It allows for a spiritual awakening–a connection to health, a way to create internal joy and good feelings where there were none. Running inspires. It stirs the desire to be better and to do better…to love oneself, to love others…and to keep at it because with consistency comes good things.
Dr. Donna LaPaglia has been working in the addiction space for 26 years and knows how difficult the journey through recovery is. She is running, as a Partner of Hope, in honor of the patients, she has worked with who have passed from this debilitating disease. You can learn more about Donna at her Crowdrise Fundraising Link.
If you can support Donna in her Partners for Hope fundraising efforts, that would be most appreciated.
I’m very inspired by Dr. Paglia’s commitment to run the marathon, and all the benefits she sees in doing so. I also appreciate the practical information you’ve provided to help people with addiction or their families get the help the need.
I am inspired as well, Sandra. I’ve run a half marathon, but can’t really imagine running a full one. It is wonderful that is supporting recovery with this run. Thanks for stopping by.
I think it’s brilliant Cathy how you and your guests are so committed to helping others with addiction and recovery. It’s truly impressive to know those who not only talk the talk but walk the walk. 🙂
Thanks, Elle. I appreciate your kind words.
At first, I began to do what everyone does when they want to stop drinking. I tried to drink alcohol in moderation. I developed strict rules – do not drink for a week, only beer, no more than two glasses of wine, no hard liquors – but then I broke all these rules, because after the first glass I did not think about any rules. Once I read here on the teetotalers blog: “if you need to moderate the amount of alcohol consumed, then you can’t do it.” The assumption that it might be easier to quit drinking at all than to try to control this process all the time has become a real revelation for me. And I tried to do it.
Moderation helps for some, but not for everyone. Many do try moderation at first. Some then find that they need to not drink at all to stay in recovery. Whatever works for you to live a healthy life is, of course, the path to take. All the best.