THE CLIMB: JULY
InSURMOUNTABLE ODDS: THE CYCLE OF Brain Injury, Substance Use Disorder, and Incarceration
A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when “a sudden trauma, often a blow or jolt to the head, causes damage to the brain.” A Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD) is defined based on a person reporting “a pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.” Not only are many people unaware of the documented correlation between TBIs and SUDs, furthermore, research shows a strong link between individuals suffering from these conditions and incarceration rates.
Brain injuries can occur for a multitude of reasons; the leading causes of TBIs are falls, motor vehicle crashes, and object collisions. Approximately 2.5 million people sustain a TBI every year, which can lead to disabilities, and death (CDC, 2014). Utah is no exception to this, as the 2016-2020 Utah Department of Health Report showed that Traumatic Brain Injury is the leading cause of death and disability in Utah. In 2020, it was reported that 6.7 per 10,000 Utahns were hospitalized due to a TBI, and there were over 64,000 TBI-related deaths in the United States according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As TMIs are an overwhelmingly common problem, it is concerning to uncover the research that shows strong correlation between sustained TMIs and substance use disorders. In fact, some studies have shown that between 10-20% of individuals with brain injury develop a substance use disorder for the first time after their injury. This can be for many reasons, but one of the main reasons highlighted in research discusses how brain injury can significantly alter the brain’s structure and function. Therefore, the effects of substance use are more severe with individuals that have suffered from TMIs and can lead to even further brain damage or chemistry alteration. A 2022 PubMed study showed that there is a high co-occurence of risky substance use among adults with traumatic brain injury.
These findings are alarming when considering the high prevalence of substance use disorders in the United States, and specifically in Utah as well. In 2022, an average of 7.74% of adults in the United States reported having a substance abuse disorder, with Utah ranking the 4th highest at 6.56% – nearly 146,000 adults. It is truly eye opening to then look at this group of individuals and re-consider how many of them have turned to substance use as a result of a traumatic brain injury or as a result of an alteration in their brain chemistry. Other reasons that individuals suffering from TBIs turn to substance use can include trying to self-medicate their chronic pain or even trying to cope from other developed mental health conditions.
Not only can substance use be a negative consequence of a brain injury, there is also a strong correlation between Traumatic Brain Injuries and substance use for incarcerated individuals. It is estimated that, “as many as 87% of incarcerated individuals have experienced a traumatic brain injury,” (Horn, M. L., & Lutz, D. J., 2016). Furthermore, research has shown that more than half of individuals with brain injuries will be re-arrested, compared to only 33% of individuals without brain injuries.
It is evident that there is an unfortunate correlation between individuals with brain injuries and those who are making poor decisions, facing arrests, and spending time in prison. The research demonstrates how these individuals can be led towards a vicious cycle. In fact, those who have previously used drugs and those who were recently released from prison are the demographics most at risk for developing a substance use disorder. Like many other states, Utah has been facing an influx of individuals with SUDs in prisons. From 2013 to 2018, the rate of nonviolent drug offenders facing new criminal charges increased from 29% to 37% in Utah. A legislative audit of Utah’s 2015 Justice Reinvestment Initiative reported that Utah’s criminal justice system has not yet developed an effective solution for individuals who suffer from serious addiction, expressing the need for more substance use and mental health treatment within the justice system.
It is very comfortable to imagine that our prisons are full of despicable creatures who deserve the sentences that they are facing. Even the smallest amount of thoughtful reflection paired with numerous research findings reveals the truth: These are human beings that have the odds placed against them. These individuals are victims of a society and a system that we have created and continue to uphold without considering the facts that are waving in our faces. It is important to bring compassion and empathy to the table when dealing with the people most in need of our help. We can, and must, do better for our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters who are fighting an uphill battle every day.
Power Forward Utah recognizes the need to fill this crucial gap and uncover the truth behind this detrimental cycle that these individuals are facing. You can help by donating today to our Sober Living Scholarship initiative to help carry someone on their road to recovery.
Resources:
https://mhanational.org/issues/2022/mental-health-america-prevalence-data#three
https://drugabusestatistics.org/:
https://www.cirquelodge.com/blog/substance-abuse-statistics-for-utah/ :
https://www.biausa.org/public-affairs/media/traumatic-brain-injury-in-corrections :
https://www.planstreetinc.com/substance-abuse-in-2022-how-bad-is-addiction-in-the-united-states/
https://prismreports.org/2022/05/26/brain-injuries-incarceration/