Understanding Addiction and Mental Health in the Vision Loss Community

In this episode of 'Navigating Life with Vision Loss,' hosted by Kim Wardlow, the focus is on mental health, specifically addiction, within the vision loss community. Guest Bill Lundgren, host of the Blindsight podcast and a seasoned counselor, discusses the broad nature of addiction, identifying and addressing various types, and the complexities associated with dual diagnoses, such as depression alongside substance abuse. The conversation delves into how addiction disproportionately affects people with blindness, drawing parallels to its prevalence in the LGBT community. Lundgren emphasizes the necessity of correct intervention techniques, the challenges of enabling behaviors, and the importance of accessible treatment options. Upcoming episodes are teased, aiming to cover additional mental health topics like medication, depression, and loneliness, with an open invitation for listener engagement and questions.

00:00 Welcome to Navigating Life with Vision Loss

00:30 Exploring Mental Health: Focus on Addiction

01:02 Understanding Addiction with Expert Insights

06:41 Identifying and Addressing Addiction

14:29 Finding the Right Treatment and Support

24:12 Empowering Advice for Seeking Treatment

27:04 Closing Remarks and Upcoming Aftersight Announcements

Thank you for checking out this week's episode of NLVL. If you have any question, please contact us by phone or email. (720) 712-8856 or [email protected]. Have a wonderful week!