Gunnebah drug and alcohol rehab deepens Bond Uni medical students’ understanding of addiction

Medical student Gordon Nguyen knows he’s lived a relatively sheltered life when it comes to substance abuse.

“I don’t really have a history of addiction, I’ve never been affected,” he said.

So when he spent six weeks at a rehabilitation clinic as part of his medical degree, the 24-year-old had the “most eye-opening” experience.

“It’s not just the medical side, like the drug side: addiction is more a symptom of something else,” he said.

As part of his studies at Bond University, Mr Nguyen lived at the Gunnebah Addiction Retreat for a six-week program designed to challenge misconceptions medical students may have about addiction.

While the goal is to help students better identify and treat patients struggling with substance abuse, it requires “a different version of health care,” according to one addiction therapist.

Addiction beyond the clinical setting

Gunnebah is a private facility located in the northern New South Wales interior, which accommodates approximately 20 guests.

“I saw just about anyone affected by addiction — working professionals as well as just blue-collar workers, there was a lawyer, a nurse,” Nguyen said.

“I had never seen that before, it was quite confronting to see that someone could be affected by addiction.”

He worked with general practitioner Jennifer Parer, who co-founded Gunnebah eight years ago.

“(Students) haven’t really dealt with people with addiction before, and all they’ve ever heard in college is, ‘Beware of the drug-seeking addict,'” Dr. Parer said.

Dr Parer said that by living on site for part of their placement, the students spent time with the guests outside of a clinical setting.

“It’s not just counseling, it’s not just medication, it’s also making sure they eat well, the importance of exercise,” he said.

Not a “Typical Addict”

Robert, who asked to remain anonymous, hopes his story will challenge the stigma of addiction.

He maintained a successful career while abusing substances for three decades.

“I had some high-end business and management jobs during my time where drinking was part of the culture,” he said.

“But I never thought I was an addict because I managed to brush my teeth, shower every day and pay the bills.

“My father was a poster boy for addiction, he never looked after me, he was a criminal, a drug dealer – he was what looked like a typical addict, I wasn’t.”

But Robert was eventually admitted to Gunnebah after his addiction became so bad that he lost his business and custody of his children.

Robert said 22 months later that he had learned “not only how to live without drugs, but also why I took them.”

“People don’t understand what a journey it is and how much work it is,” he said.

“This needs to be given compassion, love, respect and dignity.”

Empathy with limits

Addiction therapist Judith Magee said it was important for students to have empathy for the underlying causes of addiction while maintaining professional boundaries.

“It can be a very intense space,” he said.

“You’re routinely working with a very marginalized (group of people) in general, with a lot of trauma.

“You have to make sure you’re really in the best place you can be personally to present yourself so you can do really good, balanced work with clear thinking.”

Ms Magee said many people would hide their addiction from their doctor, meaning its impact on other health problems could be “completely overlooked”.

Students have been learning how to “recognize someone who is struggling with addiction.”

“A lot of people who have had complexities with addiction and mental health, they’ve experienced a lot of judgment, so they’re very wary,” Ms Magee said.

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‘A ripple effect’

Ms Magee said the students had been “experiencing such a different version of healthcare delivery” to what they might see in the public system, where they might be dealing with more acute situations.

He said he hoped the program could “significantly dissolve the problematic myth that addiction is just about people not getting together.”

Dr. Parer said working in the field of addiction had been “the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done” as a doctor.

As her studies continued, Nguyen said she aimed to bring her expertise in addiction treatment to other medical fields.

“A lot of mental health issues happen when you’re a child (and) addiction can be a way to cope,” he said.

“Trying to support kids when they’re young so they don’t go down that path is something I really want to incorporate into my career.”