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Substance use disorder is an ongoing issue across the nation, including right here in the Commonwealth.

This disorder not only takes an active toll on the user, but those surrounded by them.

6 News spoke to an official from a western PA based treatment center who says help is available.

According to a States Drug Enforcement Administration Report, almost 300,000 Pennsylvanians had an active substance use disorder this past year.

“We definitely have been seeing numbers continue to increase and you know almost 300,000 people in the past year is a result of a lot of things coming together,” said Brooke McKenzie, the Chief of clinical care services with Dreamlife Recovery.

McKenzie tells Channel 6, the Covid 19 pandemic is a piece of this alarming number.

“Addiction was problematic since bible times and that we recognize that the Covid epidemic certainly did not help the recovery community knowing the most important part of an active recovery is connection and Covid did the opposite by breaking everything apart," added McKenzie. "So, recognizing that I think you know we definitely have seen numbers continue to increase and you know almost 300,000 in the past year is a result of a lot of things coming together one of which is the impact the Covid 19 had.”

But McKenzie adds Dreamlife Recovery is working to decrease this number.

“We're really looking to again assist them in providing detox and residential level of care and then were working on starting our partial hospitalization program in Pittsburgh that would be open in the next month to provide ongoing continued levels of care a step down so that we can assist with as many of those 300,000 people as possible,” McKenzie said.

McKenzie notes that at Dreamlife Recovery, they also help the loved ones of those struggling with substance use disorder as well.

“Family members can absolutely get involved or loved ones absolutely can get involved,” McKenzie added.

McKenzie tell Channel 6, in the four years Dreamlife Recovery has been open, they have helped somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 Pennsylvanians overcome substance use disorder through a vast variety of therapy and programs.

“We also provide invention services,” McKenzie said.

McKenzie also shared, the recovery process for someone with a substance use disorder is significantly higher when they have the support of a loved one.

“Connection is key and a lot of times with the people coming through our program they have already severed the vast majority if not all of those relationships and so part of our work here is to find out where, you know where those relationships are necessary and where we can start to amend and rebuild some of those key pieces,” McKenzie added.

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