This interview posted above is from SDPB's daily public-affairs show, In the Moment, hosted by Lori Walsh.
A symposium this weekend in Sioux Falls aims to explore the intersection of faith and addiction.
The conversation, "Addressing the Addiction Crisis as People of Faith," will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.
Reverend Dr. Ed Treat is with the Center of Addiction and Faith. He says instead of just sending addicts away to rehab, the goal should be to treat and educate the whole family.
"I extend that to the whole society. We have such a severe addiction problem," says Treat. "We all immediately think of substances, but we get addicted to so many things besides substances. We keep creating this addiction problem, we look at that problem, but we don't look at the society that's part of that problem."
Treat says that until society looks at the way addiction works in each of ourselves, we'll never deal with the problem appropriately.
Panelists include mental health experts, community network coordinators, and prevention ministers.
Keynote speakers include Timothy McMahon King, author of "Addiction Nation: What the Opioid Crisis Reveals About Us," and Michael Borowiak with the Traverse Counseling Center.
