Weekly round up and the Woscars, 7th February 2010

Whoosh. That was the sound of the last seven days passing in a flurry of blogs and discussions that show recovery, despite being (willfully?!) misunderstood by some (see anthrax deaths and recovery) is on the march, the walk. the surfboard and could well be happening in a location not far from you.

As Androcles points out resistance is futile and Peapod suggests that the tipping point is upon us. This, according to Malcolm Gladwell, is ‘the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable’.

So is recovery on the move? It would seem that the evidence points that way. It is certainly spreading across the UK, for example Chris tells us that is is expanding in the North East, but this epidemic is more than geographical. Traditional boundaries are being questioned, Melody’s blog makes a powerful argument that recovery is for everybody and it would seem clear from your comments that the Wired In community agrees.

The debates around the road to recovery events last week seem have energised people in the community to start to define what a UK recovery movement looks like. I think we are agreed that we owe much to the movement in the States, but that we need a recovery of our very own. Eloquently summed up in Matt’s blog no sexed up recovery please, we’re British!.

Alistair’s brilliant blog (I know he won’t like me saying that, but it is!) begins to lay down some of the principles that underpin a grass roots view of recovery, also pointing out that ‘it is in the individual and within communities that recovery lies.’ Please do read this and comment if you have not perused as yet.

One of the things that has been coming through on the site recently is that, for many of us, our use and misuse of substances is only one part of the picture, see Matthew’s brave meditation on the link between his aspergers and his addiction. Martin’s courageous blog leads to this comment from our very own Professor Clark:

“Many people develop a substance use problem in response to trying to deal with inner psychological problems. They may self-medicate, initially seeing the ‘value’ of the substance in helping them ‘deal’ with their problems. They later realise that the substance is not helping them solve their problems and they have now developed a dependency – and they still have the original problem, which may have even gotten worse.”

Now, I know this is something we all know, but I think it does no harm to say that our community is a place where individuals can raise issues beyond those related to substance misuse and feel safe to share all aspects of their journey. That’s recovery folks!

And how individual that journey is, with all its stages and staging posts. Tony finds himself experiencing an alien feeling in flat-lining while Louis finds a buzz that just keeps giving! Phil is feeling just about everything at the moment and GuyinGHo reflects beautifully on a long slow recovery.

This idea of recovery as slow process, not as plodding but as an adventure unfolding, is taken up by Daemon in small steps: marathons, adventures and mind-sets and in a different way in ChrisO’s today I have a life where volunteering becomes the staging post for his journey of self discovery. The 12-steps are providing the framework for Mark, with step 3 the latest milestone.

I feel that we were privileged to share in two extraordinary stories of despair and redemption this week. I don’t know about you but I feel like I was there – fantastic writing. Links to parts one to four of Kiri’s and Ken’s stories are at the bottom of this blog. Would be great to have more stories – short or long – or even medium. There is something so powerful about them.

I think we can forget that the families and loved ones of people with addiction problems have their own recovery journeys too. Those of you who have been part of the Wired In community for a while, will have followed Ann Marie’s path up to the point where the date is now set for the first support group meeting. An amazing achievement, particularly as she can still find emotions overwhelming.

I would also like us all to welcome Susan to Wired In and I know that you will all offer all the support and understanding that you can. I have to be honest and say that I find it hard to know what to write, but I am sure that any comments will be helpful.

I think it is hard for us as a community to know quite how to deal with those who die, wanting as we do to focus on the positive messages of recovery. But after reading Susan’s entries and Elizabeth Burton-Phillips blog I know that it is something that we need to get better at.

I hope that one of the ways that we will be able to reduce the stigma around death by addiction, and a whole range of other misconceptions, is through putting a public face on recovery. A vision Anne Marie outlined in the first of many blogs to come on the National Recovery Walk 2010. As noted we will need your help to make this vision a reality and we will be keeping you updated on activities taking place to make it happen.

Graham has not submitted one of his tricky questions this week but Patrick leaps ably into the breach with question around bubrenorphine and methadone and France – yes France. And in the treatment vein Tony asks whether providers are too busy focusing on retention as opposed to welfare.

Marcus reflects on a real world at odds with the hopefulness of a recovery community and Danny O shows why support matters. Phil gets creative with Windows Movie Maker while Marcus gets creative on the A55!

Linda gives us an insight into how hard it is for Polly to find a job while on daily pick-ups or methadone and a none too helpful GP, and asks us to keep our fingers crossed for Monday. Meanwhile, hubby’s snoring reaches epic proportion leading Linda into dark thoughts involving hammers!

And so to the heart-stopping array of virtual prizes that I have at my disposal. The best thing about an imaginary prize is that it can be anything you want it to be as it perches proudly on your cyberspace mantlepiece, or virtual toilet which is where I hear the stars put theirs.

This week I have gone Hollywood so the winners of the Woscars (Wired In Oscars) are:

For best potential film from a personal story (Can’t you just see it?): Ken

For best animated short AND soundtrack (OK, only animated short and soundtrack but let’s not split hairs): Phil

Best Male Blogger: Alistair

Best Female Blogger: Melody

Best Supporting Blogger: Martin (aka the ‘Smokin’ Keyboard)

Best Blogger overall : Susan (for reminding us that families matter)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Tony (he just keeps them coming at ya)

No tears please, we’re British!

Onwards and upwards

Michaela

Kiri’s story: part one, part two, part three and part four

Ken’s story: part one, part two, part three and part four