I recently found an excellent description of what is required of professionals working in the field in The Alcoholic Family in Recovery: A Developmental Model by Stephanie Brown and Virginia Lewis.
“It is absolutely vital for therapists to know what is normal over time in the process of recovery or they may inadvertently try to treat, stop, or fix what is normal and necessary for growth.
It is the therapist’s job to stay out of the way of the natural healing process, to monitor progress, and to recognize past or current roadblocks that might interfere with people’s ability to remain abstinent and engaged in recovery.
It is also the therapist’s job to know the path, anticipate the seemingly unresolvable conflicts families will face, and to help them cope with these challenges in ways that will minimize secondary trauma.
The complicated task for the therapist is to constantly assess what is part of growth – for this person and this family – and what is a sign of difficulty that requires intervention. The individuals and the family hopefully are doing the same.
It is the therapist’s task to listen, interpret, advise, educate, and coach all along the way. It is not the therapist’s job to dictate what change should be.
For example, the therapist is not approaching the family with a goal of helping people express their feelings more or less, based on the therapist’s idea of what constitutes good therapy.
The therapist instead wonders how the expression of feeling at this point in time, in this particular family, will facilitate or inhibit the developmental process of recovery.”
Excellent stuff!
[NB. Of course, whereas the authors have talked about the family, this also refers to the individual person accessing treatment].
]]>I described the Guiding Principles of Recovery outlined in this excellent White Paper in my last blog. These principles are being used to help transform the addiction and mental health care system in Pennsylvania, so that it is based on recovery and a chronic care model of care.
As earlier. I have taken the liberty of copying a chunk of this report rather than try to paraphrase what is being said – why mess around with words in a quality document?! This time I focus on the proposed elements of a Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC).
For those of you working in this field, I ask you to consider how close your organisation is to operating on these principles. How valuable do you think they are? Here we go:
“The elements of a system, much like the Guiding Principles, are rooted in the very core of the system’s values. They are the individual components that make up the whole. The elements of a system are those smaller parts that are similar to the larger system in that they can be described as common in value, behaviors and identity. Therefore, the elements of a ROSC broken down into their individual parts have recovery as their fundamental ingredient.
Person-centered – A ROSC is person-centered. Individuals will have a menu of choices that fit their needs throughout the recovery process.
Participation inclusive of individuals and families in recovery – An essential characteristic of a ROSC is the importance it places on the participation of people in recovery in all aspects and phases of the care delivery process, including financial support for individual and family involvement.
Family and other ally involvement – A ROSC acknowledges the important role that families and other allies can play. Family and other allies will be incorporated, with the permission of the individual, in the recovery planning and support process. They can constitute a source of support to assist individuals in entering and maintaining recovery.
Additionally, systems address the prevention and early intervention, treatment, recovery and other support needs of families and other allies.
Inclusion of the voices and experiences of recovering individuals and their families – The voices and experiences of people in recovery and their family members contribute to the design and implementation of ROSC. People in recovery and their family members are included among decision-makers and system-level monitoring.
Recovering individuals and family members are prominently and authentically represented on advisory councils, boards, task forces and committees at the federal, state and local levels.
Promoting access and engagement – Each person who seeks services should be afforded every opportunity to access appropriate addiction treatment and recovery support. A ROSC promotes access to care by facilitating swift and uncomplicated entry and by removing barriers to receiving services (i.e. no wrong door).
Engagement involves making contact with the person (as opposed to their disease), building trust over time, attending to the person’s stated goals and needs and, directly or indirectly, providing a range of services in addition to clinical care. This involves linkages.
Linkages – For many individuals, recovery sustainability is not achieved through short episodes of treatment currently authorized by funding entities or through sporadic participation in self-help programs. There is often a misconception that individuals can remain in recovery without additional services and support.
Linkage to recovery support services can serve to expand the capacity of formal treatment systems by promoting the initiation of recovery, reducing relapse, and intervening early when relapse occurs (Kaplan, 2008). Participation in these services will enhance long-term recovery outcomes, regardless of involvement in formal treatment.
It is also critical for individuals and families to be connected to ancillary forms of support to address additional needs that directly affect the recovery process (housing, employment, medical care, etc.).
By collaborating with a wide range of service and resource providers, individuals will gain access to a wider array of resources critical to the recovery process.
Individualized and comprehensive services across the lifespan – A ROSC offers a menu of comprehensive services which are individualized, stage-appropriate, and flexible across the lifespan. Systems will adapt to the needs of individuals, rather than requiring individuals to adapt to them. They are designed to support recovery across the lifespan.
The approach to alcohol and other drug-related issues will change from an acute-based model to one that manages chronic diseases over a lifetime.
Systems anchored in the community – A ROSC is nested in the community for the purpose of enhancing the availability and support capacities of families, intimate social networks, community-based institutions and other communities in recovery.
These systems should establish and maintain effective formal and informal linkages throughout the state to connect individuals and families to clinical, community-based and recovery support services.
Ensuring continuity of care – A ROSC offers a continuum of care, including pre-treatment, treatment, continuing care and recovery support. Individuals should have a full range of stage-appropriate services from which to choose at any point in the recovery process.
Partnership-consultant relationships – A recovery-oriented system of care is patterned after a partnership-consultant model that focuses on collaboration, and less on hierarchy. Systems will be designed so that individuals feel empowered to direct their own recovery with safety being a paramount concern.
Strength-based – A ROSC emphasizes strengths, assets and resiliencies.
Culturally responsive – A ROSC is culturally sensitive, competent, responsive and aware of recovery language. There is recognition that beliefs and customs are diverse and can impact the outcomes of recovery efforts.
Responsiveness to personal belief systems – A ROSC respects the spiritual, religious and/or secular beliefs of those they serve and provide linkages to an array of recovery options that are consistent with these beliefs.
Commitment to peer recovery support services – A ROSC provides opportunities for ongoing participation of peers in the planning, implementation, and delivery of services throughout the full continuum of care.
Integrated services – A ROSC coordinates and/or integrates efforts across service systems to achieve an integrated process that responds effectively to the individual’s unique strengths, desires and needs.
System-wide education and training – A ROSC ensures that concepts of recovery and wellness are foundational elements. Training, at every level, will reinforce the tenets of recovery-oriented systems of care.
Ongoing monitoring and outreach – A ROSC provides ongoing monitoring and feedback with assertive outreach efforts to promote participation, motivation and reengagement in order to continually improve the system.
Outcomes driven – A ROSC is guided by recovery-based processes and outcome measures. These measures will be developed in collaboration with individuals in recovery.
Outcome measures will reflect the long-term global effects of the recovery process on the individual, family and community, not just remission of biomedical symptoms. Outcomes will be measurable and include benchmarks of quality of life changes.
Research-based – A ROSC is informed by research. Additional research on individuals in recovery, recovery venues and the processes and phases of recovery, including cultural and spiritual aspects, is essential. Research will be supplemented by the experiences of people in recovery.
Adequately and flexibly financed – A ROSC must be adequately financed to permit access to a full continuum of services, ranging from detoxification and treatment to continuing care and recovery support.
The service delivery system will be flexible enough to provide the establishment of an array of programming around long-term recovery support to augment those already provided within our drug and alcohol service system.
End stigma and discrimination – A ROSC works toward the eradication of stigma and discrimination. Stigma and discrimination toward individuals and families seeking treatment and recovery will be eliminated and no longer serve as barriers in obtaining necessary services or progressing in their recovery.
Promote the highest level of autonomy – A ROSC promotes the highest degree of functioning and quality of life for all individuals in our system. The system recognizes that individuals may need to learn new skills to survive in the larger society.
Success at an expanding array of life tasks and the assumption of new or enhanced roles in the community as they are defined by the person in recovery over time, both derive from and contribute to sustained recovery.
The system provides emotional and financial resources, social support and skill building opportunities for individuals to achieve their individual goals (CSAT, 2005).
The elements of any system are the heart and soul that goes into its creation. The elements are what maintain the integrity of the system.
As in any system, precious parts can be lost over time if those monitoring the system are not vigilant and focused on the true purpose of the system.
Therefore, it is essential that the elements are reviewed frequently, especially during system transformation and change and that special care is taken to always maintain their authenticity.”
]]>For those of you who don’t know, the state of Pennsylvania has been transforming its addiction and mental health care system to be one that is based on recovery and on a chronic care model of care. Along with Connecticut, which led the way, Pennsylvania is playing a key role in the States in the development of recovery-oriented systems of care.
I have indicated on numerous occasions that we need to learn from what is going in the US. I believe strongly that a significant number of recovery advocates, researchers, practitioners and policy makers across the pond are carving a pathway that we can follow, adjusting it for cultural and any other differences.
We can save a great deal of time, energy and anguish by following this lead.
This White Paper contains some key information that I want to present to you. It is core to what we are doing. Given the quality of this document – it really is THAT good – I’m not going to mess about and paraphrasing. I will quote key parts in this and forthcoming blogs.
A number of people have indicated on this community site that they do not know what material they should be reading about recovery, and giving out to other people. We will be providing guidance over time in regard to this matter. Can I suggest you read the rest of this blog, print it off and hand around, and read the original document?
For now, I hand you over to the Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) Subcommittee of the Drug and Alcohol Coalition in Pennsylvania [I’ve altered paragraphing in this version of blog to make it easier to read].
“As in any system, there are Guiding Principles that are the ideals or code of conduct that defines the system’s core values and priorities. Guiding Principles filter through every aspect of a system clearly identifying the moral values embedded within the system.
Guiding Principles are the fundamental beliefs that guide the operation of a system throughout its life in all circumstances, irrespective of changes in its goals, strategies, type of work, or the top management.
Therefore, once established, a ROSC should remain intact and authentic to the original vision, values and principles regardless of changes that occur in the implementation/execution of this system.
Those values that form the Guiding Principles of a ROSC include the following beliefs about recovery:
There are many pathways to recovery. Individuals are unique with specific needs, strengths, goals, attitudes, behaviors and expectations for recovery. Pathways to recovery are highly personal, and generally involve a redefinition of identity in the face of crisis or a process of progressive change.
Furthermore, pathways are often social, grounded in cultural beliefs or traditions and involve informal community resources, which provide support for recovery.
The pathway to recovery may include one or more episodes of psychosocial and/or pharmacological treatment. For some, recovery involves neither treatment nor involvement with mutual aid groups.
Recovery is a lifelong process of change that permits an individual to make healthy choices and improve the quality of his or her life.
Recovery is self-directed and empowering. While the pathway to recovery may involve one or more periods of time when activities are directed or guided to a substantial degree by others, recovery is fundamentally a self-directed process.
The person in recovery is the agent of recovery and has the authority to exercise choices and make decisions based on his or her recovery goals that have an impact on the process.
The process of recovery leads individuals toward the highest level of autonomy of which they are capable. Through self-empowerment, individuals become optimistic about life goals.
Recovery involves a personal recognition of the need for change and transformation. Individuals must accept that a problem exists and be willing to take steps to address it; these steps usually involve seeking help for alcohol and other drug dependence.
The process of change can involve physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual aspects of the person’s life.
Recovery is holistic. Recovery is a process through which one gradually achieves greater balance of mind, body and spirit in relation to other aspects of one’s life, including family, work and community.
Recovery has cultural dimensions. Each person’s recovery process is unique and impacted by cultural beliefs and traditions. A person’s cultural experience often shapes the recovery path that is right for him or her.
Recovery exists on a continuum of improved health and wellness. Recovery is not a linear process. It is based on continual growth and improved functioning. It may involve relapse and other setbacks, which are a natural part of the continuum but not inevitable outcomes.
Wellness is the result of improved care and balance of mind, body and spirit. It is a product of the recovery process.
Recovery emerges from hope and gratitude. Individuals in or seeking recovery often gain hope from those who share their search for or experience of recovery. They see that people can and do overcome the obstacles that confront them and they cultivate gratitude for the opportunities that each day of recovery offers.
Recovery involves a process of healing and redefinition for self and family. Recovery is a holistic healing process in which one develops a positive and meaningful sense of identity.
Recovery involves addressing discrimination and transcending shame and stigma. Recovery is a process by which individuals, families and communities confront and strive to overcome discrimination, shame and stigma by advocating for self and others.
Recovery is supported by peers and allies. A common denominator in the recovery process is the presence and involvement of people who contribute hope and support and suggest strategies and resources for change. Peers, as well as family members and other allies, form vital support networks for people in recovery.
Providing service to others and experiencing mutual healing help create a community of support among those in recovery.
Recovery involves (re)joining and (re)building a life in the community. Recovery involves a process of building or rebuilding what a person has lost or never had due to his or her condition and its consequences. Recovery is building or rebuilding healthy family, social, spiritual and personal relationships.
Those in recovery often achieve improvements in the quality of their lives, such as obtaining education, employment and housing. They also increasingly become involved in constructive roles in the community through helping others, productive acts and other contributions.
Recovery is a reality. It can, will, and does happen.
Guiding Principles are the blueprint that sets the course by which a system navigates (CSAT, 2007). Protecting and honoring the Guiding Principles of a ROSC are integral to its ongoing success and growth.
Although they may be altered as necessary over time, in essence the Guiding Principles should always remain true to the original vision.”
Hope you enjoyed!
]]>This week, Susan C buried her son Michael. She has blogged her thoughts for the last two weeks, which has left many of us deeply moved. This remarkable lady has shown so much courage and has impacted massively on our community.
I would like you all to take some time to think about these special ladies. I would also like you to think of others who have lost loved ones to drugs and alcohol, such as Irene and Ian Macdonald who set up the Cheltenham Parents Support Group after the loss of their son.
There are many others and a significant proportion of these people have gone on to make important contributions to the recovery field and to helping people negatively affected by a loved one’s substance use.
Today, I have devoted Daily Dose to people who have lost loved ones to drugs and alcohol, the people we have lost, and to all those people who are helping families, friends and carers of those people affected by substance use problems.
You will find information about Elizabeth Burton-Phillips’ work, a series of blogs written by Susan, articles written by the Macdonalds and Kerry Manley, and links to some special books.
There is also a link to a very special video by Chase Johnston-Lynch of Owen Allen singing Letting Go. Watch this deeply moving performance.
I hope you spend some time with this material and find it useful.
]]>In the first paper, the authors described some of the reasons for why the mental health and addictions fields have had trouble integrating in the past. They also discussed how recovery could be a conceptual bridge to the integration of the fields.
In the second article, they examine how emerging recovery systems are different from traditional models of care. I have taken some highlights from this article, but I strongly urge you to also read the full article.
‘Understanding that system change, like recovery, must be led by people with lived experiences of recovery, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services consulted with statewide recovery advocacy organizations to develop a set of core recovery values (e.g., self-sufficiency, dignity, and respect) and principles to drive their system transformation process.
These principles included the following admonitions:
White and Davidson go on to describe some of the major changes in practice in both the addiction and mental health fields in states like Connecticut and cities like Philadelphia. I’ve summarised where I can.
Roles of clients, families, and recovery advocates
People in recovery are considered valuable assets and partners, rather than problems, with involvement at all organizational levels and across major functions. Their decisions are crucial to long-term recovery, and a philosophy of choice guides all levels of care.
Identification, engagement, and retention
Assertive outreach programs shift from pain-based to hope-based intervention strategies and have lowered thresholds of admission, increased use of case management to resolve obstacles to participation, and used motivational enhancement and contingency management to lower the number of clients disengaging from services against medical advice or being administratively discharged.
Assessment
Assessment protocols shift from being categorical (specialized), pathology-based, and individual-focused to being global, strengths-based, family-centered, and continual.
Service goals
Symptom reduction/remission shifts from a goal to a strategy, focusing on quality of life, achievement of personal aspirations, and meaningful participation in and service to the community.
Service planning and service team
Transition from professionally directed treatment plans to client-driven recovery plans, along with a move to multiagency, interdisciplinary service models and an inclusion of family and indigenous healers (clergy, folk healers, recovery peers, etc.) in treatment and recovery planning processes.
Role of the community
Emphasis on local recovery education and policy advocacy. The community is no longer viewed as a context for or precipitant of relapse, but rather as a reservoir of resources, hospitality, and support. The focus is on collaboration with existing recovery support resources and community development strategies to expand the scope and quality of such resources.
Service timing
The system shifts from crisis-based contact to long-term support focused on critical windows of peak functioning (to acknowledge and celebrate recovery) and critical windows of vulnerability (to provide support through situations that pose a risk for relapse). Regular recovery checkups are employed.
Locus of service delivery
Instead of institutional environments, the locus of service delivery is the client’s natural environment. Considerable focus is on the “ecology of recovery” (helping clients create recovery-conducive physical and social environments).
Service relationship
This shifts from an expert model of diagnosis and treatment to a sustained healthcare partnership. The relationship isn’t hierarchical, transient, and highly commercialized, but rather less hierarchical, sustained, and natural. Peer-based models of recovery support increasingly are being used.
Service evaluation
Service evaluation significantly involves clients, family members, and community elders. The emphasis shifts from pathology measures to key recovery indicators. Instead of evaluating discrete service episodes, evaluation focuses on the impact of service combinations and sequences on a person’s overall life over time.
Wow, there is a lot of stuff there yo think about it. I would suggest taking these points (from the original manuscript) and sticking them up on your wall or on your desk as a reminder. They are critical benchmarks.
I will finish off talking about these papers – well, I haven’t done much talking, just copied these words of wisdom – in a third blog.
]]>I have recently realised that I missed a two-part article they co-authored on recovery and the integration of the addiction and mental health fields. This is a particularly important article for various reasons and I strongly suggest that you read both parts (see links below).
For now though, I’ve taken some quotes to give you some idea of what was covered in this excellent article. I’ll start with the first part, which contains some useful descriptions of recovery and recovery-oriented care.
‘The purpose of this two-part series is to explore whether the concept of recovery could serve as a conceptual bridge through which the treatments of addiction and mental illness could be integrated within one recovery-oriented system of care.’
Historically, these two systems of care have not been integrated and the authors provide some of the reasons why this has been the case. As many of us know, the failure of these system to be integrated means that people with co-occurring addiction and mental health problems often fail to get help for their problems from both care systems.
‘Recovery refers to the ways in which persons with or affected by a mental illness and/or addiction tap resources within and beyond the self to move beyond experiencing these disorders to actively managing them and their residual effects to build full, meaningful lives in the community.
Recovery is more than the elimination of symptoms from an otherwise unchanged life. It is about regaining wholeness, connection to community, and a purpose-filled life.
A number of overarching ideas are at the core of these new recovery advocacy movements:
‘Behavioral healthcare must move beyond emergency and palliative care to care oriented to promoting long-term recovery.
Recovery-oriented care is what psychiatric and addiction treatment and rehabilitation practitioners offer in long-term support of the person’s/family’s own recovery efforts.
Recovery-oriented care shifts the design of the addiction treatment system from an acute care model, focused on serial episodes of biopsychosocial stabilization, to a model of sustained recovery management.
That same recovery orientation in the mental health field shifts the service design beyond cyclical crisis intervention and “sustaining care,” aimed at symptom suppression and reduced hospitalizations, to one of recovery enhancement.
Recovery-oriented care focuses on the acquisition and maintenance of recovery capital (internal and external assets required for recovery initiation and self-maintenance), global health (physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual), and community integration (meaningful roles, relationships, and activities).’
I’ll look at Part 2 in another blog.
Recovery: The bridge to integration? Part one
Recovery: The bridge to integration? Part two
As most of you know, I have now stepped back from running the community, handing over to Michaela and Sarah. They’ve been doing an excellent job. We’ll soon start talking about and planning the future for the community.
I’ll be playing a very much more minor role in running the community, although I am not lost to the recovery field. I am planning to write a book and make a film on recovery. As there is lots to learn, read and research, I’m going to be quiet for some time whilst I move forward on these challenging ventures.
I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about the links to content about mindfulness on Daily Dose yesterday.
The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) have launched a new website called Be Mindful, which contains content on the experience of mindfulness and the evidence showing that it can help people deal with a variety of physical and psychological problems.
A Surgery Toolkit can be purchased for a small sum (£20) which is of use to health professionals and Primary Care Trusts, and others. I provided a link to the Executive Summary of a report on the effectiveness of mindfulness. You can purchase the report.
I have also provided links to two key books on mindfulness and depression, one self-help guide (with accompanying CD) and the other a guide for professionals. These books are not just relevant to depression, but to all aspects of life.
There is no doubt in my mind that mindfulness is a powerful tool in helping people find recovery from addiction. I have written a past blog on mindfulness and I will be talking more about the topic in the future.
That’s all for now. Be back soon.
]]>Exposure of children and adolescents to alcohol advertising on metropolitan free-to-air television
The self-regulation system in Australia does not protect children and youth from exposure to alcohol advertising, much of which contains elements appealing to these groups [Addiction, UK]
Estimates predict that between 3.4-3.5 million children live with at least one binge-drinking parent
A new piece of research launched today shows that the number of children living with substance misusing parents is greater than previously thought [Action on Addiction, UK]
The Seeds of Exclusion 2009
The research, produced with the University of Kent and Cardiff University and involving a series of clinical assessments of 967 homeless adults using Salvation Army hostels and day centres around the UK and Ireland, reveals particularly alarming results for 18-25 year-olds than for any other age group [Salvation Army, UK]
Audio of 2009 Recovery Teleconference Series: Building Bridges to Long-term Recovery
Audio presentations from William L White, Beverly Haberle and Phillip Valentine: Mutual support groups / Peer and other recovery support services / Clinical treatment services, their differences and relationships [Faces & Voices of Recovery, USA]
What treatment meant to me
“Treatment changed my life. Because it changed my life, it has effectively changed the lives of those I love and come into contact with: my partner, my family, my friends and, of course, my clients.” [Androcles, Wired In]
We hope you enjoy this look back into the past.
]]>As you know, the Wired In team has been enthused, impressed and excited by the quality of the blogs and by the interactions between members since our recovery community was launched.
However, as you would expect with any online community, there have been a small number of problems and a small minority of people we have been concerned about. Dealing with such problems (and people) is important for any web community.
Often, the ‘troublesome’ members in a community are not malicious in their behaviour – they just haven’t thought through the full consequences to others of their behaviour.
However, in some cases the person knows exactly what they are doing – they are on the community to cause trouble. And they are very good at being a martyr when challenged about their behaviour – or suspended or banned from the community.
In our case, it is even more important that we deal effectively with such problems (and people), given the vulnerability of some of our community members.
I am reminded by a statement from Bill White in his book ‘Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America’:
“… calls for us to approach each client, family, and community with respect, humility, and a devotion to the ultimate principle of ethical practice: “First, do no harm.”
The fact that some of our members have expressed their genuine concerns about some comments has worried us. Some members have commented that these comments have changed the warmth and caring nature of the environment – something that was essential to them.
In some cases, they have left the community. They have felt threatened. This is a sad situation. These people have not over-reacted – we agree with their concerns.
In light of these issues, we have decided to change the way the community operates.
In general, we will now moderate comments before they are posted to the website. This means that there will be a delay before you see your comment on the website. However, it also means we can be proactive in dealing with problems, rather than reactive as we are now.
Once members have achieved a certain level of community ‘trust’, their comments will be posted to the site unmoderated, ie. they will appear almost immediately after being posted.
Please bear with us whilst we set this new system up.
Thank you.
PS. My three youngest children are flying in from Dubai late tonight. I want to spend some uninterrupted quality time with them, so you won’t see me around the community for a few weeks now. However, as Arnie once said, “I’ll be back.” Have a good Christmas break and All the Best for 2010.
]]>Over the past few months, I’ve come to realise that I need a break from what I am doing. This feeling has been strengthened by the last few months of running the community, most of which I have been doing on my own until very recently.
I’ve had to keep a very close eye on the community throughout every day and evening, as it has been very important we develop the right sort of environment if the community is going to prosper in the future. This task has been more difficult by the fact that as I am now living in Australia at present, so I am out-of-sync with the lives of most community members who reside in UK. When I try to stop working, you guys are getting going, which has resulted in me working day and night.
I had originally intended to lead the community for a year and then hopefully hand over to other people. Well, the year is up!
I am 55 now and really do want to get on with other things, both in the recovery field and in my personal life. I have been planning to write a book on recovery and have been researching, reading and writing in relation to this.
Moreover, I’ve wanted to get involved in film – few of you will know that I was accepted at a film school when I was young, but opted for the ‘safety’ of a psychology degree. Well, I’d like to see nearly 40 years later whether I do have any talent – or maybe I’ll go off the idea when I start working.
I’ve linked up with local film-maker, Michael Lui – who had a short film accepted at the Cannes film festival some years ago – and he is very excited about working in this field. We’ve become good friends and we’re looking forward to a fruitful collaboration. We’ll see what happens.
One thing for sure is that I cannot really do these things effectively whilst also running a community, trying to raise money, run Wired In etc. Impossible!
So the result of all this is that I am going to take a year’s sabbatical from running Wired In and the recovery community. I’m going to spend time here in Australia exploring what I want to do. I also want to spend more time with my family, both the new one here in Perth and my children who live in Dubai with their mother.
I won’t be leaving the recovery field though, just reinventing myself within it (Bill White told me he had done this several times). In fact, I believe that I will offer the field much more in my new activities than in just running the community.
So what’s going to happen with Wired In?
Well, Michaela Jones of uchooseit will take over my role in running the community, with the help of Sarah Davies (and others). Sarah will also continue in her role as the main consultant for our charity of Wired International Ltd, as well as running the WiredIn2Recovery group in Cardiff. Michaela and Sarah will deal with general Wired In matters.
I will not disappear completely, but will discuss with them about Wired In strategy and any problems that may arise. But I will be very much in the background. Mind you, you’ll see me on the community from time-to-time.
The real challenge that lies ahead for the Wired In community now is to raise funding (which I cannot do) – we’ve been holding back many planned developments simply because they need money. If you want to help in the fund-raising process or in the running of the Wired In community, please contact michaela@uchooseit.org.uk or sarah@wiredin.org.uk.
I will also continue running Daily Dose for the remainder of our sponsorship year. Obviously, we’re hoping that we can obtain further sponsorship and maintain the service over the next years! So DD, Wired In and our recovery community will still be with you, hopefully stronger than ever.
I just want to thank you all for helping us develop this wonderful community. I really have had some amazing comments about what we have all achieved, so we should all feel rightly proud.
Some of you have become very close personal friends, many others have enriched my life in some way. We have all contributed towards the recovery movement in some way, which hopefully will continue to help and enrich more people’s lives in the future. Of course, real challenges lie ahead, but at least we have started a journey!
I know that this coming year is going to re-energise me and allow me to make some interesting and hopefully important contributions to the field. And I know that Wired In will be in good hands!
Thank you.
]]>We now have 1070 members, many of whom have contributed content to the community website. In fact, we now have over 1400 blogs on site, along with a variety of stories, articles, multimedia content and links to resources.
In encouraging people to write about their experiences and views via the blogs, we’ve hoped that this would not only help others but also lead to the development of peer support.
Many people have contributed in this regard, but like all communities, we’ve had those people who come on the site for motives other than those which we hoped would attract people.
For those of you who have been upset and worried by these people, we will continue to do our best to deal with the troubles they cause. As the community grows stronger, it will become more and more difficult for them to have an impact.
I’d just like to take a quote from a comment by Karl Phillips, who has given useful advice in the past (and moderates on other forums):
‘One of the golden rules of any internet forum seems to be that the contentious issues always get the most traffic.
This is because of the 2nd golden rule of internet forums, – that the people who frequent internet forums the most are the most contentious, opinionated and argumentative of people, regardless of the subject matter of the forum.
In the real world people would walk away from such annoying people, but in cyber space they can just go on and on, debating and complaining, offending and blaming without end. It’s the nature of the game.
So, what’s the answer? Well, strong moderation is one answer, but in reality the only way to reduce this kind of traffic is to stop responding to it. In that way you withdraw the oxygen of contention that people like this thrive upon. You help them to understand that they aren’t welcome here.’
Whilst I wanted to reassure those of you who have been worried by some of the people on the site, the focus of this blog is not the negative. It’s about the positive. It’s about YOU!
I just wanted to say how I continue to be amazed by the quality of the blogs (and some of the comments). So many of them have been really good, inspirational, helpful, informative, interesting… I feel so lucky to be able to access this wealth of quality content.
I love it when people come on board and say they have never blogged before, and then proceed to write a really good piece – be it short or long.
It is so nice hearing from someone who has just started their journey to recovery, taking their first steps on this journey but also in wiring in to people here. When I see such writing, it makes me forget the cynics, the disruptors, the people who come here for their own ego.
We must never forget that we are here to help people, and to help people help others! We are about offering ‘opportunity, choice and hope’.
We have finished our first stage of development of this rcovery community. I’d like to be able to say that we’re ploughing on creating all sorts of new things on the site. Whilst we have so many new activities planned, many of these cannot be implemented because they require money (e.g for programming) and people working with us.
Sadly, this site has survived on £5,000 during the last year – ironic when the UK spends close to £1 billion on drug and alcohol problems. We obviously need to attract significant funding if we are to develop further. And we need peope who can work alongside us.
So please bear with us if future developments are slow. We will get there though. One resource we do have is YOU. Yes, you can still contribute, support, help with the words that you put on this website.
We’ll also be coming up with some suggestions for those of you who want to become more involved.
I’d like to thank some special people who have given up time in helping the development of this site. In particular Lucie James, who helped me press the launch button one year ago, and who was such a great collaborator over a four year period. Enjoy that Clinical PhD course Lucie!!!
And to Sarah Davies (another long-time collaborator) and Kevin Manley, also of Cardiff, who have not only helped with this site, but have supported me over the years. Huge thanks to Nathan Pitman for building the site, and to Michaela Jones for coming on board to help us.
David McCartney, Wynford Ellis Owen, Annemarie Ward, The MacDonalds, Prawney and Peapod not just for all the blogs and comments, but also the friendship and emotional support. And to Masha for all those wonderful tools (which will soon get their own section).
To Bill White, an extraordinary man who has done so much for the field and taught me so much, thanks for the special inspiration and the continuing supportive communications.
To Linda, for continuing to believe in me and helping me through those ‘dark times’. And being there.
Thanks for inspiration, stimulation, and making me laugh, to Androcles, Brian White, Carl, Chris G, GuyinGHo, Phil Hughes, Linda, Louis, Mark Burns, Mark Gilman (the funniest man around), Kerry Manley, John Mills, Oliver, Sophia, Tony A, Vesselina, Wulf and many other excellent bloggers (please forgive me if I have forgotten you).
Most of all,
Thanks to you all for supporting the Wired In recovery community.
]]>Sadly, those plans have been dashed by some trouble on the community and I have no option, but to write a blog about this matter, respond to some criticism, and remind people about the principles of the site.
This matter has arisen from comments on a blog entitled Women and AA, written by Peapod, one of our more prolific and respected bloggers. Peapod expressed some concerns about an article featured in the well-respected magazine DDN, which resulted in a number of comments on the blog.
There was a good deal of discussion and debate, most of it acceptable and some very interesting, although some a little ‘high-spirited’.
However, as moderator on this blog, I felt that one comment (written by Brat) was both personal and offensive. I therefore deleted it, in accordance with our community Terms & Regulations.
This was followed by another comment by Brat strongly complaining about the decision, and as is done on many other community websites, this comment was also moderated out.
Further comments accusing us of being “childish, cowardly and self-defeating” were added by Brat.
This comment was followed by one from Claire, Editor of DDN, complaining about the removal of Brat’s comments (which I will address in a moment) and one from Ray Covery which said simply, “I agree completely, Claire. The moderation of Brat’s comments has been farcical and pathetic. This site is in danger of imploding if this kind of thing carries on.”
Let me first address some of Claire’s comments.
In her last comment, she starts, “I have to ask about the rules for engagement with your forum”, and goes on to say, “… then you need to include a mission statement so people understand that your forum takes a particular position.”
I am puzzled by these statements since our mission and aims are clearly stated on the Home Page. Moreover, our principles of operation are stated very clearly in our Terms & Conditions, available on the website.
These Terms & Conditions were very carefully drafted so that we would follow the principles and operations used by prestigious Guardian website and the BBC.
I am also puzzled by the fact that Claire goes on to tell us what our site is and what we should be doing. She also talks about censorship. Now, not wishing to be disrespectful here, but I do not feel that it is Claire’s place to lecture us on how to run our community. She is not in charge (and only joined the community three days a go, just before submitting a comment).
I am also puzzled by the reference to ‘censorship’. Most community websites use moderation, to try to prevent nastiness, offense, etc? Why shouldn’t we? Is Claire supporting the principle that people can be personal and offensive in print? Is it a principle of DDN that all submitted articles are not edited in any way?
Wired In has an underlying ethos, principles of operation and a set of Terms & Conditions to which we try to abide. We try to be as fair as possible – obviously we are never going to be right on every occasion, but we try to be as objective as we can.
We are never going to please everyone, that is an impossibility. We must try to please the majority of people in our community.
And in this regard I believe that we have operated correctly in this matter. Our website is not about allowing people to be personal and offensive. It is not about bruised egos, someone’s anger, or their hidden agenda.
It is about trying to help people overcome a substance use problem and lead a better life. It’s about empowering people, providing a warm and supportive environment, facilitating peer support and advocacy, providing useful information.
When our team look at a nasty comment, or consider that someone is trying to cause trouble, we have to always consider the bigger picture. How do we continue to protect this community and maintain our warm and supportive environment? How do we conduct matters in relation to our aims and principles of operation?
[One community member has previously suggested in a comment that we use one principle for judging whether a comment is appropriate: does it abide by our Home Page statement ‘Wired In aims to provide an environment of opportunity, choice and hope…]’
Over the past few months, a number of people who have loved our community have indicated to me that because of a few people the environment has changed so that is not supportive in the way that it was. That have either left the community or seriously considered leaving. They have blamed a small number of ‘trouble-makers’.
We find this a very sad state of affairs and we will do all we can to prevent the situation continuing. My colleagues and I have to think of these people when we are looking at individual comments. We also have to be aware of the potential fragility of some people in early recovery.
We have to get this balance between debate and discussion (which we encourage) and the maintenance of a warm and supportive environment. Not easy, I can tell you.
I was talking with a friend at a party last night and she said that it must be incredibly stressing trying to maintain a community of this type, trying to protect the sensitivities and needs of so many people, many of whom have or have had problems.
She was surprised I had managed to keep it going a year without buckling. She was amazed that I do it for the love of it – I don’t get paid – and I have been ‘on-call’ most of the past year.
[In relation to Ray Covery’s comment that the community may implode – we won’t implode because of removing nasty comments. We may fall apart if lots of community members leave because of the disruption and change in supportive environment caused by a few, or if the people overseeing the community run out of energy or just get disillusioned].
I have to confess that it has been hard – emotionally draining at times.
It’s been made more difficult by the time difference between where most members reside (UK) and where I have been living (Australia). This means that troubles often arise just as I get up, or just before I go to bed – I am always keeping a watchful eye on the website. Can be very frustrating when troubles brew at these times and plans or rest are disrupted. And very tiring.
But the troubles to date have only been caused by a few people. I’ve had a large number of positive emails about the community site and lots of thank-yous and messages of support for what we are doing.
As I said earlier, we cannot get everything right all the time. But we’ll do everything we can to deal with behaviour that is not in accordance with our Terms & Conditions, and to continue to provide a warm and supportive environment.
Thank you to all those who have been supportive. And sorry this blog is so long, and having to deal with negative rather than positive aspects of the community. I will have to do the positive one tomorrow morning.
If you are feeling that the warm and supportive atmosphere of the community has been disrupted by the few, then please blog about the issues that matter to you. The things that are going to help you and others.
Let’s get the focus back on supporting others and being positive, rather than the focus being on the few taking nasty pokes at others, including my team and myself.
Let’s get that warm and supportive environment back, and turn away from the unhelpful and unsupportive stuff.
Thank you.
]]>The Award goes to Carl C for his inspiring blog Recovery and Re-integration: My Story. I look forward so much to hearing more about your ongoing adventures along your path to recovery, Carl!
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