AdministratorDavid Clark

Two excellent reads

Just been looking at a July issue of Drink and Drugs News and came across two interesting and thought provoking articles. Well worth a read!

In the first, Time to Change, David Best and colleagues describe a training programme for recovery-oriented treatment that could help break down artificial barriers. I’m really pleased to see great things happening in North Wales.

In the second, Models of Compliance, Alex Boyt comments on how the treatment system is failing those most at risk and looks at potential dangers of the recovery agenda in the current climate. Some very interesting words of caution from someone who has been there and back.

Hope you enjoy these!

1 comments - First published on: 30/08/2010

‘The Future Redefinition of Treatment’ by Bill White

After my long break, I’m back to writing on recovery. Well, doing the final preparation to get back to the book. Pulled out one of my favourite reads, Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America by William L White. Found one of my favourite sections which I will quote here:

“During the past 150 years, “treatment” in the addictions field has been viewed as something that occurs within an institution – a medical, psychological, and spiritual sanctuary isolated from the community at large.

In the future, this locus will be moved from the institution to the community itself. Treatment will be viewed as something that happens in indigenous networks of recovering people that exist within the broader community.

The shift will be from the emotional and cognitive processes of the client to the client’s relationship in a social environment.

With this shift will come an expansion of the role of the clinician to encompass skills in community organization. Such a transition does not deny the importance of the reconstruction of personal identity and other cognitive and emotional processes – or of the physical processes of healing – in addiction recovery.

But it does recognize that such processes unfold within a social ecosystem and that this ecosystem, as much as the risk and resiliency in the individual, tips the scale towards recovery or continued self-destruction.

As these new community organizers extend their activities beyond the boundaries of traditional inpatient and outpatient treatment, they will need to be careful that they do not undermine the natural indigenous system of support that exist within the community.

The worst scenario would be that we would move into the lives of communities and – rather than help nurture the growth of indigenous supports – replace these natural, reciprocal relationships with ones that are professionalized, hierarchal, and commercialized.”

You can certainly see the positive shifts described here in the UK and US!

3 comments - First published on: 26/08/2010

Back after a long break

My sincere apologies that I have been away from the community so much over the past four months. As I said in a blog some time ago, I’ve had to deal with a serious family problem. The problem ended up taking over my life during the past months.

Anyway, time to start working again and contributing to the community. I’ve been reading members’ contributions, just not had the opportunity to contribute myself. All other aspects of my Wired In work have also had to be put on hold.

Obviously, I’ve been very grateful to Michaela for all her hard work in captaining the ship. We’ll be having a long Skype meeting shortly, discussing where we are and planning for the future.

I’m also planning more writing about recovery. Had a head-load of stuff that I wanted to write about before the personal problem arose.

Now need to get my head together and strap myself to my new writing seat outside (overlooking the river) or in the study downstairs. Moved into this new house in Perth (West Australia) nearly four months ago and not yet had chance to write.

I was looking back at some of my old blogs this morning and got really inspired by the Guiding Principles of Recovery from Pennsylvania. Thought I would remind you of their first principle:

‘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.

There is so much in that little section that informs us about how to move forward in transforming the way that we help people overcome serious substance use problems and mental health problems.

It’s good to be back.

12 comments - First published on: 10/08/2010

Apologies

I just wanted to take this opportunity to apologise for not being on the site recently, and not being able to attend the Recovery conference this week.

I have been completely tied up for over a month now dealing with a serious family problem. It’s been stressing, distressing and all consuming of time, so it has been difficult to spend time on the community. And impossible to travel to the UK as planned.

I also lost the internet for two weeks – some people would never believe I could survive without the internet for two days – after we moved house to a new part of Perth.

I have not forgotten you. And I am so excited about the conference on Friday. This is a major moment for the Recovery movement in the UK, and worldwide. Well done the UKRF for putting this together.

I am also very grateful to Michaela for running the community so well. There are some new community activities coming soon which I am very excited about.

I’m trying to get some balance with this problem so I can be back contributing to the community and some writing on Recovery. Hopefully, that will be soon.

My very best to you all. For you who will be at the conference on Friday, have fun, enjoy, network and plan – and shout loud about Recovery!

And please give Michaela, Alistair and Annemarie a big hug from me!

7 comments - First published on: 04/05/2010