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I also attended the recovery conference in Carlisle. And whilst I must confess I was out of the hall when Professor John Ashton stated that recovery is not for everybody, I share Alistair’s confusion about such a statement. Because I have heard the same said about young people, recovery is not for them, they are not ready etc.
But for me the confusion here is that, in a sense, perhaps people are being prescriptive. Almost as if there is a neatly defined beginning, middle and end on a recovery pathway. Whereas my understanding of recovery is that it is a process, that it is a continuum and people reach different stages at their own pace. That a person’s recovery is self defined and may in fact change over time.
If we start to say that recovery is not for everybody, then there is a danger that we start to assess, suggest prerequisites or just decide who it is and isn’t for. Surely the point is that recovery is for everybody, because it’s a hope, a process of change, an opportunity.
And yes, of course there are people who will choose not to take these opportunities. But surely the door is always going to be left open for them. Because recovery can be for them when they are ready and an inclusive recovery community will continue to be available for all.
I also think that if we suggest that recovery is not for everybody, because some people don’t want it, can’t achieve it or are not ready for it, then we are going right back to viewing this just in terms of the personal, the pathological, the micro.
Whereas I think what we are trying to develop is a recovering community. Where structures, organisations and services are recovery orientated, places where hope, opportunity, life and health enhancements are always on the menu and operate in partnership with the individual personal goals.
Maybe this is very simplistic. But we can’t build anti-discriminatory, inclusive services and then say “It’s not for everybody.”
In my own work with young people, many of them are ‘not ready’ for recovery but surely it would be irresponsible of me not to explore those pathways with them. Open doors for when they are ready or at the very least begin to sow the seed of recovery for them. To let them know that recovery is not a one off opportunity, where if you miss the bus you’ve lost your chance.
In fact that bus will be around anytime you want to step onto it.
Or am I getting this all wrong?
I have to say that if you are wrong then I am happy to join you in that wrongness.
A fantastic blog – says it all and says it well. Top!
I sometimes wonder if the simplicity and multiplicity inherent in recovery is what cynics find most challenging.
I think that the minute anybody turns up at a service there should be an immediate assumption that the individual wants to sort the problem, that they can do it themselves with the right information and that they will be successful. Very often the opposite happens with statements such as “your not ready yet” and attitudes like “well you did this yesterday your bound to do it again”. Personally I believe in change and that it can happen anytime and that it doesn’t need me or anyone else to put a rubber stamp on it before it is believable.
I think, like many professionals, the Prof may be confusing recovery with abstinence, though even here it is open to challenge.
Aspiration, hope, optimism and a solid belief in people’s ability to change and achieve their own goals with appropriate support are essential ingredients.
I always say to clients on their first contact and even when they are still chaotic: your recovery journey has already started. It started the second you decided things needed to change and your asked for help.
Nice blog Melody.
I think there are many young people who are happy to embrace abstinence.
Pucker blog melody, I sort of meet you half way! now that sounds SAD, yet bear with me! those who come onto this site and seek support else where etc, yes recovery is possible, we are living proof of this! yet sadly many don’t make it full stop.
I have been to wet houses, seen people die, and lost count how many I have known who do die.
I am just a simple individual, and am just talking for myself, yes I am an addict – yes I have to deal with it for life on a daily basis – yes I become before anything else in my life.
That is my choice – as I want to stay clean. yet many – and I do not know the statistics etc, not interested in all that – just do not want to recover and we are the minority that recover.
However – I do agree with all comments, so please try not to be judgemental with my comment.
Melody
Fantastic blog you are a credit to your profession and the young people you work with – I was recently told by a criminal justice worker he would not believe a client/offender who said they did not want a meth script – I challenged this logic and was mildly surprised that the majority of other workers agreed with him – I feel that if we can one day break away from thinking that as workers we know best and try to deliver a client focused service – we will be closer to having the kind of treatment provision that Mark Gilman eloquently spoke about recently – one we would happily place one of our family into with confidence – Methadone for some – subutex for others – abstinence for those who want it and “recovery – hope and CHOICE for all” our day will come.
A great blog Melody – and you’re right! Your points and experience are really important for reminding us to assess the messages we are giving out – and the ones we believe ourselves! I guess we can help to raise awareness and input in building those recovery communities, where ‘structures, organisations and services are recovery orientated, places where hope, opportunity, life and health enhancements are always on the menu and operate in partnership with the individual personal goals (I nabbed your words!)’ and then allow people to find their paths. I’ve certaintly met young people in recovery – ok, only a few – but that’s just my experience and it shows they are there!
Hi Melody. Spot on. I’m in! Thanks, Karl.
recovery is for everybody! there are no hopeless cases. thanks for this important and insightful blog Melody x
I can remember in the early days of heroin use, recovery wasn’t for me at all! i really looked forward to getting high on weekends then being straight for the 9-5 week and the cycle went on until the weekend use seeped into the week days and then i was completely addicted.
This is when recovery seemed the only option for me. when i’d hit rock bottom and i could see the trail of destruction i’d left behind. when i stood to lose everything…
I totally agree the recovery door should always be left open and people encouraged to engage. This is just my own experience as a ex-user and the cycle i went through to reach the recovery path myself.
I agree with PeaPod that Professor Ashton may be confused. Not only is abstinence not recovery, but neither are the 12 step programs. Many people reduce the harms their addiction does and/or manage to achieve sobriety without 12 step programs. For practical reasons, organizations and institutions need to describe recovery according to their own purposes, but any individual is free to define recovery as they see fit.
Hi Melody,
thanks for the blog. You have kind of helped me a little with a current quandry/anxiety. I’d quite like to talk to you about it sometime soon. Could have just rang you as we aren’t exactly strangers but I wanted to lend my support here to your blog. It’s great that we are in this together finding new ways to think about all the stuff we’ve been buried in for too many years.
Thanks.
Melody i also wanted to add that at the last AA meeting i went to in London last year there were 2 kids in recovery, a young man 16 who had been in recoveryr for two years and a girl 15 who was 14 month . Also when i got into recovery at 25 my mates were all in the 20 to 25 age range and most of them had been in recovery for over 5 years….. I also know some old timers in their early 40s who have been in recovery longer than they used…..
Annemarie,
Going off slightly at a tangent, but something that I’m intrigued by, do you think that you will always remain ‘in recovery’? In other words, do you never lose that status of having once been addicted?
How do you measure recovery?
recovery is a persomal journey and maybe that fleeting thought of recovery when your young is the begining of the recovery journey, your very right in my eyes with what you say and an acronym i’ve heard in my recovery that’s served me well is keep it simple, Micheala’s right i think that can be a litle threatening to the puppet masters, wonderful blog, thanks.
