Weekly round up and blog of the week, 24th January 2010

Greetings one and all. Well that was the week that was, and what a week it was. Say it fast for a good oral work-out – who needs botox?

This week my virtual and real worlds collided in a very positive way at the National Recovery Walk/Emerging Recovery Organisations planning meeting in Glasgow. Anne Marie, Sarah and myself will be reporting back on this early next week, so I won’t go into details here, other than to say it was great on so many levels.

One of the nicest things – but a bit odd in a nice way – was meeting in the flesh (well not quite flesh, we all had clothes on, it wasn’t that sort of meeting) people from the Wired In community. Odd because you feel you know someone and yet don’t know them at the same time.

Anyway it has made us think that at some point in the near future, when we get beyond the scrabbling for pounds and pence for survival stage – and we will, by hook or by crook – it would be good to organise some Wired In community real world events. Thoughts?

So from reality reality to virtual reality and it has been a cracking week. Being a member of this community means that you have to put your thinking cap on regularly and put what you feel into words (and you thought Wired In was free? oh no…). Graham didn’t disappoint with his poser on ‘should I stay, or should I go’ (thanks Joe Strummer) while Mark reignites the abstinence/maintenance/recovery debate with some interesting comments. It’s not too late to have your say.

On this debate, my newly introduced ‘Keeping an open mind’ award goes to Tim for what I think is an admirable blog, outlining how his views have changed as a result of recent experiences.

Other community members requiring your input are Matthew who would like to hear about your experiences of user groups, peer led activities etc. (please take the time to comment on this, as it is important for the recovery movement to know what works and what doesn’t) and David who is looking for internet resources to engage his more chaotic clients.

Now then, and this is not a criticism, but sometimes do you feel that heroin is the only drug in the world? Brian asks “what about alcohol?” and he has a point. Particularly as some of the policy makers don’t appear to be out and about in the way that Mark Gilman is for the NTA.

But while alcohol is a subject close to my heart, and the state of services a pressing problem in these times of crunched credit, there are also whole other areas of massive neglect which have been highlighted on the site in particular this week.

We heard from Jed last week about ‘prescription’ drugs (although not strictly legally obtained) and this week we have ongoing worries around legal highs – in particular ‘bubble’ or mephadrone – from strut and Tony. Although Tony’s blog has wider implications around how we in recovery react, and interact, with those who are actively using.

Cannabis – and its link to mental health – was the subject of blogs by warriet and Martin, particularly when consumption is mixed with variations of the grain and the grape or other drugs. Interestingly, Keiran wonders whether sobriety may be having an impact on his mental health. More on these areas please.

Depression is a complicated thing that has a huge impact on how we view the world and ourselves in it. In Blue Mondays and Black Dogs GuyinGho talks about striving to manage depressive thoughts and behaviours. Thoughts themselves are looked at in Tony’s blog and taken up again in Androcles’s argument that how we see the world determines how we live our lives.

Shamefully stealing a comment made by Chris Donnelly ‘action with the community in mind, caring for all with an inclusive nature’, Ann Marie shows what you can do if you put your mind to it. In Mums United we see the beginnings unfold, followed by Support for us mums… where the purposes take shape and then Mums and Loved Ones Unite update where the dream starts to become a living, breathing reality. Utterly inspiring.

As is the story behind the formation of the Luke and Marcus Trust. It is great to see more input from families on Wired In – please do keep us all up to date on your activities. It’s amazing to see such good things flowering from tragedy.

Unfortunately tragedy has been a theme of Linda’s blogs this week. First the horrible news of the loss of a good friend in a diving accident and then a phone call letting her know that Craig’s brother had been taken to hospital. Alcoholism seems to be at the root of this and it highlights again how hard it can be to get treatment – or get the individual affected into treatment.

And speaking of treatment – oh those links keep flowing, Richard and Judy eat your heart out – waiting times in Wales are the issue in Matt’s blog and I am sure that I am not alone in finding six to 12 months utterly shocking. I have noticed how many of us seem to have opted for home or community detox (see Chris’s blog for more details). I am not saying this is a bad thing, I just wonder how much is choice and how much is neccesity.

Matt also raises the conflict between work that pays the bills and work that fulfils. These need not be polar opposites, but they often are. Particualrly for those who’s options may be limited by their past history. The recovery movement will need to take account of this, and the role of volunteers, if it is to continue to thrive.

PeaPod marks the NTA’s report card with a resounding OK (but could do better?). Like him I am surprised at the lack of recogniton of the importance of communities of recovery in their ‘Comissioning for Recovery’ guidance. Funny how this just slightly important area is hardly given webspace on the new Guardian/NTA site. One could almost see a pattern!

I must admit that I find it hard to conceive that people could not be aware of the need for such communities and organisations – they obviously have not had a look at Wired In or at blogs, and subsequent comments, like Mark’s on SMART recovery.

On reports, Simon draws our attention to a largely unheralded piece of research carried out by the Home Office, which outlines stages on the recovery journey. Thanks Simon for summarising this for us in such a readable way.

Good to see The Basement Project going from strength to strength.I owe them a huge debt of gratitude as a visit there helped create uchooseit. They are looking for a speaker for a Recovery Event in March which is being run by their Recovery Champions.

Martin introduces REACH, which looks at the role of forgiveness in recovery and how it is a vital factor in moving on. Benx just got a puppy which is helping with his recovery in a different way. As the proud owner of ‘Spocket’ I can attest to this, despite being reduced to one slipper.

A massive welcome to Shelle who has leapt straight in on the blogging front – good on you girl. And welcome back to the site to Danny O, who is going to give Tarantino a run for his money, and Duncan who is also returning to the UK from Australia. Seroiusly bonkers – bring some grit back with you, we need it!

So who can it be? I apologise for keeping you waiting this Sunday but have been distracted at various points by a puppy (let’s just say it involved poo), a mouse-bearing cat (twice, he’s on a killing spree), my mother, my grandmother and Dr. Zhivago on TV.

But the moment you have all been waiting for has now arrived – and this week’s Mouser of the week goes to Bobby. Sorry wrong award (you wouldn’t have liked Whiskas anyway). This week’s blog of the week goes to Sharon for what I can only describe as a thing of beauty.

Until next week

Onwards and upwards!

P.S. Check out the new media on the site!

P.P.S Thanks for your quotes