“Once I became my diagnosis, there was no one left to recover.” Holy cow! This really captures something very important! It articulates what concerns me most about the rush to diagnosis for people in early recovery. It's much less any intellectual concern, concern that a medication might be unhelpful or some concern about purity of … Continue reading Identity, mental illness and recovery
Author: Jason Schwartz
I have been an addiction professional and social worker since 1994. I started blogging in 2005 as the Clinical Director at Dawn Farm. I currently serve as the Director of Social Work and Spiritual Care for a healthcare system. I've also served as the Director of Behavioral Health at another hospital. I'm also a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work.
Views expressed here are my own.
Keep in mind that the field, the contexts in which the field operates, and my views have changed over time.
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An article about living with bipolar offers and important insight for anyone living with a chronic illness, including addiction: You can’t choose to have or not have an illness, but you can choose the way you opt to cope with it. You can choose to lie in bed all day and think negative thoughts, and … Continue reading Continue to continue to continue…
Eleven Steps Forward…
"Humility—the acceptance that being human is good enough—is the embrace of ordinariness." —underlined by David Foster Wallace in his copy of Ernest Kurtz's The Spirituality of Imperfection. (source) People who know me well know that I've been thinking a lot about David Foster Wallace's 2005 commencement speech at Kenyon University. I think it has profound implications for … Continue reading Eleven Steps Forward…
On vacation
I'm on vacation, so I won't be posting. While I'm gone, visit Binge Inking, my favorite addiction and recovery blog, and peruse William White's site.
Catching addiction?
I think this post downplays the legitimate concerns associated with the explosion in prescription opiate misuse. In a post last week, I said this about prescription opiates: ... they’re the fastest growing segment of the drug problem in the states. And, they’re currently associated with high rates of OD. And, it’s increasingly associated with crime. And, they’ve surpassed marijuana … Continue reading Catching addiction?
Few significant differences: Women in AA
In certain circles, it's common to hear professionals and academics claim that 12 step groups are a poor referral option for women and minorities. We've addressed this before and there's little question that women participate and benefit as much or more than men. Here's a new study looking at women in AA. Background: Given the widespread use … Continue reading Few significant differences: Women in AA
Legalization Won’t Kill the Cartels
For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. —H. L. Mencken I've always been a little skeptical of arguments that legalizing drugs will end drug related crime as though it's self-evident. This NY Times commentary makes the case that cartels are really organized crime groups and they will just find … Continue reading Legalization Won’t Kill the Cartels
Why Obama’s Deputy Drug Czar Dropped Out
The Fix snagged an interview with Thomas McLellan. It's definitely worth the time it takes to read it. He spends some time discussing the segregation of addiction services, at topic that he and I are not on the same page about. He briefly discusses his reasons for an abstinence orientation (for addicts): Do you expect there will … Continue reading Why Obama’s Deputy Drug Czar Dropped Out
Friendship House Gets a New ‘Recovery Rabbi’
Rabbi Pinson, the Recovery Rabbi for metro Detroit is stepping back from his role. He's been a pretty amazing ally for the recovering community and terrific example for non-recovering clergy. Rather than trying to create his own faith-based recovering community, he focused on enlarging a Jewish tribe within the existing recovering community and serving as a bridge to the … Continue reading Friendship House Gets a New ‘Recovery Rabbi’
The Drug War 40 years later
The LA Times offers a round-up of responses to the 40th anniversary of the drug war. They have been popping up everywhere for the last week and half but I haven't linked to them because they all bemoan the incarceration rate and then argue for legalization. Some give lip service to treatment, but few spend … Continue reading The Drug War 40 years later
Recovery Review 