For years, many experts have "well, actually-ed", arguing that prescribing patterns had little to do with the opioid crisis. Of course, the opioid crisis is a complex and wicked problem, but we are poorly served by experts who scold the public and tell us not to believe our lying eyes. JAMA Health Forum provides some … Continue reading 3-in-4 current fentanyl users started with prescription opioids
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.
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Enhancing Retention to Achieve Longterm Remission and Recovery
A newly published monograph "addresses the challenges of achieving long-term stable (OUD) remission and recovery, and, more specifically, the related challenges involved in adherence and retention within the pharmacotherapeutic treatment of OUD." This document is a critical step toward understanding what medication can and cannot achieve for which patients under what circumstances. This right-sizing of … Continue reading Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Enhancing Retention to Achieve Longterm Remission and Recovery
History repeating
I recently posted on the Trump administration's actions and plans related to drug policy. Here's a little historical context from Institute of Medicine (US) Committee for the Substance Abuse Coverage Study, Gerstein, D. R., & Harwood, H. J. (Eds.). (1990). Treating Drug Problems: Volume 1. National Academies Press (US). Institute of Medicine (US) Committee for … Continue reading History repeating
From Despair to Hope: Addiction Recovery in Iran.
guest post by Ehsan Ranjbar Recovery Review seeks to celebrate the varieties of recovery experiences. In that vein, we're pleased to share this guest post from Ehsan Ranjbar describing his addiction and recovery experience in Iran. Addiction first entered my life quietly, almost like a whisper, when I was 19. Back then, it was just … Continue reading From Despair to Hope: Addiction Recovery in Iran.
Understanding the Trump Administration’s Drug Policy Changes
The new administration released a Statement of Drug Policy Priorities last week. What's in the White House Statement of Drug Policy Priorities? It's not a long document -- just a few pages, and it identifies 6 priorities listed below. I've also called out specific references to treatment, prevention, harm reduction, and research. Reduce the Number … Continue reading Understanding the Trump Administration’s Drug Policy Changes
What does a recovery-friendly workplace look like?
https://www.instagram.com/p/DEsF433RQhg/ What does a recovery-friendly workplace look like? Phillis Engelbert provides an amazing example with her restaurants, the Lunch Room, Detroit Filling Station, and North Star Lounge. My recovery staff are filled with heart and soul and operate in a way that exemplifies community, camaraderie, and accountability. Together in a fight for their lives, they … Continue reading What does a recovery-friendly workplace look like?
SDOH and Recovery Capital: Of Course Everything Isn’t Healthcare
The Wall Street Journal recently ran a commentary arguing that "Not Everything is Healthcare." Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare, Centene and Humana have devoted billions of dollars in the past decade to building new “affordable housing.” They’re also spending heavily on nutrition programs and local community resources. No, the insurance industry hasn’t suddenly begun emphasizing philanthropy over profit. Rather, it … Continue reading SDOH and Recovery Capital: Of Course Everything Isn’t Healthcare
Addiction care system under threat and more vulnerable due to low institutional trust
The last few months have been pretty distressing for those of us who care about people with addiction, their access to treatment, as well as the welfare of their families and communities. There are credible threats to cut Medicaid funding, which is estimated to fund 30-40% of all substance use disorder treatment in the US. … Continue reading Addiction care system under threat and more vulnerable due to low institutional trust
Follow the science . . .
I'm reposting this to supplement Monday's post on retiring the concept of "deaths of despair." Zeynep Tufecki's analysis of the damage to public trust from misleading public health messaging during the pandemic reminded me of this post. She describes problems of omission, misrepresentation of confidence levels in information, a desire to be a counterforce to … Continue reading Follow the science . . .
The opioid crisis as a disease of despair?
I'm sharing this to supplement yesterday's post on retiring the concept of deaths of despair. A version of this post was originally published in 2018 and is part of an ongoing review of past posts about the conceptual boundaries of addiction, the disease model, and recovery. Photo by Daniel Reche on Pexels.com The narrative that … Continue reading The opioid crisis as a disease of despair?
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