It's nice to see a victim of addiction be remembered not just for their talent, accomplishments, personal drama or whatever else, and instead be remembered for his goodness. It’s being widely reported that Philip Seymour Hoffman died of a drug overdose. He was found in a West Village apartment with the syringe still in his … Continue reading Philip Seymour Hoffman
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.
Tribes of the Recovering Community – Birds of a Feather
This week's tribe is Birds of a Feather International: Birds of a Feather was formed in response to the need for meeting places for pilots and cockpit crewmembers where the subjects of addiction to alcohol or drugs might be discussed with impunity and anonymity. The cultural bias concerning these subjects has prevented many pilots in … Continue reading Tribes of the Recovering Community – Birds of a Feather
Recovery is Contagious
Bill White on the infectious nature of recovery: "We all have the potential to be recovery carriers. Becoming a recovery carrier requires several things. It requires that we protect our recoveries at all cost--Recovery by any means necessary under any circumstances. It requires that we help our families recover. It requires the courage to reach … Continue reading Recovery is Contagious
Hell no, they ain’t doing that to me again
You may remember a few posts a while back about Dr. Carl Hart. He argues that addictive drug use is a rational choice by addicts and bases these arguments on his studies that involve giving crack to addicts and paying them for their participation in the study. Some of you raised the obvious ethical questions … Continue reading Hell no, they ain’t doing that to me again
Capitalism + Addictive Drugs = ?
When legalization advocates point to alcohol and tobacco, this kind of thing comes to mind. A report published last week in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research found that while the nicotine content of cigarettes has remained relatively stable for more than a decade, the amount of that nicotine delivered to the machines researchers use … Continue reading Capitalism + Addictive Drugs = ?
Being There During Bad Times
Andrew Sullivan has a MUST READ post about supporting people who are suffering. He pulls from the original post and a couple of responses. Please click through and read the whole post. This was especially striking: It feels like resignation or irresponsibility not to say anything to the person in the midst of trauma. At … Continue reading Being There During Bad Times
Is AA a Cult, or a Culture?
Our friend Jennifer Matesa has a great new post on the question of whether AA is a cult. “The Atlantic Group didn’t resonate with me. It’s like bars—it’s like drinking culture,” she said. “You can find the culture that works for you. Before I got sober, I didn’t like Manhattan drinking culture anymore, so I … Continue reading Is AA a Cult, or a Culture?
Recovery as a platform for Justice
Bill White had a recent post on recovery and justice: Addiction is an unrelenting relay race from drug experience to drug experience nested within equally incessant efforts to escape the growing consequences of drug use. The accumulating debts rising from these processes constitute a point of reckoning that must be faced in any attempt at … Continue reading Recovery as a platform for Justice
My first twitter chat
I'll be doing a twitter chat with Anna David on Monday (1/27) at 1pm PST/4pm EST on addiction and the law. More #lawandaddiction Twitter chatters (1 pm PST tmrw): @sachaZscoblic, @dawnfarm, @Guinevere64, @Dirk57: http://t.co/2nNDud6h40 — Anna David (@annaafterparty) January 26, 2014
Tribes of the Recovering Community – ILAA
This week's tribe is International Lawyers in AA: International Lawyers in Alcoholics Anonymous is a group of recovered lawyers and judges carrying the message of recovery within our profession. Our purpose is to act as a bridge between reluctant (in denial) lawyers/judges and Alcoholics Anonymous.
Recovery Review 