In Pathways: From the culture of addiction to the culture of recovery, Bill White shared the concept of tribes within the culture of recovery. One tribe of the recovering community is the Wharf Rats. They started as a group of recovering Dead-Heads and currently describe themselves as "a group of concert-goers who have chosen to … Continue reading Tribes of the recovering community
Category: Mutual Aid
How’s this for a teaser?
I’ve always been very invested in the idea that I was severely and clinically mentally ill. It grabbed my attention. Read the rest of the post at After Party Chat.
Love and faith
The field of addiction treatment was flawed in 1973, but not nearly as flawed as some would have you believe. The following is from Marty Mann in 1973 and I could not do a better job of summarizing Dawn Farm's approach. Para-professionals working in the field of alcoholism are overwhelmingly recovered alcoholics. Most of them … Continue reading Love and faith
“manifestly unsuitable for (psychiatric) treatment”
Will Self reviews a recently published book on psychiatry and has some interesting observations on the relationships between addicts, mutual aid groups and psychiatry: Interestingly there is one large sector of the "mentally ill" that Burns believes are manifestly unsuitable for treatment – drug addicts and alcoholics. He points to the ineffectiveness of almost all … Continue reading “manifestly unsuitable for (psychiatric) treatment”
Sentences to ponder
As a result of this research, AA as an organization has experienced an "empirical awakening," evolving from its peripheral status as a "nuisance variable" and perceived obstacle to progress to playing a more central role in a scientifically informed recovery oriented system of care. Also, professionally delivered interventions designed to facilitate the use of AA … Continue reading Sentences to ponder
Buprenorphine and emotional reactivity
The following article was shared with me by a reader. Not surprisingly, the emphasized portion below caught my eye. [emphasis mine] Abstract Addictions to illicit drugs are among the nation’s most critical public health and societal problems. The current opioid prescription epidemic and the need for buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone®; SUBX) as an opioid maintenance substance, and its … Continue reading Buprenorphine and emotional reactivity
Thanks for the evidence
Anna David points us toward some positive press for AA. One of the articles focuses on a lecture by Marc Galanter Galanter said that AA uses many of the psychosocial features that operate in any charismatic membership group: social cohesion through attendance at regular meetings; a belief system embodied in the book Alcoholics Anonymous; a behavioral program … Continue reading Thanks for the evidence
Women, Alcoholism and AA
An interesting new blog has a great post on Women, Alcoholism and AA. Admitting that I was an alcoholic has had a profound effect on my life. Most of my friends from the old days are not around anymore; they didn’t want to hear about my alcohol problem and some understood it so little that it … Continue reading Women, Alcoholism and AA
without someone like me!?!?!?
Keith Humphreys is pretty great in this interview: Harold Pollack: I should say you've also done some research on AA [Alcoholics Anonymous]. I think some folks would be interested to know that, at least according to your research, AA is actually a pretty impressive intervention in some ways. Keith: Yeah. I don't mind people who are skeptical … Continue reading without someone like me!?!?!?
“No” to rehab?
I was asked by a friend to comment on this article. Here's the response I sent him: Well, he's got a point. But he's also gotten a lot wrong, including the name of the NIAAA. It's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol-ism. What he's right about is that not everyone who has an alcohol … Continue reading “No” to rehab?