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?
Time to retire “deaths of despair”?
Source: Data Behind Americans’ Waning Trust in Institutions. The Pew Charitable Trusts. Addiction recently posted an editorial suggesting that professionals and media stop using the term "deaths of despair" because it's inaccurate, it conflates different problems, and it contributes to misunderstandings about the causes and solutions. The term ‘deaths of despair’ collates deaths caused by substance poisoning, suicide … Continue reading Time to retire “deaths of despair”?
Recovery Languaging: Moving from Normalizing Healing to Normalizing Use & Pathology
For well over a decade, significant focus of effort within the recovery community and across our service space has focused on changing how we talk about substance use conditions and those who experience them. As noted in the 2014 paper Language, Substance Use Disorders, and Policy: The Need to Reach Consensus on an “Addiction-ary” our … Continue reading Recovery Languaging: Moving from Normalizing Healing to Normalizing Use & Pathology
“these things take courage, and they encourage each other”
Read Spotted Newt book shop, Hazard, KY Brian's post yesterday on Bill White's article The Road Not Taken: The Lost Roots of Addiction Counseling brought this previous post to mind, with the shared emphasis on connection to community and community organization as central to addiction counseling. Enjoy! When Bill White called for an overhaul of … Continue reading “these things take courage, and they encourage each other”
Revisiting the Work of William White. “The Road Not Taken: The Lost Roots of Addiction Counseling”
Let's take a look at some of the statements Bill White makes in his 2003 paper on the lost roots of addiction counseling. And as we do, let's think about the context we currently see in the addiction treatment and SUD services space. What points in this paper help us have clarity about our work … Continue reading Revisiting the Work of William White. “The Road Not Taken: The Lost Roots of Addiction Counseling”
Revisiting the Work of William White: A Commitment to Ethical Action 1994
“The alcoholism and drug abuse counseling profession is at a turning point, facing threats that fundamentally could alter the character of this field. While some see health care reform and financial concerns as topping the list of challenges; many others depict a spiritual crisis - a crisis in values. This crisis has emerged out of … Continue reading Revisiting the Work of William White: A Commitment to Ethical Action 1994
Revisiting the Work of William White: “Treatment Works! Time for a new slogan”
In his 4 ½ page paper from 2005 titled, “Treatment Works! Time for a new slogan”, Bill provides a look at the pro-treatment, pro-recovery, and de-stigmatizing slogan promulgated by many including the US government: "Treatment Works!”. In doing so he accurately outlines the advantages of sloganeering, and some of the positives inherent in the “Treatment … Continue reading Revisiting the Work of William White: “Treatment Works! Time for a new slogan”
Revisiting the Work of William White. Behavioral Health Recovery Management: Statement of Principles
I encourage everyone to take a few minutes and carefully read this 2 1/2 page document from 2001. I can think of no single paper Bill has been involved in that has impacted my day-to-day clinical life and activity more than the BHRM Statement of Principles. That brief document is immediately below. BHRM Statement of … Continue reading Revisiting the Work of William White. Behavioral Health Recovery Management: Statement of Principles
Medicaid: The Backbone of Behavioral Health—And What Happens If We Break It
If you care about access to substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health treatment in America, you care about Medicaid—even if you don’t know it yet. Medicaid is the largest single payer for behavioral health services in the country, covering about 24% of all mental health and SUD treatment costs. It’s a lifeline for people … Continue reading Medicaid: The Backbone of Behavioral Health—And What Happens If We Break It
Recovery Review 