This week in Scotland we’ve been reeling from the impact of the publication of the 2019 drug-related death statistics. The awful graphs are everywhere, their bright colours standing in sharp contrast to the horror they relate. Our feelings clamour for attention, a powerful mixture of anger, grief, bewilderment and shame. The newspapers are full of … Continue reading Drug deaths in Scotland: hope on the horizon?
GUIDELINES FOR PERSONAL SAFETY AND PUBLIC RECOVERY SELF-DISCLOSURE (BILL WHITE, BILL STAUFFER, AND DANIELLE TARINO)
December 17th, 2020 He who shows himself at every place will someday look for a place to hide. –African Proverb Earlier blogs in this series explored the benefits and limitations of public recovery disclosure, the potential risks to multiple parties involved in such disclosure, and the ethics of recovery disclosure. In this final blog in … Continue reading GUIDELINES FOR PERSONAL SAFETY AND PUBLIC RECOVERY SELF-DISCLOSURE (BILL WHITE, BILL STAUFFER, AND DANIELLE TARINO)
Rehab in Scotland: joining things up
There’s an urgent need to improve our response to Scotland’s drug problems. The focus has quite rightly been on harm reduction interventions, but some (including me) have also called for better access to residential rehab as part of the spectrum of approaches. While clearly not a panacea, could residential rehab make an impact on drug … Continue reading Rehab in Scotland: joining things up
Anthropometry of the Spiritual Body
Considerations for the Study of Spiritual Recovery CommunitiesAlcoholics Anonymous (AA) is not without its critics. Some criticisms are quite valid; others are less so. Like all spiritual communities, be they the Freemasons or the Falun Gong, outsiders often attribute various ills and misunderstandings to AA. The more valid criticisms, however, have little to do with … Continue reading Anthropometry of the Spiritual Body
Addiction and wanting versus liking
This BBC story highlights research on dopamine's role in wanting versus liking: ...wanting is more fundamental than liking. Ultimately, it doesn't matter for the preservation of our genes whether we like sex, or like food. Far more important is whether we want to have sex, and whether we seek out food.The single most important implication … Continue reading Addiction and wanting versus liking
Weaponizing Stigma: ‘people don’t die from overdoses’
Sean Fogler, a doctor in recovery writing on Stat, explains how his dual roles – that of a physician and that of a person with experience of addiction and recovery – gave him a unique insight into attitudes to patients with substance use disorders and mental health problems in health care systems. He gives evidence … Continue reading Weaponizing Stigma: ‘people don’t die from overdoses’
THE ETHICS OF PUBLIC RECOVERY SELF-DISCLOSURE (BILL WHITE, BILL STAUFFER, AND DANIELLE TARINO)
Ethics involves the application of moral principles to promote good and prevent harm. Ethical decision-making within our service and advocacy activities is an assessment of the ratio of potential benefits to potential harms in any course of action—with a particular emphasis on “first do no harm.” Such decision-making involves asking ourselves three questions. First, what … Continue reading THE ETHICS OF PUBLIC RECOVERY SELF-DISCLOSURE (BILL WHITE, BILL STAUFFER, AND DANIELLE TARINO)
Residential treatment: making things better
There’s a bit of attention being given to residential rehabilitation in Scotland at the moment - something that's good to see. A working group that I was part of has made recommendations to the Scottish Government which have been broadly welcomed. It’s good to hear that the Public Health Minister, Joe Fitzpatrick, has pledged £90,000 … Continue reading Residential treatment: making things better
Residential rehabilitation in Scotland: what’s going on?
For a significant number of people in recovery, rehab has been part of their journey, yet the truth is that we know very little about residential rehabilitation in Scotland. In the summer of 2020, the Scottish Government public health minister, Joe Fitzpatrick, set up a working group to explore the subject. I was asked to … Continue reading Residential rehabilitation in Scotland: what’s going on?
Treatment in England: positive, interesting and alarming
Public Health England (PHE) recently published their summary of what’s going on in substance use disorder treatment in England over 2019-20. Despite the shared culture and proximity of Scotland and England, there’s been a significant divergence in drug and alcohol policy and treatment delivery over the years. We’ve not been good as we might have … Continue reading Treatment in England: positive, interesting and alarming
Recovery Review 