It is abundantly clear that COVID-19 will result in fundamental changes in how societies around the world function. We can all sense this demarcation of a fundamental change in our own lives and communities. It will take years to fully understand all of the ramifications of how this will impact our lives and all of … Continue reading Redesigning Addiction and Recovery Services in a COVID-19 World

(Source: ABC 7 Bay Area) Bill White shared an important post this week that I imagine will evoke a variety of reactions. Stigma reduction efforts have sought to challenge assumptions that people with addiction are neglectful or abusive parents. Those assumptions are wrong and should be challenged. It's also true that addiction does inflict harms … Continue reading Sheltering at home when home is “the lion’s den”

I saw some comments about this study as evidence of stigma among physicians. Every time I see a discussion about physician reluctance to treat addiction, I wonder if there's an alternative explanation. Here's what paper reported: 67.1% believe treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) is more effective with medication than without77.5% believe buprenorphine is an … Continue reading Stigma? Or, something else?

I really enjoyed Bill White's post today. It's a collection of quick takes on several issues. His willingness to address the moral dimensions of recovery are sure to provoke thought: Recovery must be as morally redemptive as addiction is morally corrupting, as connective as addiction is alienating. . . On being a fellow traveler: What … Continue reading Quick and worth your time

I just saw that I haven't posted anything for a couple months. I work at a hospital in a coronavirus hotspot. It's been busy and I don't feel especially inspired to write when I get home. However, I want point you in the direction of “We Do Recover”: Scientific Studies of NA. (Full paper here.) … Continue reading “We Do Recover”: Scientific Studies of NA

Nothing about us without us means inclusion in policy decisions impacting the recovery community, not just having a token recovering person sitting in the room to say that we were included. The COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis is a good example of this dynamic. In talking to recovery community organizations across the country, I am hearing vast … Continue reading On Implicit Bias and Institutionalized Exclusion

Over the last few weeks, there has been an expansive and dramatic shift to the provision of Substance Use Disorder services onto digital platforms as we move into the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Recovery community and treatment organizations would be well served to develop these services in a manner that supports safe, effective and individualized care. … Continue reading Ten Assurances for Conducting Effective, Safe and Ethically Run Virtual Recovery Support Services

All of us working in the field of alcohol and drug treatment will likely be facing the greatest challenges we have ever faced. Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), a partnership of the medical Royal Colleges and Faculties, has issued some new guidance for services which is well worth a read. Points that caught … Continue reading Alcohol Services in the Pandemic

In recent weeks I have been less focused on the science of recovery and more on the social connectedness elements of recovery. I hope that my colleagues writing here on this blog with me are ok with the direction I am taking as of late. I am focused here simply because I think that there … Continue reading Let’s focus the recovery community on hope, connection, and purpose

And just like that, overnight all of our worlds have changed. I already miss things that I did without a second thought less than two weeks ago before COVID-19 took hold. I am sure I am not alone in that. All of us are reeling from unprecedented change and disorienting events occurring wholly outside of … Continue reading Recovery Community: This can be our finest hour – let’s show the world what the recovery community is all about!