Tag: Harm Reduction

2023’s #2 Post: Hot topics in addiction and recovery

~ Dr David McCartney

What were the hot topics, burning themes and searing subjects in addiction recovery in 2022? I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the talking points on Recovery Review in 2022. Although the writers are very different people and we span the Atlantic, all of the contributors to Recovery Review have a … Continue reading 2023’s #2 Post: Hot topics in addiction and recovery

From the Sidelines to Center Stage: Harm Reduction’s Entry into the Continuum of Care

~ Alexandra Plante

There is a private club, known only as the “Substance Use Continuum of Care.” Membership in the club is by invitation only, and all addiction interventions in the club are legal and have federal funding. You want to be in the club, but like with any exclusive club, there are rules for members and strings … Continue reading From the Sidelines to Center Stage: Harm Reduction’s Entry into the Continuum of Care

2022’s #4 post: Polarisation, tension and hostility: just another day in the field of addictions.

~ Dr David McCartney ~ 1 Comment

Someone relatively new to the substance use disorder area asked me recently why I thought there was so much division and hostility in the addiction and recovery field, compared to other parts of health and social care. Do we really have more conflict than in some other healthcare areas? There are strongly held positions which … Continue reading 2022’s #4 post: Polarisation, tension and hostility: just another day in the field of addictions.

Polarisation, tension and hostility: just another day in the field of addictions.

~ Dr David McCartney ~ 3 Comments

Someone relatively new to the substance use disorder area asked me recently why I thought there was so much division and hostility in the addiction and recovery field, compared to other parts of health and social care. Do we really have more conflict than in some other healthcare areas? There are strongly held positions which … Continue reading Polarisation, tension and hostility: just another day in the field of addictions.

What effect does harm reduction have on recovery culture? Guest blog by Dylan Lundgren

~ Dr David McCartney

It seems to be human nature to go to extremes; especially when something shows promising results. Harm reduction has been shown to save lives and therefore should be celebrated and implemented. However, it seems that harm reduction has become the entire conversation about recovery; specifically, the support of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT).  Alex Pentland, a professor studying human behaviour at … Continue reading What effect does harm reduction have on recovery culture? Guest blog by Dylan Lundgren

Drug deaths in Scotland: hope on the horizon?

~ Dr David McCartney

Harm reduction interventions need to be widely available, accessible, delivered efficiently and proactively and evaluated and improved. Harm reduction services also need to have porous borders with treatment and recovery services and have hope embedded in the form of peers in recovery working within teams. A recovery-oriented system of care sees interventions not in silos, but in a continuum with the individual’s needs at the centre and the person on a journey. The person's goals, not the professional's goals (which can be at odds) should be paramount.

Drug deaths in Scotland: hope on the horizon?

~ Dr David McCartney

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?