Beyond Rehab

Hooray, Beyond Shelter!! (Beyond Rehab… ring a bell?) “Beyond Shelter is a non-profit organization founded in 1988 in response to increasing numbers of homeless families in Los Angeles and the need for a more comprehensive approach to serving them.”

That is what I’ve been saying about drug and alcohol addiction, drug and alcohol rehabs: We see an increasing number of rehabs and addicts, yet, we mechanically prescribe the same method of “help” to people struggling with addiction—clearly, there is a need for a more comprehensive approach to the problem.  (I’m currently working on a project that addresses that issue, some of which dates back to the early 1980′s when drug rehabs began popping up everywhere throughout the US along with their misleading approach to recovery. Most rehab programs continue to base their treatment on that largely ineffective approach to addiction recovery. More on that in future posts.)

Beyond Shelter (…relate strategies 1, 2 & 3 to addiction in society): “Today, the mission of the agency is to develop systemic approaches to combat poverty and homelessness among families with children, and to enhance family economic security and well-being. Beyond Shelter accomplishes this mission through the following strategies: (1) responsive service delivery, (2) people-centered community development, and (3) the creation of knowledge for social change.” Beautiful.

The Housing First Project, based in Los Angeles (Skid Row), is another brilliant development which was “created as a time-limited relationship designed to empower participants and foster self-reliance, not engender dependence….” (This is an opposite approach to that of Alcoholics Anonymous, which, no matter how desperate I became or how hard I tried, never taught me to walk on my own two feet.)

I want to drop one more gem into this mix of fantastic people who truly care about people struggling with addiction. Here is a snippet of a fabulous, critical interview with My favorite M.D., Dr. Gabor Maté:

AMY GOODMAN: What do you mean, it takes people off the hook?

DR. GABOR MATÉ: Well, if people’s behaviors and dysfunctions are regulated, controlled and determined by genes, we don’t have to look at child welfare policies, we don’t have to look at the kind of support that we give to pregnant women, we don’t have to look at the kind of non-support that we give to families, so that, you know, most children in North America now have to be away from their parents from an early age on because of economic considerations. And especially in the States, because of the welfare laws, women are forced to go find low-paying jobs far away from home, often single women, and not see their kids for most of the day. Under those conditions, kids’ brains don’t develop the way they need to.

And so, if it’s all caused by genetics, we don’t have to look at those social policies; we don’t have to look at our politics that disadvantage certain minority groups, so cause them more stress, cause them more pain, in other words, more predisposition for addictions; we don’t have to look at economic inequalities. If it’s all genes, it’s all—we’re all innocent, and society doesn’t have to take a hard look at its own attitudes and policies.

Please read the entire interview or watch the complete video here: http://www.democracynow.org/2010/12/24/dr_gabor_mat_on_the_stress

Tags: aa alternatives, addicted society, addiction, addiction help, alcoholic, alcoholics anonymous, Beyond Shelter, building courage, change, childhood trauma, Dr. Gabor Mate, helping people with addictions, recovery, rehab, rescue, Skid Row, substance abuse

I’ve been slowly making my way through each episode of the reality show, “KITCHEN NIGHTMARES,” starring the internationally renowned chef, Gordon Ramsay. On the show Chef Ramsay goes on a mission to rescue a restaurant in crisis. He shows up at a preselected restaurant and whips everyone into shape by yelling and cursing at them. How he really helps them is with his expert knowledge and skill. Also, his crew spends time and money giving each restaurant a make-over.

Though yelling at people wouldn’t be my way, I very much like the idea of someone coming in to help a person when they are in such despair. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a Chef Ramsay for everyone in crisis—whether emotional, physical, or economic. In drug and alcohol intervention plans, “rescue” is the goal. However, from what I’ve seen, its rarely achieved. That plan needs work.

We all need help sometimes, but some of us have been absolutely desperate for it. And when that happens it is a crisis. It’s disturbing to learn when someone in such despair and who could have been saved has died. If only someone had been willing to carry them, just for a little while, until they could begin to see and do for themselves again.

Very often a change of circumstances  and absolute support can make all the difference in the life—or death—of an addict. That is why it’s tragic when no one moves to assist. And why don’t we? It could be the very existence of that destitute person is precisely the reason we do not do everything that is needed to help them. I’m guessing that most of us are afraid if we were to fully embrace a person in need, not only could it send us into the throes of poverty and despair ourselves, but we would also be forced to acknowledge that, apart from our own personal charity, society is not set up to truly care for those in need. Helping the person in every way possible means we understand there is no “Chef Ramsay” to save us if we fall into crisis ourselves. So often it is easier to lay all responsibility on the addict.

Our world and each society in it has a long way to go. But there is one thing I’ve learned through all my struggles, defeats, accomplishments, and successes—having a long way to go is NEVER a reason not to persevere.

Tags: addiction, addiction help, alcohol, despair, drugs, Gordon Ramsay, helping people with addictions, intervention, rescue, substance abuse