Rehab & Relapses ~ What Might Work?

The societal impact of addictions is increasingly evident. There is much controversy surrounding legalization, decriminalization, and more recently the authorization of nurses to prescribe narcotics. The intent is to deliver or dispense safe drugs to addicts, so they are not as vulnerable to street drugs and accidental overdoses.

On the surface it makes some sense, although I don’t see why the pharmacies don’t simply dispense the narcotics, instead of putting nurses at risk. If drugs need to be delivered to people, set up a courier service with safety precautions. I don’t think nurses should be carting around a suitcase full of narcotics in the downtown east side, or anywhere for that matter. Is she prescribing the drugs or delivering them?

After all, there is no other reason for writing the prescription than to get the medication dispensed, so why not make it a standing order in the pharmacies? It is not like the addicts have to say they have physical pain, like a stubbed toe, back injury, or some other chronic physical ailment – like they had to do in the past. The drugs are being dispensed because of the addiction. They don’t need any other excuse.

I agree with compassionate treatment, and acknowledge the fact that addiction creates a complex dysfunction of the neurochemistry within the body, central nervous system, and eventually all systems. This has a profound effect on everything from mood to the peristalsis of the gut. Addiction leads to a loss of balance and stability both mentally and physically. It can be a very long and difficult struggle, often fatal, if the person lacks the internal and/or external resources to overcome it.

In fact, once a person is deep into an addictive cycle, the ability to overcome it is impaired to such a degree it seems impossible. So in that regard, the addiction has to be managed with a focus on harm reduction, until the person is ready to make a commitment to change. I think the personal, internalized decision to be free of the addiction, is far more effective than court orders and punishment.

One of the key things about managing a large population of homeless and addicted people, is that many of them need care in order to get past the withdrawal period. I think withdrawal has several stages. First the acute stage, followed by a down stage, followed by the day to day strategies to feel better, and become productive.

Initially they need basic care and the tapering of meds through supervised detox. Otherwise the roller coaster cycle continues. They need to be assessed for their capacity to carry out activities of daily living, the same as they assess people for assisted living and long term care. Admission to long-term-care is based on the loss of ability to self care.

I think what might work is to have some kind of intake system that helps identify those who are seeking to quit, and would benefit from a rehab program of some sort. Once they have figured out who would like to get feeling better, and what kind of program they would choose, the government could help provide direction for recovery instead of relapse. At least a percentage of addicts could be helped to kick the habit.

I believe people have a wide range of aptitudes, and there should be rehab facilities with more of a focus on doing something productive, than on sitting around for hours on end rehashing past traumas or grievances. Creative endeavours, hiking outdoors, cooking good food, humour, and work – are things that can help shake some of the burden of being bogged down in a tent on a concrete slab somewhere.

Everyone has to have something to hope for. Hope is as central to our existence as love is. We need to embrace it one way or another. It is the essence of what is carried within us. Life is about finding ways to make hope flourish – instead of withering away into a state of decay.

One rehab program could be on a farm where people look after animals, and gardens. Another could be a group of entrepreneurs learning how to set up an Ecommerce site. There could be a street clean up crew, and those who do peer counselling.

Let’s face it, addiction to drugs is more of a mental health issue than it is a criminal one. It is good to keep in mind these are not throwaway lives, and many do have the capacity to recover. Recovery does not include an endless supply of drugs though. Only a full recovery can secure a future, and some hope for the individual to actually feel better.

We have to keep in mind, and I do, because I admit to having an addictive personality – there are many many layers to what makes us tick, especially when it comes to addiction. What I do know is that drugs and alcohol provide an escape and temporary mood elevation. But the downside is the hangover or side effects, and soon it is a cycle of treacherous, and increasingly extreme ups and downs.

Addiction, in my opinion – is a compulsion to seek diversion from emotional pain. It helps us to avoid or delay the inevitable, which involves coming to terms with the past, in particular, family of origin issues. Any of life’s traumatic experiences such as the loss of a loved one, a severe injury, divorce, overwhelming betrayal – can also send us spiralling down that chaotic path of addiction.

So if addiction is the compulsion to distract oneself from pain, then why not focus on what you have an interest or aptitude in, and use that to distract yourself? In other words, harm reduction by shifting the focus and interest to something else with less harmful outcomes and more compelling results.

The general aptitudes or interests ranging from farming and gardening, to mechanics, woodworking, cooking, sewing, coding, etc. could turn into tangible, goal oriented things for people to work on to learn healthier distractions or diversions. This in turn, could reduce the risk of relapse and create patterns of productivity with tangible results. When a person restructures their life, they need to create new patterns and habits of daily living, to replace the old and more destructive ones.

All people need something to look forward to and to hope for. We can understand that for some, the addiction may be too entrenched to be free of, but for those who are seeking a way out, it would help if they had something positive to work toward, instead of sitting around doing group therapy, talk therapy, and medication therapy – until they escape and relapse.

During the rehab, there should be a real focus on restoring gut health, eating whole foods, and seeking out the micronutrients in whole foods, so that they can begin to reset the off kilter neurochemistry that is caused by cycles of drug and/or alcohol use.

Personally I do not take any prescription, over the counter drugs, alcohol, or supplements. I wish I had followed this advice long ago. Even with marijuana, I used to think it was harmless, but now I can see it has its risks. Edibles can vary widely in dosage and effect. Anything that increases the potency artificially like shatter, is too extreme. It can cause nausea and vomiting, or at least it does for some people. I think it is safest to stick to low grade, low potency, home grown flower – like it was back in the seventies.

I don’t think there is any point in being draconian with people who need help with addiction. But there is also a point where too much availability to keep the drug cycle going, is actually a disadvantage for the person. If we are seeking to be compassionate, we can acknowledge that addiction robs people of a having a good quality of life, and hampers their ability to self care.

Copyright Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West Vintage (2020). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West Vintage with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.