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Like live in a town with a very high number of rehabs, one of the highest in the US. A lot of these rehabs are run by addicts and alcoholics. Sometimes they hav

Like live in a town with a very high number of rehabs, one of the highest in the US. A lot of these rehabs are run by addicts and alcoholics. Sometimes they have very little time sober, but can buy a house to set up as a rehab/sober living. There isn't a whole lot of education required to start one, either. There is no requirement for the treatment plan to be science-based or evidence-based, either. Most are quasi-religious, in the AA "higher power" sense, and a bunch are flat-out Christian rehabs. Honestly, addiction is a difficult problem. A lot if the time it's good for people with similar problems to get together and work towards a solution. It's not always easy to tell who's a good actor. For example, some rehabs take mostly indigent low-bottom drinks from off the street. I'd imagine that they have a much higher rate of relapse just from the population. Ultimately I think it's tied in to a lot of similar social problems, like poverty, mental health, homelessness and prison issues. In general, the US just doesn't value improving those things very much. Which is sad.

Theodores 9y ago
I have been impressed by former addicts that have then gone on to help others, in fact I think that this is the best salvation for a lot of people caught in the addiction 'disease'. I have a former colleague trying to kill herself on crack and I hope our discussion one day gets round to her being clean and wanting to stay clean by helping people with their own rehabilitation. I can't think of any other gainful employment that she has the self-confidence or interest to do. In the UK we have the NHS and the only way to get into rehab on the NHS is if you are a single mum or are homeless. Otherwise you pay for some private facility. We also don't have the prescription opiates that American's take for breakfast, elevenses, lunch, tea and dinner so the problem is not a full on crisis here. From the anecdata I have I believe that coming from a broken home, not knowing whom your father was and childhood trauma is a large part of it. Drugs are 'always there for you' and work predictably, therefore a relationship with a drug is kind of preferable to maintaining real relationships, with a partner, with friends, colleagues or family. I believe that addicts that go through rehab to then work with the addicted, vulnerable members of society stand a much better chance of living a worthwhile life, even if their 'family' becomes the intake of addicts at the place where they work that 'family' is pretty good compared to the empty and pointless life that is addiction.
- doubleshame 9y ago
  This is my favourite addiction talk. Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong | Johann Hari https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9DcIMGxMs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9DcIMGxMs

Theodores 9y ago

I have been impressed by former addicts that have then gone on to help others, in fact I think that this is the best salvation for a lot of people caught in the addiction 'disease'. I have a former colleague trying to kill herself on crack and I hope our discussion one day gets round to her being clean and wanting to stay clean by helping people with their own rehabilitation. I can't think of any other gainful employment that she has the self-confidence or interest to do. In the UK we have the NHS and the only way to get into rehab on the NHS is if you are a single mum or are homeless. Otherwise you pay for some private facility. We also don't have the prescription opiates that American's take for breakfast, elevenses, lunch, tea and dinner so the problem is not a full on crisis here. From the anecdata I have I believe that coming from a broken home, not knowing whom your father was and childhood trauma is a large part of it. Drugs are 'always there for you' and work predictably, therefore a relationship with a drug is kind of preferable to maintaining real relationships, with a partner, with friends, colleagues or family. I believe that addicts that go through rehab to then work with the addicted, vulnerable members of society stand a much better chance of living a worthwhile life, even if their 'family' becomes the intake of addicts at the place where they work that 'family' is pretty good compared to the empty and pointless life that is addiction.

doubleshame 9y ago
This is my favourite addiction talk. Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong | Johann Hari https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9DcIMGxMs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9DcIMGxMs