People with drug problems need health care, not prison is a post from: Sober Services

18th July 2011

“People with drug problems need health care, not prison.”

Sir Richard Branson 17th June 2011

So last week the news broke that a large number of high profile people were backing a new initiative calling for a different approach to the war on drugs, suggesting it to be a health problem and not a criminal justice one.

Yesterday, Sir Richard Branson was interviewed by the Daily Mirror – http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/06/17/sir-richard-branson-time-to-start-helping-drug-addicts-instead-of-jailing-them-115875-23206669/

Music to my ears!
Despite being someone with a rather chequered history that involved plenty of illegal drug use and crime (successfully not getting caught approximately 99% of the time), and being an advocate for drug and alcohol rehabilitation and addiction recovery, I am so pleased to read what Sir Richard Branson is saying here.

By using examples of Western European countries where the policy of decriminalisation has shown significant and major changes in drug using habits adds much credibility to the argument. Governments love statistics and evidence-based research.

One thing my own experience has shown me is that youth cultures and excitable growing-up teenagers will experiment with plenty of things that they perceive to bring them happiness. Alcohol and drugs, just like sexual experimentation and smoking cigarettes are clear examples of these. It’s a badge of honour to loose your virginity before the legal age of 16, and the attitude of it being a cool thing to smoke behind your parents, guardians and teachers back goes to strengthen this point of view further.

I know I for one was doing my best to do everything possible that gave me pleasure without any consideration for legal consequences what so ever, although strangely, I did always seem to have some awareness and justification about personal health issues caused by whatever I was doing. Seeing no harm from promiscuous sex, smoking, drinking and many legal drugs allowed me to justify to myself that the “system / government” had it wrong, thus pulling me further away from society and the institutions of family, community, employment, etc. The only health harms that were clearly evident to me were solvent abuse. I knew just how toxic sniffing glue or Tipex thinners were affecting my lungs (at least I thought I knew) and my experiment with such drugs was limited to around 2 years, although when I got clean in 2001 I was 29 years old, and initially believed it was all to do with my deteriorating health situation (although actually, there were other emotional, psychological and spiritual matters at work too).

So, it is in complete agreement with Sir Richard Branson and the rest of the Global Drug Commission that I say before you that despite the longer term health harms that alcohol and drugs cause the individual, taking out the criminal element is the right thing. Criminalising a behaviour which causes harm to others is the right thing to do. But criminalising a behaviour which causes harm only to oneself is not appropriate, only leads to alienation and in turns, inevitably drives people to places where crime is committed, initially only harming oneself, but with time causing harm to others, etc, etc.

This is actually an ever increasing spiral of destruction, which is unable to halt itself until the individual absolutely submits (goes into treatment and accepts help through an abstinence based programme), dies as a result of the unbreakable addiction cycle, or is placed in some form of isolated unit, away from the possibility to use (though very likely to use again, once released).

You see addiction is a mental health problem, expressed through an obsession to use, no matter what. But it’s also a physical health issue; unable to stop using once I’ve begun, through some form of compulsion. This is then compounded further, and is perhaps it’s greatest tragedy through its manifestation spiritually, or lack thereof, as it leads the afflicted to a point of such isolation that crime and negative social consequences become inevitable.

However, decriminalising addiction and drugs, gives society of much greater chance of helping addicts along their journey without stigmatising or excluding them. This in turn will allow addicts to step out of the whole cycle much earlier in their journey through life – active in their addiction or not.

I may have missed out a large chunk detailing more precisely how everyone and everything, specifically the addicted, is compromised through the criminal justice system in our current format of government policy, but I hope I’ve begun to get the point across – that treating addicts as criminals is only ever going to breed more criminals. Treating addiction as a health issue actually allows us a fighting chance to rehabilitate our loved ones much earlier on in their cycle of addiction.

Please contact me to discuss matters further.
Ian Young
ian@soberservices.co.uk

21 YEARS FOR PAUL F. – DRUG SUPPLER [JM] is a post from: Sober Services

Paul F. was an acquaintance of mine. We occasionally drank together; our girlfriends got on with each other, you know, the usual bar crowd friendship!

The last time I saw him was probably about 3 years ago, in a bar in Chingford in East London. He was his usual self, happy, confidant, wealthy and relaxed. Everything seemed to going ok for him he had a successful business apparently in overseas real estate and would talk about buying and selling apartment blocks in the Far East as though it was a one bed flat round the corner.

The reason I mention all this, is that I have been following a court case that he has been involved in which has culminated in a jail sentence for Paul of twenty one years.

Whilst I can feel sorry for Paul for the amount of time he will be away at her Majesty’s pleasure. I can’t help feeling that this man and his associates deserve every day of that sentence. I know that sounds harsh but if you own illegal firearms in this country and have pictures of yourself showing them off on your facebook page, well I think we can agree you are asking for trouble!

That said he admitted that particular offence and was sentenced to seven years at Exeter Crown Court yesterday.

Paul along with several colleagues also transported millions of Pounds worth of Class A drugs from their Essex base to supply their clients in and around the south west of England.

The enterprise allowed for an amazing lifestyle, which involved luxury supercars, speedboats and villas on the Costa del Sol and in the English countryside.

It is rumoured that the gang supplied at least £3,000,000 worth of cocaine. That may not sound a lot, but let me put some perspective on this. If like me you are a recovered addict, or you may be using or you may know someone who has or does, most of us will know what a wrap of cocaine will look like, now imagine 120,000 of those and you will get a rough idea of what £3,000,000 of cocaine looks like, and if that is the wholesale value (£25.00 per gram) you can double that to 240,000 separate grams by the time it is cut with a range of other products, multiply that by a street price of £50.00 a wrap and the street figure becomes £12,000,000.

This enterprise almost certainly cost lives, not just of those who have been rightfully jailed, but of those who have become addicted, as I once was, to a hideous and dreadful product that I allowed to steal my life from me, it is a product that will rob you of family, friends, work, and if untreated your life.
It will cause more heartache than you can imagine it will destroy families, tear apart relationships it will rob you of the power to choose.

So am I sorry that Paul was sentenced to fourteen years for this crime (plus seven years for the firearms offences) and a total of twenty-one years, effectively a life sentence. The answer is no I am not, I am sorry for his family and friends, but I am infinitely more sorry for those people and their families who were affected and afflicted by Paul and his gang.

JM.

Alcohol related hospital admissions reach record level. [JM] is a post from: Sober Services

Alcohol-related hospital admissions reach record level

I am amazed not at the numbers of people who are being treated for alcohol related admissions to hospitals in the U.K over the last few years, but at the treatment provided for them and the prognosis for their future.

Identifying people who have a problem with alcohol and referring them to or for treatment is NOT the same as treating them.

Taking action such as planning to stop supermarkets selling below cost alcohol and working to introduce a tougher licensing regime or increasing the cost of alcohol will make no difference to an alcoholic; if anything there is a real danger that those who cannot afford it will steal it, or commit crime to fund the illness they have.

If you look at alcoholism in the same way you look at addiction these people have lost the ability to choose whether they use or not and will go to any lengths to make sure that their drug of choice [alcohol] is available to them.

How do I know this? Simple, I suffered from addiction and alcoholism for 29 years I have been clean and sober for a number of years now and work in the field with those still suffering. I have nothing but admiration and support for the doctors and nurses who, day in day out have a duty to treat these unfortunates without thanks.

There are ways to treat this, but it is not the way the government would have you believe. It is not about spending 3.7 Billion pounds. It is not about trying to understand drinking cultures or drug cultures. It is simply about understanding Addiction and treating the illness, not the symptoms.

Until we begin a process of educating the Government, hospital staff, Police, Universities, colleges, schools and the nation that recovery is not just possible, but actually probable when treated appropriately, these statistics will continue to shock.

JM

Over 80,000 Addicts claiming welfare benefits for over 10 years. is a post from: Sober Services

21st April 2011

So all over the news today is a story being leaked by the Conservative and Liberal Coalition regarding how Addiction and Obesity are putting an unnecessary strain on our dole and the social welfare: Sky News Article

The Government’s suggestion is that we generate more jobs for these people, to move them off the dole. The opposition’s point of view is that this is ridiculous with the current Government’s spending cuts thus rendering more and more people jobless. They even say that currently there are 5 people all chasing the same job.

This of course, is all nonsense.
The figures reveal that most of the addicts and alcoholics on incapacity benefit have been there for over 10 years. This leaves me in little doubt that these people are unemployable until they’ve addresses more than just their addiction problems.
These people will require a level of rehabilitation that combats not just their substance misuse, but also their education, motivation, attitudes towards responsibility, integrity and reasonableness.
And I say this from my own experiences, though not entirely the same, similar in many senses.

Let me explain…

When I became drug and alcohol free in 2001, aged 29, I had never had a legal job. I had been one of those homeless statistics that doesn’t get mentioned because I always found a sofa to crash on or some empty building to squat, or a field to camp my vehicle in. I hadn’t participated in society for 11 years since the age of 18 when I’d dropped out just like Timothy Leary had suggested 20 years previously, after having tuned in and turned on.
When I first made an effort to get clean and sober, stopping using and giving up alcohol was only one of the problems. In fact, it was one of the easier problems to overcome.
The real problems were as I assimilated back into society.
I didn’t know how to talk, where to look, how to be comfortable in a conversation, how I was to go about getting and then keeping a job, and a whole host of other difficulties re-assimilating back into a society that I had rejected and left 11 or so years before. I even struggled to understand the suggested frequency that I should bath and shave my face – and let’s not mention changing my clothes. I had lived as a dirty, crusty, punk type for so long, that everything had to be re-learnt – at least it needed to be re-learnt if I was to succeed in my future, playing a part in society and participating in my own destiny.

So that’s where the need for personal responsibility and integrity comes in.
I needed to move away from the selfish, self-centred person my addiction had led me to grow into, and start taking personal responsibility for my actions to myself and to others.
Perhaps more challenging was figuring out how to communicate politely and respectfully without insulting them or humiliating myself. This is an ongoing challenge and one that I can still struggle with – a great example will be this very piece I’m writing now. So convinced I am of my convictions that I’m probably insulting and upsetting a fair sized part of the audience reading this.
But bear with me…
Getting a job wasn’t particularly difficult once I knew what I wanted to do, but figuring out a) what I wanted to do b) what I could do and c) what people were prepared to let me do was the tricky part.

The actual challenge didn’t actually lie in my re-integration back into society.
The actual challenge came from my required physic change.
I needed to a total brain wash and re-programming. NLP – Neuro Linguistic Programming is very good at this, though I was largely self-taught through trial and error of behaviours shifts.

And it is this re-integration back into society and expecting the long term unemployed to learn and build any self respect that will propel them into employment long enough for them to gain a trade that is where the idea is doomed.
With coaching these people back into society, any effort to rehabilitate them is doomed.

Sadly, the first stage towards getting these addicted populations off the welfare state and into self-empowerment and personal financial responsibility must start with giving them a reason “why”. Until they understand why they should need to take care of themselves they will continue to carry the attitude that Society owes them a living.
This fact is very sad indeed.

Beyond Addiction – A New Beginning is a post from: Sober Services

Dear Ian,

16th March was such a wonderful evening! All of us including Samadarshiniji felt it was one of the best events in the whole tour. You spoke wonderfully and the questions some of your friends asked were also very good! Thank you for making it so special; we really enjoyed it!

Have a wonderful day and I look forward to staying in touch with you & meeting you.

–
Thank You,
With Lots of Love,

Krishnaraj.
Faculty Member, One World Academy.

The Big Society – what’s the Big Deal? is a post from: Sober Services

The Big Society – what’s the Big Deal?

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been hearing the phrase “The Big Society” and not really understood what it’s a reference to or what was being described.
But I came to understand it a little clearer when it was pointed out via various media channels (most notably Twitter) that this is just a scam to get people to do voluntary work to cover the staffing levels that are being cut due to the Government savings.
I then listened to this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12445819

Now, I know that I can easily get distracted with my libertarian ideologies, and I’m certainly known to make off centre political comment and to be some sort of radical nutter, but I do think David Cameron’s on to something here, even though I find it grotesque that our Prime Minister should be suggesting it.

In an ideal society, surely we would all be inspired to do the next right thing, and if that means helping out someone less fortunate than ourselves by volunteering our skills, or to keep something going that we’re personally passionate about by giving up some spare time to do it, then our consciences should simply be enough to persuade us, rather than any Government policy.

As a Sober Coach and someone who works with tackling people’s addictions on a daily basis, I still need to make sure I practice what I preach and contribute towards others’ well being outside of my professional work.
My theory is simple – Addiction is all about the individual’s selfishness and self-centeredness. So their ability to recover and remain free from their addiction must involve selflessness and contribution to others.
And I need to do this as much as my clients, if not more!

The world would certainly be a better place if all of the citizens of this land were to step up and participate in the well being of our more vulnerable or less able members of our own society. What would be sad is if we were to say “forget about those less fortunate than us… they don’t contribute towards the quality of my life, therefore I find no reason to contribute towards theirs” because this is completely missing the point of what it means to live in a civilisation. I mean, we all take care of our elder relatives, don’t we? Don’t you?!!

So I actually see no argument against the “Big Society” if what it means is that we help one another achieve the things they cannot achieve by themselves. This is in essence one of the very basic Spiritual Principles of life.

Sadly, there are those that are saying that the Government are just attempting to take advantage of the good nature of it’s citizens by asking them to step up and fulfil the gaps and the duties due to the cuts they’re having to make. And although this is a sinister argument, it still doesn’t have any impact on my thought process – so if the Country really is knackered and has to make so many cuts to its services and then in turn asks the people to step up and serve, why on earth wouldn’t we? Surely no is not the moment to be giving the State the Big Middle Finger!
Presumably you care about your community and want nothing but the best for it. Then you’re gonna have to do actually contribute towards that vision, please.

Who exactly do we think is responsible for the quality of our lives?
When did we start believing that we no longer needed to participate in our own future.
And when did you forget that the “Secret to Living is Giving” [Anthony Robbins].

“The quality of my own life is directly proportional to the amount of time I dedicate towards helping improve the quality of other’s peoples’ lives!’ [Ian Young – though not quite as snappy as Tony’s ;-0) ]

Please contact me if you think I could help you or a loved one with alcohol addiction treatment www.soberservices.co.uk
Please note that Sober Services is a Private organisation and we operate outside of the box.
We’re not part of the NHS nor any other Government or Charity strategy.
All of our team volunteer and contribute in their own way, in their own time.

When is the right time for change? The time is now! is a post from: Sober Services

I’m acutely aware that many people around the world make new years’ resolutions at the end of one year into the next.

Many of these will be “I’m going to drink less”, or “I’m going to eat less chocolate”, or “I’m going to quit smoking” or “I’m going to get fit and healthy back at the gym”, etc.

And these are all valid things to do, and definitely things that you definitely should do!

My only real concern with the whole concept of New Years’ Resolutions, is why wait until January 1st to make such positive changes in your life?

In my own life I constantly come across challenges which reach a point where I begin to feel like I must take action now (like writing these blogs more regularly), or else I begin to feel less confident or lower my self-esteem.

Now it’s true that we get self-esteem by doing esteemable acts, and writing for the benefit of others is certainly esteemable should the topic be worthy of others‘ interest. But more specifically, if I’m feeling less confident in myself, then it is only be repeating a new behaviour which proves to myself that I am able to actually achieve whatever it was I thought I was unable to do that frees me and allows me to grow and nurture my own self confidence.

Do you follow me?

This parallels and begins to explain the phrase “We keep what we have by giving it away” – something you’ll often hear around the 12 Step Fellowships, because it’s by offering another person the gift of your time and help that we fill our own well of Spiritual fulfillment and personal satisfaction.

Or  as Anthony Robbins says “The secret to living is giving”.

So, what happens when I reach a particular breaking point in some relationship with myself?

Let me offer you some of my more prolific personal examples.

1) When I broke down and cried out loud to the Universe that I must stop injecting cocaine and heroin, I made the decision there and then that I was serious enough to start asking for outside help rather than replying upon my own thinking. That was early December 2000.

2) When I over dosed again, and felt the shame and stigma of feeling like a failure, I made the permanent decision “Never again”. That was March 15th. I have not drunk alcohol or used any form of illegal substance or unprescribed narcotic since 16th March 2001.

3) At a certain stage in my own development I became interested in my own physical health. To supplement my exercising regime it was suggested to me that I refrain from drinking sugar filled drinks. I did this immediately and have largely drunk only water ever since. This was Spring 2004.

4) I stopped smoking cigarettes on 27th September 2006, never to smoke again. It’s a long story how I did that, because it was never planned – it just kinda happened. I consider it Divine Intervention. Although it was never planned, my body certainly received it very well.

5) I quit caffeine on November 4th 2010. In this case I didn’t feel like caffeine was causing me any harm, but I knew that I didn’t need it anymore. I just felt like I was done with the morning highs and reliance upon caffeine to maintain my alertness during the day.

The real point I’m making here is not to brag about all the achievements (since they’re actually me not doing the things I shouldn’t have been doing in the first place), but really to point out that none of the things occurred on January 1st or were even attempted around such an event.

No, I stopped doing the things I ought not to have been doing in the first place whenever and wherever I made the final choice to stop and stay stopped.

And I needed help, love, encouragement and support from the Universe on every one of these challenges.

And actually, I suspect that if I was to set myself such a goals that I could only ever begin to start in on January 1st, then I’d be setting myself up to fail, right from the start.

So, when is it actually time to bring about change?

The time is now!

Please contact me if you think I could help you or a loved one with alcohol detox or addiction help www.soberservices.co.uk

Psychedelia: is it really a cure for Alcoholism? is a post from: Sober Services

Psychedelia: is it really a cure for Alcoholism?

I loved this piece of writing in the Guardian newspaper from earlier this week http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/01/nudge-alcoholism-drug-abuse

The article considers how LSD, Peyote and other psychedelic drugs could help cure alcoholism and be a drug addiction treatment!

The author considers the Native Indians’ answer to the alcoholism that ravaged their reservations in the 19th (and 20th) Century and how the Tribe elders introduced Peyote as a solution, because it allowed the Braves to re-discover their sense of purpose and mission in life.

Beautiful stuff, if you ask me.

It begins to display the possibilities of how a shift in thought processes and believe system could bring about permanent change. It’s very in line with Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) practices too.

As someone with a serious history of psychedelic intoxication and a reputation of being a bit of a ‘cosmic casualty’ when I finally became clean and sober in 2001, I’m inspired to comment.

It’s true that Bill Wilson – one of the Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous did try LSD in the early to mid 1060s. But the conclusion he came to was that you could indeed have a spiritual experience as a result of an LSD experience, but that it wasn’t the same one as the Spiritual awakening that one get’s as they work their way through Alcoholics Anonymous’ 12 Steps Programme.

I agree with Bill Wilson – it is different.

But having had significant spiritual experiences and profound explosions of consciousness during my 7 years of constant (daily) hallucinogen consumption, I came into the world of recovery with my eyes already open.
The beautiful 12 Step programme made perfect sense to me cognitively.

The only problem was that due to a further 7 ears of stimulant and opiate (daily) addiction I was very far removed from the person that I had become – all starry eyed at the thoughts of a better world filled with one love, one spirit and one purpose – Peace and utopia!

You see it is my firm belief that psychedelics such as LSD, Peyote, Mescaline, Magic mushrooms, DMT, and a whole range of ‘designer drugs’ that I won’t go into here, do have a profound effect on one’s consciousness. Normally a very healthy and positive attitude towards the world, backed up with logical ideologies about the unification of human kind through libertarian free thinking. Sadly, these thoughts and corresponding behaviours are virtually the exact opposite under the influence of cocaine, heroin and alcohol. Too bad really.

So I came into the 12 Step world and I knew I had arrived home.

I felt safe in a Fellowship built up around spiritual principles such as love, compassion, sympathy, tolerance, forgiveness, understanding, contribution, etc

I do want to point out at this stage that their simply is no name that can be associated with the “higher-Power” that I discovered throw both psychedelics and the 12 step programme, but that this deity is the still the same deity in my eyes. Possibly the closest recognizable name I could give Her could be ‘Gaia’ or ‘Mother Earth’. Today I’d just like to refer to my God as Jennifer, though it’s true that yesterday her name was Mary. It doesn’t really matter that much. The point is that we’re willing to grow along spiritual lines.

Are these hallucinogenic drugs a solution to addiction and alcoholism?

I personally don’t believe so.

But I do believe they can go a long way towards helping someone with an eagerness towards self discovery and personal development accelerate their journey if taken moderately. Like I previously mentioned – the point is that we’re willing to grow along spiritual lines – like those Native Indians did. AHO!

And it’s only retrospectively that I can concur with Bill Wilson – that this spiritual awakening I’ve experienced as a result of the 12-step programme isn’t the same as the drug induced, artificial one.

But they are both very powerful indeed.

Please contact me if you think I could help you or a loved one with alcohol detoxification or addiction help www.soberservices.co.uk

I eat healthy and nutritious foods is a post from: Sober Services

I eat healthy and nutritous foods:

For those of you who have been following my bogs, you may remember that on 22nd August 2010 I pledged to change my unhealthy eating choices http://www.ianyoung.co/i-pledge-to-change-my-unhealthy-eating-choices/

Well, I’m really pleased to say that I’ve made a major shift in my attitudes and therefore my shape (my weight change isn’t conclusive yet).

I underwent a series of challenges, between my excursion to Malaysia (the South China Sea is as warm as a jacuzzi, and choppy like one too), my house moving antics (a test of anyone’s patience) and my recent Scottish trip where I under went a complete physical cleanse over 5 days of restricted consummation to liquidized raw vegetables and drinking Udo’s Oils.

Anyhow, in the large my challenges had been calorie consuming and physically demanding. I was bruised, blistered, battered, bashed, burnt and brain washed, all the good name of my own personal development.

But I came out of it the other side, a better person in so many areas of my life, specifically my general health.

Would you kindly indulge me?

I’d like to write it out loud so that you, God, The Universe and everyone in it may hold me accountable, and in some way engrave the new directions more firmly. You understand?

So let me spell out for you the changes I’ve made and stuck to so far.

1)   I am caffeine free! After completing (against my will) 2 caffeine detoxes in 3 weeks, I figured it was a sign to stay off it.

2)   So instead of my morning lift of caffeine, I’m eating or juicing fruits – kiwis, apples and bananas seem to be the current flavour.

3)   I’ve severely increased my intake of raw greens like salads, broccoli, peas, etc – anything that’s green and can be consumed without any form of cooking.

4)   My portion sizes have been significantly reduced… Finally! About time too.

5)   My carbohydrates are no longer a must in every meal, but more a choice as a side dish, rather than the main course (except when my wife decides it’s pasta bake night).

6)   Whenever at all possible, I’m commited to spending a little extra and purchasing Organic and Free Range products, specifically meats, but also, importantly, all fruit and veg. I like my fruit and veg to be alive!

7)   Despite only having cows milk in coffee, and having soya milk in cereal, now I’ve cut out the coffee all that was left was soya milk. However, Soya is largely a genetically modified plant, so I’ve shifted across to Rice Milk, if required.

8)   Whenever eating out, I’m ordering a Salad as a starter, to reduce my appetite for the main course, rather than pushing it to the side.

9)   I’m focussing upon fresh products whenever practical, and shunning processed foods.  Fast foods are limited to absolute necessity, and convenience foods are limited to healthy muesili type cereals. No microwave meals!

10)  And most importantly, there are no rules telling me ‘I cannot’, or ‘that’s not allowed’, thus eliminating any possibilities of relapsing and then giving up. Effectively I can eat what I want. The thing is, I choose to eat the things in points 1 – 9 and I want to eat healthy and nutritious foods.

Feeling this good, never felt so great!

So, don’t let me off the hook.

Next time you see me, check out my ever decreasing belly – and if you can spot it still, then check in with me and make sure I’m following my own food plan.

But right now, I believe in myself and the shifts I’ve made into new eating habits.

Contact me yourself if you have any further questions.

I’m happy to help.

Please contact me if you think I could help you or a loved one with alcohol addiction treatment or alcohol intervention www.soberservices.co.uk

Professor Nutt’s report – King Alcohol. That old chestnut. is a post from: Sober Services

Alcohol – that old chestnut:

So all over the radio and TV press today is the news that Professor David Nutt has condemned alcohol as worse for the public health than heroin http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11660210

Now those of you that have been following my thoughts and musings will know that I don’t care for prohibition or the government’s right to tax and control everything that we as individual’s may choose to do with our lives.

But you’ll also know that I fully agree with the findings of Professor Nutt around ‘King Alcohol’!

I’ve seen so much more damage to individual’s personal health through excessive alcohol consumption than I have to heroin or crack addicts.

That isn’t to say that heroin and crack users aren’t on a terribly destructive downwards spiral, which is far from pretty and mostly very ugly (I speak from personal experience here), but it is to say that chronic alcoholics are in far worse health than a chronic junkie or crack head.

But the report isn’t actually about the personal damage that the drugs (including alcohol) cause us.

Actually, what it highlights is the social damage alcohol does to our community, our family, and our society. It’s damning!

Whole families lives are run and controlled by one member’s alcoholism.

It doesn’t make me angry, but it does make me terribly sad.

I work with alcoholics and addicts on a daily basis through my company www.soberservices.co.uk and I get to see it first hand, having recovered from my own drink and substance addictions, just how it affects not only the individual, but also all those around.

Time after time, I see daughter’s crying because their father is unable to be the father they want. Or wives who keep the secret of their alcoholic husband in an attempt to protect him. I’m generalizing (and stereo-typing) here, but the picture we normally see if the mother protecting and enabling the heroin addicted son to try to keep him out of harm’s way.

But the real untold story is actually the elephant in the room – it’s the alcoholic, who although living a legal lifestyle, is crippling his or her family with their selfish, self-centred and debilitating behaviour.

The best example I can think of is Begbie in Irvine Walsh’s book / film “Trainspotting”.  Begbie thinks that he is superiour and a better person than his junkie friends, who can’t or won’t get clean. Then he’ll physically destruct a room and whoever is inside it, during his alcohol infused violence, with no consideration for the victims of his aggression. And then, with no thought for others, and without refelection upon the previous carnage he’s caused, he’ll drink all over again. He simply believes he is so much better than those junkie scum friends of his.

My message for a long time has been around the inability of the current or past governments to label alcohol addiction alongside the other drug addictions and then to allow the afflicted access to residential treatments for a more permanent recovery. Rather than the current system that allows an alcoholic a limited amount of access to a detox bed, and once they’ve had their turn then denying them any further atempts.

THIS IS NUTS! (no pun intended)

Sadly, alcoholism isn’t just a physical illness – it’s a mental disease, and unless treated with equal severity as the physical symptons, then the alcoholic is doomed to return to drinking.

Residential rehabs address this. Detoxifications rarely acknowledge this.

Drug addicts are treated by the state in rehab.

Alcoholics are not.

And the main reason for this for the past generation is that alcoholic’s don’t commit crime against the public and society.

It’s become a criminal justice problem and not a public health one.

And that’s the saddest part.

Because generally, an alcoholic manages to minimize their misery to just the immediate family who love and support them. They don’t take their pain and problems out into the streets and commit crime to support their habits. They use emotional blackmail and terrorize the very people who offer help.

It’s really very sad.

When will society understand that ‘King Alcohol’ is one of the biggest threats to healthy living?

Although, that said… most people I know drink and enjoy it and don’t have a problem what so ever.

This wouldn’t apply to them.

Or would it?

Please contact me if you think I could help you or a loved one with drug addiction treatment or giving up alcohol