I've just returned from a 2 day work visit to Edinburgh and Glasgow, what an amazing place! They've hit the nail right on the head with the new drug strategy- recovery is what it's about, not just being thrown on a script and hoping for the best, but support in all areas of their lives.
Firstly I visited LEAP in Edinburgh and was amazed by everything about the place, I sat in on the morning group and the guys there made me very welcome and then got straight down to business-honesty, frankness and companionship were the order of the day. LEAP has only been open since the end of last year but is having a massive impact on the local scene already, I think they've got the balance of structure/supervision and freedom of the clients as close to perfect as I've seen.
This is hard to explain but the guys there had light and goodness emanating from them, they were totally unashamedly, themselves. Not pretending to be something they weren't, like we see all too often on the street! It was captivating, and it's because they have found/come to terms with their real self, that they are going to make it in their recovery's.
To be honest the field of substance misuse in Wales was getting me down a bit, I think a lot of people can see that the emphasis is in the wrong area. All of our eggs have been in the one basket! I just hope and pray that the rest of the UK can follow Scotland's example and listen to the recovering addicts and alcoholics and find out what they think might help others into recovery.
Recovery community's are the way forward, real life survivors supporting others in the same boat. Of course there are many other facets to a sustained recovery but I'm leaning more and more towards support from like minded people being up towards the top of the list! In supporting others (and that doesn't mean much, just listening will do!) you are building up both your confidence and self-esteem, which then carries you through the tough times too. Simple but effective!
Wired In is hoping we'll get the chance to work a lot closer with LEAP in the near future - fingers crossed!
2 comments:
Hi Hevin it was great to meet you up at the conference in Glasgow as usual, when i spend time with other recovering addicts there just are not enough hours in day. What you describe at LEAP is the theraputic value of one addict helping another, theres no thearpy like it and that light to saw shining from those recovering at leap will hopefully spread across scotland and the rest of the UK. Big hug and hope to meet with you again soon.
Annemarie
Thanks Kevin for the enthusiastic feedback on your visit to LEAP. I know from the team and the patients that the positivity is reciprocated.
The power of the individual in recovery is impressive, but the power of the recovery community is breathtaking. When there is a group of individuals supporting each other to recover who see it happening around them, then it becomes like the measles. Soon everybody is getting it!
There are thousands of addicts around the UK meeting every night in groups up and down the country and the tragedy is that it is pretty much a secret.
Hopefully that will change.
Well done on your part in making that change
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