Roland's Beliefs on
Addiction Treatment & Recovery:
I am a firm believer that addiction is treatable and I have had over 25 years of success helping clients achieve and maintain Recovery and helping treatment facilities run more effectively. Here are some of my beliefs about addiction treatment and Recovery:
The is no such thing as a hopeless addict, anyone can recover
Relapse does not indicate failure, it means that the persons Recovery Program needs a “Tune-Up”
The 12 Step Programs are effective, BUT not for everyone. We as a treatment industry should support alternatives to the 12 Step philosophy
One size does not fit all…. People of different cultures, vocations, sexuality and gender often have different issues that need to be honored and addressed in treatment and Recovery
There is a huge difference between substance abuse and substance dependence, often times abusers are misdiagnosed as dependent and treated accordingly
Way too many treatment facilities are understaffed with underpaid and under-trained staff members
You can’t relapse if you’ve never been in Recovery
Recovery plans need to be concrete, specific and measurable
You alone can do it, but you can’t do it alone
Pain is just as much of a threat to Recovery as pain medication
Addicts should be taught what do WHEN they have to take pain medications not what to do IF they have to take pain medications
Relapse is a process not an event, and it begins way before the addict picks up the first drink or drug
Abstinence is NOT Recovery, it’s a prerequisite for Recovery
Addiction counselors need to know when to refer a client to a private psycho-therapist
You don’t have to be one to help one. Being in Recovery is not a requirement to be effective as a clinician working with addictions
It’s not the messenger it’s the message, addicted people should not tune out those from different backgrounds, experiences, age, sex, etc. Anyone may carry the message that will turn a life around.
Addicts and alcoholics are not bad people trying to get good, but sick people trying to get well
Family involvement in treatment and recovery increase the likelihood of success
An untreated family can undo in 6 days what a treatment program took 6 months to put together
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink… but you can make him thirsty. We need to make Recovery appealing to the abuser
People are basically hedonistic, meaning that we do things that provide us with a payoff. We need to find out what the payoff is for drug and alcohol use, and help the abuser find safer ways to accomplish what they want
Addicts should quit nicotine at the same time they stop all other drug use. Nicotine is the most deadly drug in the country, and can contribute to a relapse, also if the addict gets into "relapse mode", they are more likely to pick up cigarettes before going back to their drug of choice
“Near-beer”, non-alcoholic wines, and virgin cocktails are “pretend” drinking and often contribute to relapse
The number one Relapse Warning Sign of all, "Overestimating your Recovery and underestimating the power of your Disease"
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