Abstract
The UK has one of the most serious alcohol and addictions problems in Western Europe, but austerity has relatively curbed resources given to treatment. Media and political criticism, that substitute prescribing is costly, demeaning and asocial has been fuelled by headlines on diverted or leaked opiates and opiate-related deaths. Each region has developed a ‘Recovery’ agenda that emphasises (not always exclusively) abstinence. Recovery is found to be associated with social connectedness (particularly with ‘recovery communities’) and new meaning and purpose in life, where ‘giving’ rather than ‘taking’ is the new way of life. These claims are convincing, though are based on observation rather than experimental studies. Nevertheless, when therapists are trained in facilitating the linking of patients with the 12 step groups (AA and NA), randomised controlled trials have shown its effectiveness. But in the UK, addiction professionals are been found to be ignorant, even prejudiced, about the role of such (cost-free) mutual help groups. Medications (and medical staff) to aid recovery are widely regarded as expensive and, by some, as incompatible with ‘recovery’. The recovery movement implies that nudging patients into greater social activity provides a more lasting solution to the social anxiety and hopelessness so often accompanies addictions.
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