The Success of Failure

Three to five days for detoxification, then maybe a thirty day transitional facility if a bed is available, then maybe a halfway house if a bed is available.

Some people speak of the fear of success. I on the other hand choose to ‘flip’ it and say the success of failure.

What the heck do I mean by that? Simply put, our system for addiction treatment more often than not, sets people up for failure and a return to treatment.

Detoxification is looked at strictly in terms of a person’s vital signs; not their mental status in areas such as craving, anxiety, depression, etc. We are told this can be treated by outside providers (yea, if they make it there in their state of mind).

So when a person leaves detox and ends up back in a month, some people are amazed they ‘broke out’ after being ‘treated’ for their addiction. I have heard staff make comments such as, “Jeez, what is wrong with them that they are back again, or, what are they stupid?”

Nice, real f-ing nice. Great compassion and empathy. Maybe, just maybe, it has more to do with the system we have in place than the individual trying to ahem, ‘make-it!’ If you can’t help an addict, then don’t…I’m sure many of you catch my drift here, huh?

Hearing staff make these comments I always confront them with the suggestion ‘why don’t you think about what you can do differently this time to help them; otherwise you are just another part of the problem – not the solution.’

When I break out I know I can return to treatment and there will be people there that care about me more than I care about myself. Hence, the ‘Success of Failure.’

Unfortunately over time several factors come into play. Facilities become hesitant to admit those that are accumulating numerous admissions; at the detoxification, transitional, and halfway house levels. The rational is, ‘well, they have gotten as much as they can from our program so what difference will this admission make.

Families begin to feel burned-out, especially if they have not been getting help for themselves (one does not find a lot of alcoholics or addicts in long-term mental facilities; that is where one can find the friends and families that have been trying to make sense out of their loved ones addictions!)

Now we find the person without family and program supports, drinking a half-gallon a day in Central Square, homeless and hopeless. They no longer try to rationalize, minimize, or justify their use; “I drink because I am a drunk and this is how I am going to die.”

End of story.

The only chance to instill hope again is to get them into detox and show them our humanity, compassion and empathy.

It’s a shame the system cannot get it right in the first place, huh?

This is why I keep writing and advocating for the ‘underdog.’ I can remember when part of being an American was cheering for the underdog.