Controversies in Social Work

An Ex-Drug Addict Is Being Untruthful?

Wed, 25 Jan 2006 06:05:28 GMT

Like I suppose everyone in the country, I know someone who read A Million Little Pieces and absolutely loved it. She had basically the same take on it as Oprah: its "truth" of "redemption" is what matters, not the "real" truth. She almost broke me into a thousand little pieces when I first told her of the charges of fraud and lying. This book has helped millions! she chastised me.

Oh really?

Don't books like this one, which fill page after crack-smoking alcohol-drinking bloody-puking page with tall tales of low life, that then make the author a zillion dollars and Oprah's best buddy -- don't they say something else about drug use other than "it will ruin your life and everyone's you love" (which is what AA will tell you)? What I hear is "you can live as irresponsible and dangerous as you want, because you can always clean up, make amends and if you are just a bit lucky, become a real hero. A cool hero. All before you're 40."

Today the NY Times ran a story of how counselors in the treatment center in which Mr. Frey was apparently treated, the waver-thin disguised Hazelden, say they are concerned that his story of Treatment Hell will in fact discourage others from seeking treatment.

Amoung the millions of recovered alcoholics and drug addicts in our country, the ones who have struggled to live the recovery life and have inspired others to do the same, is this the best we can find as a hero?

Just asking.

Are We Really Our Brother's and Sister's Keeper?

Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:48:31 GMT

Are you proud of how the new Medicare Part D is working so far? This was big deal when it was passed, as we recall, and it was going to finally help the most needy amoung us all with medication costs. Mission Not Accomplished. Millions of the so-called "dual eligibles," elderly and disabled who were previously receiving their medications at almost no cost have been "switched" to the new Medicare program. Now, they have deducibles and a "donut hole" of $3000 to fill. Some of their medications are no longer covered. These are citizens who are living in nursing homes, or are severely disabled. The states have had to step in to make sure these vulnerable people receive their needed medication. For this segment of our great society, some of our weakness and most needy neighbors, the choice was not voluntary. Should we care? Should social work be more involved politically? Have you seen the Part D law? Do you understand it? What if your were 85 years old with dementia? You know it's a really, really serious problem with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledges his state will supply $70 million to fill the gap for two weeks, in anticipation of reinbursement from the federal government.

Lies, Damn Lies and Ex-Drug Addict Authors

Tue, 10 Jan 2006 03:46:42 GMT

This one is just too good to pass. I've been asked by several people, "Have you read that book on drug addiction?" referring to James Frey's A Million Little Pieces. I just learned it was second only to Harry Potter as the most popular book last year! This was in large part because Oprah picked the book for his book club and said it had her whole staff (they must certainly read what the boss reads) "up all night." Here's my confession: I have zero desire to read drug and alcohol memoirs by people under 30 who have yet to even publish a book. But that's me. I'm definitely in the book-reading minority on that one. Well, it turns out one of my favorite web sites, The Smoking Gun, has done extensive investigation of this self-described criminal who said he once tried to run over a policeman, finding extensive public documents that dispute story after story in Mr. Frey's book. In fact, the author himself admits he originally wrote it as a novel. I just saw "Capote" and loved it, and as manipulative as Capote (a fellow Louisianaian) could be, he at least wrote truthfully about real events. We've come a long way -- the wrong way -- from those days.

Computer Use and Depression

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 03:38:14 GMT

What does sittting in front of a computer do to you? Make you more isolated? Less? How about your mood. More happy? Or more depressed? One of the Christmas gifts I gave my mom this year was a 21" monitor, because she spends a fair amount of time online. She even made the big leap to DSL this year. So, I was happy to come across a small study of 206 senior citizens (mean age of 80) that suggested that those who were computer savy showed "significantly" fewer signs of depression. Email, health sites, chat rooms were all popular among those studied. It did not matter how long the person was on the computer, either.

Another Katrina "Story"

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 03:47:44 GMT

In the midst of dozens of remarkable stories of sacrifice by medical personel in the floods of New Orleans, this sad story lingers around. Attorney General Foti says that the allegations of possible euthanasia at Memorial Medical Center are "credible and worth investigating." Memorial remains closed, of course, as do all but two hospitals in the entire city.

My Brief Time As A Katrina Volunteer

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 03:28:14 GMT

I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a few miles up the road from what use to be New Orleans. In the aftermath of Katrina and Rita, many social workers and other such professionals donated much of their time to helping the evacuees. Some spent weeks of time in this area. My volunteer contribution was minor indeed compared to that commitment, but it affect me nonetheless. Here is a story I wrote of my experience for our state-wide marriage and family thearpy newsletter. There was more I could tell but I wanted to protect the privacy of the evacuees. Our local news media are quoting mental health professions saying that depression is now "pandemic" in the area.

A Social Worker's Katrina Odyssey

Tue, 20 Dec 2005 04:06:33 GMT

AlterNet.org has begun collecting oral history statements from those who survivied Katrina. The stories so far are raw and unedited (mostly). This one is from a woman who says she is a social worker.