Many people will choose to drink or use drugs (rather than quit) even in the face of negative life consequences. For these people, the choice between strict abstinence from drugs or alcohol VS. continued use results in choosing to continue to drink/take drugs. Self help drug treatment is not yet an option. But drug or alcohol use exposes people to many harms.
What are these harms? And how can addiction counselors and professionals work to reduce harms of drug or alcohol use? We explore here.
Harms of drugs or alcohol use
The harms of drug or alcohol use not isolated to the user. Drunk driving, infections, increased medical costs and other harms can involve many other people. By giving drug users a middle option, we keep everyone healthier. Even if they never achieve full recovery, the progress they make continues to benefit all us. So what exactly is harm reduction?
What is harm reduction?
The harm reduction approach to addiction recovery places almost no requirements on alcohol or drug users. In practice, harm reduction recovery often includes continued use of most or all of the substances that have been used, with new ways of using them in order to “reduce the harm” associated with use.
Harm reduction techniques
Perhaps the most well-known harm reduction programs are the “needle exchanges” where drug users may exchange dirty needles for clean ones, or the “wet houses” where chronic inebriates are allowed to live and drink as they wish, with very few rules regulating them (e.g., no fighting, no breaking things). Some other harm reduction interventions include:
1. Alcohol harm reduction – A drinker might get just as drunk, but have made advance arrangements about not driving during that drinking episode.
2. Drug use harm reduction – A crack user might give up crack, but continue with pot and alcohol, which the user judges as much less harmful than crack.
3. IV drug use harm reduction – An IV drug user might begin using clean needles with every injection, rather than running the risk of infection.
Does harm reduction help addicts?
Applying the theory of harm reduction, clients who choose to use drugs or alcohol are supported in the pursuit of progress in recovery as they define progress. However, harm reduction programs are controversial. The support of a user who continues to use can be viewed as “enabling.” Enabling (the shielding of a user from the natural negative consequences of use) is problematic because it is the buildup of negative consequences that persuades someone to change. Why would anyone change a behavior that is fun but not harmful?
To respond to this question, consider the possibility of a “perfect drug.” This imaginary drug is very inexpensive, fully legal, causes no health problems, and is socially accepted. Although the state of intoxication it produces is as wonderful as any state of intoxication might be, that state can be stopped at any moment by a small act of willpower. Nor does state in itself cause any problems such as lack of coordination or poor judgment.
Would you use this drug? Of course you would! By definition, it is perfect: All benefits, no costs. All of us would use, because there would be no reason not to.
Although we might fantasize about life with this drug, it is only a fantasy. A perfect drug does not exist. All have negative consequences, and that is why we stop using them. When we use enough of a drug for long enough, the costs start to build up, and eventually we stop (or die, get institutionalized, etc.).
So if harm reduction prevents negative consequences from building up, it would appear to get in the way of natural recovery. For this reason, harm reduction has been less than fully popular.
However, there is another perspective to consider. Harm reduction can prevent the most disastrous of the negative consequences of drug use: getting infected by a dirty needle, killing someone in a drunk driving crash, going psychotic on crack or meth use. The harm reduction approach suggests that if we can prevent the most serious negative consequences, perhaps the other negative consequences can still do their work, aided by normal maturation and development. We perhaps can keep people alive, and relatively safe, until recovery “catches up with them” and they start asking , “How do I stop drinking?” by and for themselves.
Harm reduction questions
Do you still have questions about applying harm reduction theory to addiction treatment? Please leave us your questions and comments below. We will try to answer your questions in a personal and prompt reply.
