Here are some very powerful words about recovery from addiction, written by Phil Harris in his excellent book Empathy for the Devil: How to help people overcome drugs and alcohol problems. [NB. I have broken up the original paragraph for emphasis. My bold]
… if we are to support those that experience problems we need to understand them as people first and foremost: what drives the inner experience of use of drugs and alcohol, what drives change and how people not only identify a different kind of of life, but also how they sustain it in light of obstacles and setbacks.
This is not just about the individual, but also the relationships and the environments that provide the contexts and reference points of their lives.
In short this book will chart what it is that people actually do to recover and embraces the fullness of each individual life. This will provide the guidance for the kind of help they need from us, should they require it.’
Phil Harris later says:
There is an assumption that knowing more about drugs will change the client. However, this does not change behaviour in itself.
By understanding how people actually change we can get beside and augment the change process.’
I couldn’t agree more with these words, in particular ‘we need to understand them as people first and foremost’. That is why the voices of recovering people are so very important. And why empathy and compassion are key to helping someone on their recovery journey. Empathy is the ability to see things from another person’s perspective and be able to feel their emotions.
I wonder how many treatment services and workers think in the way described by Phil Harris.
Please check out our collection of Recovery Stories on this website.