Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #HarmRed22
Most recents (5)
Harm reduction saved my life. Years into recovery, I never forgot the kindness of Haven Wheelock.
My family had forced me into treatment twice, only for me to relapse and OD.
I walked into the syringe exchange scared and alone. I’d had a hep c exposure. 1/
My family had forced me into treatment twice, only for me to relapse and OD.
I walked into the syringe exchange scared and alone. I’d had a hep c exposure. 1/
She didn’t say, “but don’t you want to go to treatment?!” I’d been down that road and learned I was a hopeless case. (What forced treatment + 12-step does to us.)
I would’ve spun on my heels. I knew then that I was a junkie piece of shit who would die in my addiction. It’s ok.2/
I would’ve spun on my heels. I knew then that I was a junkie piece of shit who would die in my addiction. It’s ok.2/
Except, for *once* someone who knew my whole truth—I am injection drug user—didn’t reflect that idea back at me.
There was just kindness and genuine compassion. For me, at my worst.
It was a jarring experience. Every other signal from society was “you’re worthless garbage.”/
There was just kindness and genuine compassion. For me, at my worst.
It was a jarring experience. Every other signal from society was “you’re worthless garbage.”/
Before I head to sleep: a #harmred22 tweetatorial on how to help hospitals be less harmful places for people who inject drugs & need treatment for serious infections (endocarditis, osteomyelitis)!
Hospitals are carceral, medicine is largely prohibitionist, and people who inject drugs are often treated very badly in medical settings. So many interventions aren't "traditional" harm reduction - but is about reducing harm medical system usually imposes on folks.
It's great if this can start before hospital & when worried, outreach teams or harm reduction programs can reach out to (and maybe introduce client to?) addiction medicine team at hospital, so patients have reason to trust us & we know they're on their way.
Another #harmred22 tweet storm this one about RACK study (Rapid Assessment of Consumer Knowledge - brief, mixed methods research approach to gain insight into local challenges and responses to the opioid crisis as shared by people who use drugs) in MA
Rate of opioid overdose deaths for Hispanics has increased dramatically in MA compared with national rates.
For Hispanic/Latinx and African Americans, risk of overdose heavily tied to fentanyl and cocaine supply - contamination, inexperienced exposure for folks primarily using stimulants.
Going to try to tweet some pearls from #harmred22 talk about #Section35 (involuntary substance use treatment) program in Massachusetts.
38 states in US have some kind of involuntary commitment program, but MA is the only one that uses correctional settings to hold people!!!!
38 states in US have some kind of involuntary commitment program, but MA is the only one that uses correctional settings to hold people!!!!
Family members, MD, police officers, parole officers can petition court for section 35 if perception of severe harm. Risk can be acute or chronic.
Individuals are handcuffed, arrested, and brought to jail as if they’ve committed a crime. They are assigned a public defender.
Individuals are handcuffed, arrested, and brought to jail as if they’ve committed a crime. They are assigned a public defender.
Each stage of this process can take hours. People often face withdrawal/distress while waiting to go through. Men can be sent to jails and prison for treatment (though they have not been charged with a crime).
Twelve years ago (!!) one of my first introductions to #harmreduction was doing my MPH capstone project with Drs Collins & Clifasefi and now I am going to their talk at #harmred22!
"We realized how we talked to people as treatment professionals was not effective for people most severely impacted by substance use, racial injustice, and socioeconomic stressors, & people we were working w/ had more effective sustainable ideas for how to revision treatment.”
things people wanted: help people work towards own goals, don't require abstinence, offer group AND individual counseling options
