Hey All, I volunteer at the local needle exchange. I have a bit of a problem, maybe you can help me.
We give out info for people who want to quit using and a couple of times people have come back after they have done their rehab and are now clean, they come in to get condoms usually. Now, I don't want to rain on their parade, but I need to let them know that if they need to come back for needles etc that they can come back with no judgement from me. Please help me to put this in a straightforward and caring manner, I don't want to see them relapse, but if they do, I need them to know that we are there for them.
Have any of you got any advice for me? please and Thankyou.
Karen
Britt,
your situation reminds me of individuals that experience similar feelings of shame while attending 12 Step Programs and might have a slip after a protracted period of sobriety......
i am 27 days short of 20 years clean...so it has been a while but in the old days of AA unfortunately...a slip was viewed as a full blown relapse...hence making it harder for the individual to make it known to other members of his group due to a needless and fruitless sense of personal shame and failure.
today AA and other similar 12 Step Programs have become more liberal and forgiving in their teachings and disciplines....a slip needn't turn into a major slide... nor a lapse viewed as a catastrophic relapse....so too the aid of taking antidepressants is no longer viewed in such a negative light as it was years ago...and yes i do take antidepressants and still consider myself almost 20 years clean....
one can say too much or too little to a recovering addict experiencing a slip...perhaps just a smile and a simple welcome back is enough to put one at ease.....business as usual...no big whoop....
easy does it...
just my simple two cents
MARY
your situation reminds me of individuals that experience similar feelings of shame while attending 12 Step Programs and might have a slip after a protracted period of sobriety......
i am 27 days short of 20 years clean...so it has been a while but in the old days of AA unfortunately...a slip was viewed as a full blown relapse...hence making it harder for the individual to make it known to other members of his group due to a needless and fruitless sense of personal shame and failure.
today AA and other similar 12 Step Programs have become more liberal and forgiving in their teachings and disciplines....a slip needn't turn into a major slide... nor a lapse viewed as a catastrophic relapse....so too the aid of taking antidepressants is no longer viewed in such a negative light as it was years ago...and yes i do take antidepressants and still consider myself almost 20 years clean....
one can say too much or too little to a recovering addict experiencing a slip...perhaps just a smile and a simple welcome back is enough to put one at ease.....business as usual...no big whoop....
easy does it...
just my simple two cents
MARY
Brit, that's a toughie.....well I think so, but maybe others will have some answers......like Mary so wisely said.......ya can say too much or too little.
Something someone said to me helped.....you can have a "LAPSE" that don't turn into a "RELAPSE".....the people you help know that as well.....beings it's a matter of health.......heck, even life/death.....maybe you can something on those lines.....nobody can make you go use again so you're not responsible there for just saying you care and will be there for them God forbid they'd need needles again.
That's good to hear though people are doing good, and staying safe.
Something someone said to me helped.....you can have a "LAPSE" that don't turn into a "RELAPSE".....the people you help know that as well.....beings it's a matter of health.......heck, even life/death.....maybe you can something on those lines.....nobody can make you go use again so you're not responsible there for just saying you care and will be there for them God forbid they'd need needles again.
That's good to hear though people are doing good, and staying safe.
Karen,
Besides needles and condoms do you offer any other service, like prevention literature etc. You could say "remember if you need ANYTHING else, we will be here for you, no questions asked." By putting the emphasis on 'anything', that way they can take it to mean literature, referrals, whatever or clean needles if they need them again.
Besides needles and condoms do you offer any other service, like prevention literature etc. You could say "remember if you need ANYTHING else, we will be here for you, no questions asked." By putting the emphasis on 'anything', that way they can take it to mean literature, referrals, whatever or clean needles if they need them again.
Hey karen is this a large US city or out of the country just curious. I have no wise words for u though. Im 2 mths sober from methadone and xanax and i need to b recieving the advice now.
Brien
Brien
i know the problem coz at my local needle exchange iz where i see my counsellor and give my piss tests, so if i wanna get clean works i feel guilty about doing it an sumtimes dont because i feel like im doing something wrong, it is a stupid idea to have needle excahnfge in the same place as a counsellor dont ya think? I have a meeting an tell him hopw good i am being by not using an then ask for sum clean worx?? Crazy aint it, exactly, so i dont ask for the clean worx an when an if use i aint got no clean worx an thenm i am tempted to use others and..u know the rest..
TM
TM
If it were me i'ld go with what" cynical one" said. I would not say we will still give you needles. I would say something like we are here for you if you need ""anything""". I sure would not over explain. Most people like short answers anyway. There is nothing anywhere near where i live for getting needles other then stealing them from diabetics or getting one for 5 dollars off the cornor. A huge reason i got a staph infection was.... needles were hard to get so you re used it till it was un useable!. If your gonna do may as well be smart about it.
