Addiction: What's Really Going On? Inside a Heroin Treatment Program

by Deborah McCloskey, Barbara Sinor

What's Really Going On? contains powerful true-life stories woven together to form a tapestry filled with pain, joy, defeat, and success. The entire book is molded around Deborah McCloskey's heartfelt desire for her clients to be free of drugs. Her counseling methods both endeared her as "the counselor to get" and locked her into a decade of searching for better ways to help those she felt were stuck on the merry-go-round of a methadone system. This book should be read by teachers, hospitals employees, college students, government officials, and our general adult population whether addicted, sober, or straight. Experts Acclaim for Addiction--What's Really Going On? "Once I started reading Addiction--What's Really Going On? I could not put it down! You can tell the passion the author has as you read it. I can also tell how she learned about methadone and the patients as she progressed in her work."
--Roxanne Baker, CMA, President National Alliance of Methadone Advocates (NAMA) "Addiction--What's Really Going On? is gritty and gripping as you enter the lives of those who are like crabs trying to get out of a barrel. Hope comes when you realize that there are people in this world committed to unselfish service who have unconditional love for others. Thank you Deborah and Barbara for showing us your humanity and for what we can aspire to."
--Anusha Amen-Ra, CNC, CEO, Sacred Space Healing and Retreat Centers International, Inc. "Addiction--What's Really Going On? is a truthful look into the world of Methadone Treatment with a mix of compassion and humor. It is a great read for those in the recovery field and provides insight for those who do not understand the life of addiction and recovery."
--Lori Carter-Runyon, Executive Director Hilltop Recovery Services "I recommend this book to audiences in any helping profession, people in recovery, the families of drug addicts, and the users themselves."
--Bill Urell, MA, CAAP-II, Addictions Therapist Author, The Addiction Recovery Help Guide About the Author Barbara Sinor, PhD is a Psychospiritual Therapist working with individuals dealing with addictions, childhood abuse/incest, PTSD, and adult children of alcoholics. Barbara utilizes a holistic methodology in her counseling encompassing forms of hypnotherapy, regression therapy, Gestalt, Jungian dreamwork, and other transpersonal techniques. Dr. Sinor holds a Doctorate in Psychology; an MA from John F. Kennedy University; and a BA from Pitzer College. For more information, please visit www.DrSinor.com From Loving Healing Press www.LovingHealing.com Psychopathology - Addiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2009

Reviews

[Kerry Wolf · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only wish I could give this book zero stars. I was totally appalled by the countless inaccuracies, lies, and utter nonsense in this book, on nearly every page. As the counselor repetitively pats herself on the back for being so "cool", so "hip", the "counselor everyone wanted", she waxes descriptive about how badly the patients smell, how disgusted she is by their appearance, pointing out their alleged poor taste in clothing, lack of teeth, hair color, etc and the many laughs she and her co-workers shared about them. She leaves anyone reading the book with the impression that methadone patients in general are the dregs of society--jobless, homeless, toothless, with no education, no parenting skills, and in desperate need of hygiene lessons--and that they all use the clinic as nothing more than a legalized dealer.

AS for methadone treatment itself, every other word out of McCloskey displays her pathetic lack of knowledge about MMT in general and opioid addiction in particular. She states that her goal for all patients is to reduce their doses, keep them on the lowest dose they will agree to, and get them off treatment asap--all in complete opposition to Best Practice guidelines and medical knowledge. She states that she would "do anything to prevent a dose increase"--again, in direct opposition to all known scientific information on effective practices.

She also includes this gem:

"Our clinic physician would start most people out at 40 to 60mgs, which should be enough to hold most addicts......In one of my sessions an old timer--a client--taught me about their world. She stated that any more than a 40 mg dose was just to get high, or they were still getting high. SInce the average dose was 80 mgs, I kept that fact in the back of my mind.

The highest dose any of us had ever seen was 180 mgs. It was inconceivable how this client could function on this high of a dose. The 180mg client wanted to transfer from somewhere else to our clinic, but there was no way we could accommodate that dose morally, ethically or legally".

Not only is that flatly untrue--there is no limit on doses for a very good reason, and many many patients are on doses of 300 to 400 mgs and over, without the slightest impairment--but her statement that 40 mgs is enough to hold most clients is laughable. The average needed dose is 80-120mgs, with many requiring much more. In fact, doses of 80 mgs and upwards have the effect of blocking any euphoria the patient might feel if they take any other opiates, making it useless to do so, and many if not most patients NEED this blocking dose in order to stay clean. McCloskey should not be surprised, then that many of her patients continued to use, since she kept them on sub-standard doses.

The fact that she takes the "medical" advice of one of her "clients" (god forbid we call them patients) rather than actual medical evidence and fact, in deciding what "too much methadone" is, speaks volumes.

I cannot think of any book I have ever read on addiction that has disgusted and appalled me more than this one, which will certainly be useful in tossing methadone treatment back into the medical ghetto every time it tries to climb out. Shame on McCloskey.

[LAURI CRUMLEY COATES · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deborah McCloskey truly has a passion for working with heroin addicts, and that passion shows through in this book. Each story offers a heart-rending view of an addict and the people who care about them, the addiction and working to the other side, becoming drug free. McCloskey shows that while there is no easy fix, with understanding and care, and the proper medical treatment; all addicts have the means needed to change their life.

The characters are richly drawn, and you will find yourself rooting for them and caring about them. The actual discussion on the use of methodone and the psychology of addiction will prove useful to anyone with a loved one, friend, or family member in the grip of any addiction.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is considering pursuing a career in psychology, social work, or addiction counseling. You will find it invaluable. The book is written to appeal to the every day reader, too. You will learn from it, cry for the addicts, and cheer on the people in the trenchs working with addicts every day.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Attending a treatment center that addressed all core issues, rather than specific addictions, I was exposed to some stories from heroin addicts. However, being the treatment center wasn't specifically addressing heroin addictions I just got a glimpse of the reality that exists in that world. After reading "Addiction: What's Really Going on? Inside a Heroin Treatment Program" I became more aware of the demons that exist in the lives of the addicts and the resulting behaviors. I commend Barbara Sinor for taking Deborah McCloskey's dream and manifesting it into a book. This book is for not only those in the recovery programs, but for those that want to know more about the reality of heroin addiction.

[DelGal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a superbly written narrative of what it's really like to work in a methadone treatment program as a counselor. It doesn't hide the real issues of addiction behind any dazzling storyline, just plain, simple, truthful documentation of real occurrences. Being a substance abuse counselor myself, I know exactly what the author experienced, and at times it was so eerily similar to my experiences it brought a tear to my eyes. I also especially appreciated the way the author included her personal life as well as her professional life in this book. It was a great portrayal of the delicate balance often required between both lives when you're in a counseling position such as hers. This a great read and should be highly recommended for new counselors to read.

[Allizabeth Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a student of medicine, I was very anxious to read Addiction: What's Really Going On?, a book about life inside a heroin treatment program. This was a truly impressive read, both about the author's experiences with patients in the program and the addict's experiences. I had always known what I had heard on television and in books about addiction, but never had I been pushed into the reality of the addiction itself. So much emotion that it made me understand addiction almost like a disease instead of someone's mental inability to cope without the drug. I recommend this to anyone who has ever been curious about the topic and especially those who are dealing with their own, or a loved one's addiction; whether heroin or any other addictive substance.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the coauthor of this title. It is a potent look into our addiction population with true-life stories that will grip your soul....