Wired In Reflections, Part 1

Having developed WIRED eight years ago – as a way of empowering people to tackle substance use problems - it was with a tinge of regret that we changed our name to ‘Wired In’ at the beginning of April. This change was considered a necessity, given the well-branded WIRED magazine in the States.

At the same time, we were very excited about our new identity and commitment to recovery. We have always believed that ‘wiring in’ people (both from within and beyond the field) was an integral part of our grassroots initiative. We incorporated the word ‘recovery’ into our logo, because we had not previously made explicit our organisation’s commitment to helping people understand and be able to find recovery.

We also believe that the field itself does not focus enough on recovery, and that the vast majority of practitioners do not really understand the concept. This is probably the single most important reason why the field is not being as successful as it could be in helping people overcome substance use problems.

In the past, we have emphasised the grassroots nature of WIRED and the importance of our ‘bottom-up’ approach to producing enduring success in tackling substance use problems. We have also emphasised the importance of empowering people to tackle substance use problems.

Each of these elements - the grassroots approach, empowerment, giving the people a voice, and helping other organisations achieve their aims – all help define what Wired In actually is and what it represents. But something was missing.

Since changing our identity, the final piece of the puzzle has clicked into place. It is the simple fact that we are a Recovery Movement. Our major underlying aim is to help people find their path to recovery.     

Wired In aims to provide people affected by substance use problems with the information and tools they need to best help them overcome their problems using: (a) their own personal psychological resources; (b) the support and help of loved ones and friends; and (c) community-based treatment and support services.

We also aim to provide practitioners with education, training and information that facilitates their work in helping people find recovery. The voice of the people affected by substance use problems will form a key element of our approach.

So what is recovery? In my Background Briefings on recovery last year, I included a definition from William L White which we find particularly useful and pertinent.

Recovery is defined as, “the experience (a process and a sustained status) through which individuals, families, and communities impacted by severe alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems utilize internal and external resources to voluntarily resolve these problems, heal the wounds inflicted by AOD-related problems, actively manage their continued vulnerability to such problems, and develop a healthy, productive, and meaningful life.”

One important point to emphasise here is that this focus on recovery is part of an important new trend in the US, a moving away from focusing on the problem (addiction) to focusing on the solution (recovery). There is a greater recognition of needing to look at how millions of people have found recovery, and developing principles and practices based on these lived solutions.

In starting and driving our Recovery Movement forward, we believe it essential that Wired In has a Charter, a set of ten values and principles that help define how we think and act (see www.wiredin.org.uk).

For example, Point 2 states, “Wired In is founded upon Trust: we are independent, objective and honest. Wired In is about being creative, and having the courage to challenge.”

We have also drawn up an underlying philosophy that provides clarity and helps steer the Wired In course of action in this field. A series of statements which reflect this philosophy will be presented tomorrow.

Today, check out the introduction to our new film material on YouTube, which is the first part of a series focusing on 'Life as a heroin addict'.