In addition to resources like Narcan and clean needle exchanges, harm reduction can also refer to an alternative to abstinence only approaches to recovery. Harm reduction is really difficult to navigate. Especially when the only treatment and recovery programs that most people know about are 12-step based, which take an abstinence-only approach. My husband is very much of the harm-reduction mindset when it comes to recovery. He’s been on Suboxone for years, he’s used marijuana to help with anxiety and even to curb heroin cravings, he’s used ketamine and psychedelics for anxiety and to connect spiritually. In addition, he takes medication for his ADHD, which is another highly controlled substance. When he was in active addiction, he started testing his drugs for fentanyl.
For the most part, I’ve been supportive of these methods because I can see the difference between when he’s on acid for example and when he’s on heroin. He’s not addicted to those drugs. There is no dark demon that accompanies them. They have not ruined our family. If anything, they’ve helped him become more connected and honest and true to himself.
This whole recovery journey has really helped me realize that nothing is black and white. What works for one person may not work for another. Abstinence only is not the only approach, and those who push it as the only approach are pushing away a lot of people who feel judged because they rely on meds or because they’ve found a different approach that works for hem. My husband is hesitant to go back to 12-step meetings because he never feels fully accepted, which is unfortunate because there’s not too many recovery communities out there that aren’t 12-step.
What has helped me is to remember that every recovery is different, and to let go of expectations of what I think it’s supposed to look like. People will do what they need to do to become a healthier version of themselves.
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