Understanding Drug Culture

1. Understanding Drug Culture Melissa Monahan, LPC Georgette McNally, LPC

2. Learning Objectives • 1. Define drug culture • 2. Identify 3 values or beliefs associated with a drug culture • 3. Name 2 rituals affiliated with a recovery culture

3. Drug Culture defined • Acomplex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by an individual as a member of society. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngYhpe6x1Zw

4. Drug culture through the ages • Hippies • 70’s Cocaine era • 80’s Crack/Marijuana • 90’s Rave drugs and crystal meth • 00’s Rx drugs and a return to heroin

5. Hippies • Marijuana and hallucinogens • Valued inclusivity and peace • Zen belief systems • Non-conformist • Substance use to “transform” • Ritualistic religious practices/dance

6. 70’s Cocaine era • Lots of Cocaine • Glamour and prestige • Party drug • Value wealth and social status • Thought to be safe as is plant based • Rituals are social

7. 80’s Crack • Dealers wanted the wealth of cocaine users • No longer social use- value “my own thing” • Gangs—inner cities—people of color • Rituals-Crack house https://youtu.be/vxI7PTVRfhQ

8. 90’s Rave culture • Hallucinogens • Electronic music • Secret spots • Drug use is social • Value PLUR (Peach, love, unity,respect) • Rituals-Dancing

9. Current Culture-A Survey of drug court clients • Prescription Drugs/Opiates/Fentanyl • Values- • Rituals-

10. Alienation and Harm reduction • Removing substance users from their identified culture may have them feeling alienated from the dominant culture=cultural estrangement • Providing safe use practices such as needle exchange, safe spaces to use, and naloxone allows people to use safely while participating in treatment to increase self-esteem, coping mechanisms and find a new culture to fit in to

11. 12-Step Group Values & the Culture of Recovery • greatly influenced by 12-Step groups such as AA and NA (White 1998) • groups provide a clearly defined culture of recovery • provide members with a set of rituals, daily activities, customs, traditions, values, and beliefs • represent the core principles, values, and beliefs of such groups. Wilcox (1998) defines these values as surrender; faith; acceptance, tolerance, and patience; honesty, openness, and willingness; humility; willingness to examine character defects; taking life one day at a time; and keeping things simple From: 6, Drug Cultures and the Culture of Recovery Improving Cultural Competence. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 59. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2014.

12. 12-Step Group Values & the Culture of Recovery • Groups are embodied in rituals that take place in meetings and in members' daily lives. White (1998) • Centering rituals help members stay focused on recovery by reading recovery literature, handling recovery tokens or symbols, and taking regular self-assessments or personal inventories each day. • Mirroring rituals keep members in contact with one another and help them practice sober living together. Attending meetings, telling one's story, speaking regularly by phone, and using slogans (e.g., “keep it simple,” “pass it on”), among others, are mirroring activities. • Acts of personal responsibility include being honest and becoming time-conscious and punctual. Activities include the creation of new rituals of daily living related to sleeping, hygiene, and other areas of self-care while also being reliable and courteous. • Acts of service involve performing rituals to help others in recovery. These acts are related to the Twelfth Step, which directs members to carry the message of their spiritual awakening to others who abuse alcohol or are dependent on it, thereby encouraging them to practice the 12 Steps. Acts of service recognize that people in recovery have something of value to offer those still abusing alcohol. • These rituals aid the processes of personal transformation and integration into a new cultural group. From: 6, Drug Cultures and the Culture of Recovery Improving Cultural Competence. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 59. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2014.

13. Culture of Recovery • involves connecting individuals back to the larger community and to their cultures of origin (Davidson et al. 2008). • educate the community about recovery as well, examples: • promoting a recovery month in the community • hosting recovery walks or similar events • offering outreach to community groups, such as churches or fraternal/benevolent societies From: 6, Drug Cultures and the Culture of Recovery Improving Cultural Competence. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 59. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2014.

14. Conclusion • Without a plan for creating a culture of recovery, clients often return to drug culture or at least parts of it because it meets their basic social needs