For decades, the goal in addiction treatment has been clear: help people get clean, stabilize their lives, and sustain recovery. And for many, that goal has been achieved. But now we are facing a new reality. A growing number of individuals who entered recovery in the 1980s and 1990s are aging into their 60s, 70s, […]
Aging in Long-Term Recovery: A System We Never Built Read Post »
Aging in place has become one of the most widely promoted ideas in aging policy. The concept is simple: remaining at home as one grows older is associated with independence, comfort, and continuity. For many, this holds true. But the model assumes something that is not always present—stability. For individuals aging in recovery, stability is
Aging in Place—But Not Always in Stability Read Post »
When Recovery Succeeds, but Systems Disappear Most systems are designed to respond to problems. A crisis emerges. A response is activated. An outcome is achieved. Then the system moves on. In recovery services, this structure is everywhere. Programs are designed for entry. Services focus on stabilization. Support is strongest at the beginning. But what happens
Aging in Recovery: When Recovery Succeeds but Systems Disappear Read Post »
This is a hypothetical case for educational purposes, developed by Gil Cintron, LMSW She entered recovery at 22. At the time, no one used the phrase long-term recovery. The goal was simpler, more immediate: stop using, stabilize, survive. She had been living on the margins—selling sex to support her addiction, moving between unstable housing situations,
Implications for Practice, Policy, and Lifespan Recovery Support Read Post »
The principle that “a drug is a drug” reflects a foundational concept within recovery frameworks, emphasizing that addiction is a disease process independent of specific substances. While this perspective supports unified approaches to recovery, it does not account for the distinct physiological effects associated with different substances over time. As increasing numbers of individuals enter
A Drug Is a Drug: in Long-Term Recovery Read Post »