Can anyone propose an alternative treatment modality for addicts, treatment that never existed?

Put them on an island.

And what @john65pennington is going to say.

Or give them all the booze and drugs they want.

Transport addicted people to a deserted island. they would grow their own food and build their own shelter. the heat and rays of the sun would dry the alcoholics out and illegal drugs for the addicted would be no more.

Strictly voluntary?

I suppose the 1900’s idea of “Hard Work Equals Health” has already been done and was much like an island. Just ya know…landlocked.

ETA- Narcotic Farm

give them free drugs and after they take them, you beat the crap out of them at the same time as you ring a bell. eventually they will associate the drug with the pain of the beatings and cut back on their usage, should they get a real strong craving one day you can always fall back on the sound of a bell to send them in to a fearful catatonic kind of state.

Take away their AM radio hosting gigs?

Just keep giving them more and more and nothing else.

reiki….rocks instead of rocks

As long as their addictions are not harming others, part of criminal activity, let them be.
They can self destruct if thats what they choose.

Short of an epihany of some sort forcing an addict into treatment never works.

Why sacrifice an island? lol

Brain surgery.

Offer their mothers a very, very, very late term abortion?

(Anyone who thinks that addicts don’t harm society – doesn’t think.)

Legalize Ibogaine clinics in the US

”... it has been the subject of investigation into its abilities to interrupt addictions to methadone, heroin, alcohol, and cocaine. It is thought that ibogaine may have potential to facilitate introspection, helping to elucidate the psychological issues and behavior patterns that drive addictions or other problems”

“Many users of ibogaine report experiencing visual phenomena during a waking dream state, such as instructive replays of life events that led to their addiction, while others report therapeutic shamanic visions that help them conquer the fears and negative emotions that might drive their addiction.”

@realpat660 : Welcome to the collective.

I don’t think I can suggest something that’s never existed, because, well, it’s never existed.

But you’re asking a question about treatment. Placing alcoholics and addicts on a desert island and/or giving them all the substance they want is not treatment. Neither is beating them with a stick. As for abortion, we don’t know who’s an alcoholic/addict until years after they’re born so that won’t work.

My suggestion is good, old fashioned AA/NA. It’s worked for millions of people who have rigorously worked the steps in the programs. For now, it’s the best thing we’ve got

As for abortion, we don’t know who’s an alcoholic/addict until years after they’re born so that won’t work.

@DarkScribe‘s abortion comment was a coy way of saying adult addicts should be killed.

@jaytkay : Yes, I was trying not to sink to his level.

hmmm a (nother?) feisty thread… :-)...

<< I am not an alcoholic by the way :-D

urrrrm…. meditation?? it worked for the Dhamma Brothers

I like the idea of the island but with “resocializing” skills to be taught and then followed up with as an outpatient once returned to their environment.

A lot of addicts have never experienced sex sober/clean, never fallen in love sober/clean, don’t know what it’s like to attend a social function sober/clean, don’t know how to care for themselves during a day sober/clean. These people need re programming to care for themselves and some mental poking and prodding to learn to recognize positives in being sober/clean.

Learn quickly that I’m an ass.

Lock them in a padded room with nothing but their substance. Nothing. No food, water, entertainment….Alone time with their Love.

Then they:
A) Run out of the drug & go through withdrawals. They survive, & all is well.
B) They go through withdrawals & it kills them.
C) They overdose & it kills them.
D) Unlikely: They build up the willpower & quit on their own.

What completely inhuman ideas. apparently most of you are perfect and not addicted to anything…like coffee, sugar, cigarettes or prescription drugs.

There is no way to help these addicts, nor anyone, for that matter…until the addict(s) admits there is a problem and seeks help of their own free will.

@davidbetterman Oh, I’m far from perfect. But I assume coffee & sugar aren’t as bad as heroin & meth.

As for the others you listed, I’d throw them in a padded room, too.

@davidbetterman Thats why I think Ibogaine is such a great idea. Its a hallucinogen so most addicts would take this on free will and it generally leads the user on a deep introspective insight to their lives, what is wrong with it, and how to fix it.

@uberbatman
I’ve read a bit about the ibogaine treatments and it sounds like something worth trying here in the states. Apparently it can alter the brain’s craving for the drug which beats the hell out of some therapies where you are basically told your brain is changed forever, your craving will exist forever and now that you’ve messed with yourself, you will never experience the joys of things as others do. I think it’s worth a trip to Mexico or Canada and probably a lot less expensive than a 30 day stay in a typical rehab compound.

@Neizvestnaya I couldnt agree more. But im sure you could have already figured that out lol.

There is also some evidence supporting LSD treating alcoholism for the same reasons ibogaine works