Dr. Sarah Wakeman

You lose out on like all of these moments of time with people that you love and you can't get those back. And so there is this problem sometimes.

You lose out on like all of these moments of time with people that you love and you can't get those back. And so there is this problem sometimes.

I think in that binary model of like you're either like sober and in recovery or you're actively using and this is good and that is bad is that we lose the fact that like people who are struggling with addiction are amazing, funny, loving people who have a problem that they're dealing with. But if someone was dealing with cancer, you wouldn't like not want to spend time with them.

I think in that binary model of like you're either like sober and in recovery or you're actively using and this is good and that is bad is that we lose the fact that like people who are struggling with addiction are amazing, funny, loving people who have a problem that they're dealing with. But if someone was dealing with cancer, you wouldn't like not want to spend time with them.

You know, you miss all of that time. And, you know, both cases that I'm thinking about, like I'll never get that back, you know.

You know, you miss all of that time. And, you know, both cases that I'm thinking about, like I'll never get that back, you know.

I think that there are those times, for sure. It's not to discount that, and I hear those stories too. But I think there are, from evidence, what we know, there are probably more times where people just endure the pain again and again and again until they never change. And I think the part that we don't see are the folks who change happens when they're

I think that there are those times, for sure. It's not to discount that, and I hear those stories too. But I think there are, from evidence, what we know, there are probably more times where people just endure the pain again and again and again until they never change. And I think the part that we don't see are the folks who change happens when they're

They begin to get enough hope that things could be better for them, that someone loves them, someone cares enough that they're reaching out a hand in the darkness, that there actually is a path forward. I think people stay stuck when they feel hopeless, when they feel like nothing could ever – that they're never going to get this. They're never going to be able to change.

They begin to get enough hope that things could be better for them, that someone loves them, someone cares enough that they're reaching out a hand in the darkness, that there actually is a path forward. I think people stay stuck when they feel hopeless, when they feel like nothing could ever – that they're never going to get this. They're never going to be able to change.

Their life would never get better. And so – You know, take the example, I'll often hear from family members when their loved one is in jail that they're like, thank heavens, you know, they're in a safe place at least. Like there's actually this sense of relief. There's even a term for it called a rescued that people feel. I think it just goes to the desperation that families are dealing with.

Their life would never get better. And so – You know, take the example, I'll often hear from family members when their loved one is in jail that they're like, thank heavens, you know, they're in a safe place at least. Like there's actually this sense of relief. There's even a term for it called a rescued that people feel. I think it just goes to the desperation that families are dealing with.

But this idea that like that's a safe intervention. And you hear these stories, right, of someone who they get locked up and like that's their eureka moment.

But this idea that like that's a safe intervention. And you hear these stories, right, of someone who they get locked up and like that's their eureka moment.

And yet, if imprisonment were an effective intervention for addiction, for example, we wouldn't see that actually the time after getting released from prison, there's 130 times increased risk of dying from a drug-related cause after people leave prison. And that your risk of dying ever from addiction is much, much higher if you've ever been imprisoned.

And yet, if imprisonment were an effective intervention for addiction, for example, we wouldn't see that actually the time after getting released from prison, there's 130 times increased risk of dying from a drug-related cause after people leave prison. And that your risk of dying ever from addiction is much, much higher if you've ever been imprisoned.

And so I think there are those stories, but we tend to elevate those like amazing narratives. And we miss the fact that so many other people are going to die in pain and alone and isolated because they have no hope. And so it's not to discount those moments. And some people are incredibly resilient and against all odds, even with the most trauma, they can, you know, make it through.

And so I think there are those stories, but we tend to elevate those like amazing narratives. And we miss the fact that so many other people are going to die in pain and alone and isolated because they have no hope. And so it's not to discount those moments. And some people are incredibly resilient and against all odds, even with the most trauma, they can, you know, make it through.

And that's incredible. But that doesn't mean that we should like create a system that makes it as hard as possible on people.

And that's incredible. But that doesn't mean that we should like create a system that makes it as hard as possible on people.