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Russell Brand: From Addiction to Recovery

**helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
Did anyone watch this?
On the floor of a sparse Hackney flat, a young barefoot addict chases the dragon, before slumping against the wall with unfocused eyes. This home movie footage of Russell Brand is pretty hard to watch, but it's typical of Brand's self-absorbed/searingly honest character that he has chosen to include it in this frank documentary about heroin addiction. He meets a recovering addict, chats with former drug tsar David Nutt, and has a passionate disagreement with a methadone-endorsing GP. Impressive. Ali Catterall

I did and found it really interesting to read tweets surrounding it - lots of people seemed to hail Brand as some sort of hero, while others were skeptical of him putting himself forward as an 'expert' saying he can only speak for himself...

Thoughts? :chin:

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I watched it, and completely agreed with everything Russell Brand said.
    I know a few ex heroin addicts, including my boyfriends mum, and I've seen how rehab can change lives and methadone can just help destroy them.

    That said, rehab doesn't work for everyone (a close friend of mine was in rehab for a long time, and only stayed clean for a couple of months outside) and I'm sure methadone does work for some people... but personally I think rehab and therapy to address the underlying issues should always be top of the list for helping addicts recover, because at the end of the day methadone isn't stopping you being an addict, it's just feeding your addiction.
    It's like giving a gambling addict scratch cards or something, they'll probably want to do more gambling on top...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My therapist suggested I watched this and I just did and I found it really interesting, suffering with problems with addiction myself, a lot of what he said made sense to me as well. The whole, if it wasn't for xyz I'd be an addict tomorrow. I've been talking a lot about how I miss being wasted or high 24/7. Strange.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I completely agree'd with everything he said really, as i was addicted to other drugs, abstinence worked for me. He had a lot of good ideas...
    The whole, if it wasn't for xyz I'd be an addict tomorrow. I've been talking a lot about how I miss being wasted or high 24/7. Strange.
    I feel this way all the time.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I loved the programme. It resonated with me in ways that other similar shows could not do and as such it motivated me to volunteer at my local drink/drug treatment centre.

    I'm anti-drug. Like my namesake I am 'straight-edge', I took this choice recently and am sticking to it. Part of this decision is to never patronise anyone, judge anyone, preach or have a pop at their lifestyle choices. Just because I am against drug taking does not mean I'm going to tell others to be either. I will educate (providing I have the knowledge) if requested but other than that I will support.

    RB's programme really lit a fire under my arse regarding this. Why? I can't say but the fact it was RB played a significant part. He's f***ed up his life at times but he came out the other side. You get the impression there are no agendas with him (unless you're female and hot), he tells it like it is. He's been there and faced his demons. I admire the man and although I can't ever see him getting in to politics, any political party that wants to make an impact on the country's drug problem could do a lot worse than get him on board in some way.
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