Hope! A Necessary Recovery Ingredient for African Americans

This morning I read that Hip Hop Mogul Sean "Ditty" Combs is interested in buying the Carolina Panthers NFL Football Team and NBA Superstar Stephen Curry tweeted that he wanted in as a partial owner. Ditty said that he would hire quarterback Colin Kaepernick, whom many believe has not been offered a contract to play quarterback in the NFL because he spoke out against police brutality directed towards African Americans (click here to read the blog post, Don't Talk: Implications for Counseling African Americans With Substance Use Disorders).

When I read the story this morning I felt an immediate sense of hope. In my lifetime I have witnessed African Americans go from barely owning anything to being in position to own a professional football teams just as Michael Jordan owns an NBA Basketball team and Irving "Magic" Johnson is part owner of the LA Dodgers baseball team.

This story brings to mind an important ingredient of recovery for African American's, hope! African American seeking recovery, especially the urban poor, face an existential concern, "Even if I stop using drugs, how do I succeed in a world that does not appear to be made for me?" The other inspiring aspect of the story is that Stephen Curry is willing to partner with Ditty and Ditty is willing to hire Colin Kaepernick. This is a story of African American men being willing to work together and look out for each other.

During one of the Tavis Smiley’s think tanks, African American Sociologist from Harvard University shared research that revealed that African Americans have the highest church attendance on Sundays and experience the most isolation on Monday, compared with other cultural groups. In the study participants were asked, "if you were in a crisis, how many people could you rely on to help you?" African Americans listed the fewest number of people whom they could rely on in a crisis. Just as hope is an important need in recovery, so is community.

For Addictions counselors reading this blog post, there are two questions for you. "What are you doing to instill hope in recovery in African American Clients? Specifically clients who are economically poor. What are you doing to help break isolation and help clients experience a sense of community in recovery?"

Recovered Or Recovering?

The big book of Alcoholics Anonymous uses the word Recovered 28 times. There has been a debate the past half century as to whether or not persons in recovery are recovered or recovering. I have posed this question in seminars and participants never  unanimously agree. All agree that if a person dies while in recovery, they are recovered!  

This blog post is dedicated to 5 African American Addictions counselors who spent years in service to others both professionally and personally prior to their death. I knew each of them personally. This is my tribute to them.

Richard Black---Died last week. In the August 2017 story of the month in this museum I introduced him as my brother in law. The last 3 decades of his life were dedicated to helping facilitate recovery in his role as an addictions counselor and volunteer service work.

"Brother" Earl Cannamore---An elder in the addictions field and mentor to many. Earl use to say, "I'm the greatest substance abuse counselor in the world!" He took pride in his work. The word enthusiasm comes from a Greek word which means, "the God within." Brother Earl was the most enthusiastic person I ever met. His clients were fortunate. Earl's legacy includes the multiple recovery videos he created which have outlived him. Earl died in 1995.

Rasheed Akbar---I owe my families recovery to Rasheed Akbar! He was my uncle Isaac's counselor whom was first in our family to recover. He was also my brother's counselor. Just as addiction runs in families, so does recovery! Numerous family members are now in recovery. We no longer have "drunk parties" as a family. We have sober parties. Thank you Rasheed! Rest in peace.

Reverend Elliott Lyons--I met Elliot when I was a young addictions counselor. He was in the winter of his career. I remember hearing scores of persons in recovery credit Elliott with helping to facilitate their recovery. I remember him responding to this feedback with such humility. 32 years ago my wife and I married. We were in different religions and wanted to select a minister to officiate our wedding ceremony who would be non-judgmental of religious differences. We selected Reverend Elliott Lyons, a man who demonstrated an awareness of Gods "bigness" by helping people from all walks of life, secular and religious with their recovery.

Greg Yarborough-- Greg counseled with a rhythm! James Brumley and I as newer counselors marveled at how Greg charismatically  counseled 4 or 5 clients at the same time in the milieu. The magic of how he worked is difficult to explain. I am sorry that counselors today never witnessed this. It was something to see!

Education As Substance Abuse Prevention and a Recovery Tool for African Americans

In the 1960's activist, religious and civil rights leader Malcolm X stated, “When you live in a poor neighborhood, you are living in an area where you have poor schools. When you have poor schools you have poor teachers. When you have poor teachers, you get a poor education, you can only work in a poor- paying job. And that poor-paying job enables you to again live in a poor neighborhood. It’s a very vicious cycle."

Malcolm echoed the sentiment of African American Elders who made the migration from the Southern States to the Northern states In search of occupational opportunities and to escape Jim Crow Laws and lynchings in the south. It is estimated that between 1916 to 1970, 6 million African Americans migrated north and secured work in the steel mills, railroads, meat packing and auto industries. The message that these elders/pioneers delivered to young African American children and adolescents who were born in the North is that education is the key to freedom. Many of these elders had parents and grandparents who during slavery were not allowed to attend school or learn to read. A slave owner’s wife was teaching Frederick Douglass to read when Douglass was enslaved. The slave owner told his wife, “If you teach him to read, it will be impossible to keep him a slave.” It was common for Black parents of the Great Migration to tell their children, “No matter how sick you are, you have to go to school.”

At the time of this writing most of the jobs African Americans secured during the Great Migration have either disappeared or have been shipped abroad. Studies indicate that African Americans have twice the unemployment rate as Whites and are still lagging behind on standardized test scores, which can determine the quality of your education. Many are also miseducated in elementary schools increasing the risks of dropping out of high school, drug use, drug selling (for income) drug related arrests felony arrests which makes it even more difficult to qualify for financial Aid for college and secure employment. Thus for many, a feeling of hopelessness can set in leading to a return to drug use  and in some instances drug selling (for income) and a return to prison. To quote Malcolm X, “A very vicious cycle.” Education is also important for African Americans seeking addictions recovery. According to Dr. William Cloud, as educational recovery capital increases, recovery rates also increase.

There is good news. Urban Prep High School, located on the South Side of Chicago has a 100% African American Male Graduation rate and 100% of these young men have gone on to college, over the course of the past decade. Nearly 90% of African Americans who attend North Lawndale Prep High school on the West Side of Chicago go on to College. The average income in the communities where these two schools are located are beneath the poverty line. These schools prove that when a school has a great mission, (Urban Prep expects every student to go to college and the students recite a daily pledge that they plan to go to college) and dedicated faculty who are able to motivate students, all things are possible!

During the Great Migration the manufacturing industry was the largest employer of African Americans. Today, the future of employment in America is STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). These jobs require a good education. The elders were right. Education is a key to success. In spite of the struggles described in this blog post, the great majority of African Americans are high school graduates. Many have also graduated from the finest colleges in the nation and the majority are middle class economically.

5 Stages of a Marriage: A Message for African American Married Couples in Recovery

As a therapist who works with African Americans seeking recovery and a healthy marriage, I often ask clients, "What is the healthiest marriage you have ever seen?" The question is usually followed by silence. Then I hear responses like: "My parents would get drunk and fight all the time. My dad left when I was two and my mother never remarried. Maybe a couple on TV. I've never seen a healthy marriage." If you have never seen one, how do you develop one?

A major milestone of addictions recovery is the ability to develop healthy relationships in recovery. Below is a description of the 5 Stages of A Marriage.

1.      Romantic Love. This is the first phase of the relationship. Whenever the person walks in a  room your heart skips a beat. You can hear violin music or old Motown love songs in the background when you talk to them (no one can hear this music except the two of you). You can talk to them on the phone for hours and it feels like you've only talked for minutes. To you, they're perfect! You can't see any of their faults (although your friends can see their faults). This phase of a relationship is similar to a cocaine of heroin high and lasts about two years. You would love for this phase of the relationship to return, because of the high. It won't return! After this, love is work and a choice!

2.      Disillusionment. Much of the high of romantic love has worn off. You start to see the other as fully human. Their strengths and weaknesses. While you love them, you can now see more of their faults and habits you don't like. You start making comments like: "Those shoes don't put themselves in the closet, that coat won't hang itself up,  that plate won't wash itself and that checkbook won't balance itself."

3.      One Of Us Has Got To Change and Guess What? Its You! You spend years trying to change the other and eventually discover that the only person you can change is you. Many married couples at this point yearn for the romantic love period to return. They have affairs to  try to recapture that feeling. Others divorce before the miracle occurs!

4.      We Can Make It! You now realize you cannot change the other. You Apply the Serenity Prayer to your marriage asking God to, "Grant you the serenity to accept the things you cannot change (in your marriage), the courage to change the things that you can and the wisdom to know the difference. You start learning to compromise and negotiate better.

5.      Soulmates. Ministers who perform marriage ceremonies say to newly married couples, "You are now soulmates." How ca you be soulmates and you barely know them. You are just coming off the high of romantic love. People usually put their best foot forward early in a relationship. You actually married their representative. There is a story of an 88 year old man who received prestigious award and during the acceptance speech he introduced His 86 years old wife to the audience. They had been married for over 60 years and he told the audience that his wife, "Is the most beautiful woman in the world."Audience members wondered how could he make that statement? His wife's wrinkles had wrinkles. There were women in the audience who looked like super models. The old man answered the questions they pondered with this final statement about his wife. "She is my soulmate!" He was no longer married to her body or physical form. He was married to her soul.

The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection. It is my hope and wish that couples reading this article put the work into their marriage so that they can enjoy it in recovery. Wishing you a soulmate experience.

Don't Talk: Implications For Counseling African Americans With Substance Use Disorders

In the book, It Will Never Happen To Me,  author Claudia Black, PhD outlines the three unwritten rules children of alcoholic parents must follow to protect the secrets related to alcoholism in the family. The unwritten rules are, Don't Talk, Don't Trust, Don't Feel. This blog post describes historical and current attempts to pressure African Americans to honor the Don't Talk rule and offers implications for addictions counseling with African Americans with Substance Use Disorders.

In the past several years the nation has witnessed numerous unarmed African Americans be shot and killed by police officers and in almost every instance the officer has been acquitted. This played a role in San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision to take a knee during the singing of the National Anthem prior to his NFL Football games. Colin stated, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. To me this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." The price he has paid for talking is that none of the 32 NFL Teams will sign him to a contract, even as a third string quarterback. This is in spite of the fact that he was a starting quarter back for much of his career and and led his team to the NFC Championship and to a Super Bowl. Tom Brady, arguably the best quarterback of all times said that Colin Kaepernick is good enough to be on an NFL roster.

African Americans receiving consequences for breaking the Don't Talk rules goes back a long time. W.E.B. Dubois, the first African American to receive a PH,D from Harvard University (1895) was labeled a communist and Exiled to Ghana in West African for speaking against oppression. The multi-talented Paul Robeson (Pro Athlete, Opera Singer, Actor, Orator and Activist) was exiled to Russia for speaking out against racism. The first African American Heavy Weight boxing Champion, the outspoken Jack Johnson was forced to throw a fight, DR Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were wire tapped by the FBI as was activist and former Black Panther Angela Davis. Scores of African Americans have been arrested for talking. Dr King and Civil Rights Leader Medgar Evers paid the ultimate price. They were assassinated. There is evidence that even in jest African Americans can pay a price for talking. Recently, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor did a 4 city tour to promote their prize fight which grossed the largest salaries in history for one fight. It is estimated that FloydMayweather made 100 million Dollars and his opponent Conor McGregor maid 30 million dollars. A big part of the economic success of this fight is the fact that both men boast and brag about their greatness as fighters. Floyd, who is African American was booed in each city. In Summary, if you break the Don't talk rule you can be labeled a communist or un-American, arrested, exiled,fired, wire tapped by the FBI, assassinated or booed.

Singer Billie Holiday made a song called, "Strange Fruit." This song was about Black men who were lynched in the South and could be seen handing from trees. The Head of The Federal Bureau of Narcotics (The organization later became the FBI) felt that Billie Holiday was dangerous for making this song. Hearing that Billie Holiday was addicted to heroin, there was a war on drugs targeted at Billie Holiday for talking. Years later we learned that as a 10 year old girl Billie Holiday was sexually assaulted by an adult male and when she told what happened to her she was arrested and forced to live in solitary confinement for a year. This trauma triggered her addiction to alcohol and heroin. She died of Cirrhosis of the liver at age 33.

African Americans entering addictions treatment who are aware of the current and historical consequences of breaking the Don't Talk rule may be hesitant to speak their truth, discuss their oppression and the anger it produces for fear of consequences. It is important for addictions counselors to be aware of this history and not send signals directly or indirectly to African American Clients that it is not OK to talk. Your comfort level when he or she discusses smaller events which impact him or her and go a long way to convincing the client that it is OK to talk and share experiences with you.

An Open Letter to the Hip Hop Community (Rappers): Your Lyrics Can Increase the Risk of Relapse

Dear Rappers,

The first rap song I ever heard was Rappers Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang. I was a sophomore in college and that song took my college by storm. Music was never the same and in spite of its critics hip hop music has lasted for decades longer than its critics predicted and is now a worldwide phenomenon! Consider that at the time of this writing Jay-Z just signed a Korean rapper to his label. I also give a shout out to how rap music and the success of hip hop artists inspires generations of youth to believe they can succeed. My grandfather picked cotton in the South and once he moved North and secured a good job his philosophy was there's always work at the post office and once hired stay at the job for 50 years and hopefully get a gold watch upon retirement. This generation of rappers has convinced today's youth that they can own the post office and their own Rolex watch company. I'm a baby Boomer and I am inspired by the industriousness and hard work of rappers. My favorite story is of Tupac Shakur. Pronounced dead in 1996, the late rapper produced such a volume of work, i.e. nominated for an Oscar in 2006 and albums are still being released by him over a decade after his death, convincing his fans that like Elvis, Tupac is not dead! I find myself working harder when I think about Tupac and the late Notorious BIG, who at the peak of his success said he wanted to approach is work like an intern, just starting out.

When Hip Hop lyrics are at their best the music has the ability to save lives! I had a relative who was going through the process of divorce and feeling suicidal. A friend forwarded her a you tube video of Lil Wayne singing, "How To Love" She credits that song with changing her life. I want to let you know that lyrics to your songs can keep a certified addictions counselor, such as me, busy countering your drug related lyrics. Many of the adolescent African American Males I counsel initiated drug selling, drug use and are vulnerable to relapse as a result of listening to your lyrics. Many prominent rappers today glorify marijuana smoking, including, Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, Lil Wayne, Drake, and Gucci Man. Other rappers glorify drinking expensive alcohol as a sign of success, including: Jay-Z, Sean Combs, and Young M.A. While others still talk about the glorification of drug selling even though they're rich including NAS, Jay and Future. Also, many youth have told me that their experimentation with new drugs began after they heard rappers mention theses drugs. i.e. Future (Molly Percocet), Lil Wayne (Purple Drank), a drug that has been known to kill people.

The greatest challenge in my work with young African American males in early recovery is when angry they access the music of their favorite rapper with explicit get high lyrics. The music then puts the youth in the mood to get high. My work involves encouraging them to listen to songs that do not glorify drug use when they are having difficulties. They're also many youth who struggle to successfully complete probation and secure a good job because they struggle to pass a drug test. We have helped many of them successfully complete high school by encouraging them to take "a weed vacation ". During the weed break they were able to clear their head enough to successfully pass the GED Exam. Your words have power. Please join me in being a part of the prevention and recovery solution.

How Long Do Black Men Live? Substance Use As An Existential Factor for African Americans

A few years ago I worked in a residential program for adolescents and emerging adults in Chicago, Illinois. The program has a no-drug use policy. Violation of this rule leads to consequences. One of my clients returned back to program " smelling like weed " (marijuana). He told me, " I know I smelled like weed so I went to the store, bought some Febreze and sprayed it all over my clothes. " I asked him, " What did you smell like then? " He stated, " weed and Febreze. " He was told by program staff that for violating the no substance use policy he will lose weekend home pass privileges the following Friday.

During our session he stated, "I'm going on pass anyway! Even if it means I will get kicked out of here and violate my court ordered probation. The staff does not understand. I turn 21 on Friday. A number of my friends were murdered and never lived to see their 21st birthday. I did not smoke weed on pass. I knew curfew at the program was 10 PM. I weighed  my options to get back to the program. I could have called Uber, but I don't have a credit card. I could have waited for the bus, but 3 of my friends were shot on the bus stop and cabs don't run in my neighborhood. As you know,  my neighborhood is so dangerous, they call it Chi-Raq (because of the high homicide rate in Chicago attributed to gang rivalries the cities murder rate has been compared to the U.S. war in Iraq). The best option I had was to get a ride from my friends. They were smoking weed in the car as they drove me back to the program. I'm angry!"

Many of the youth whom I work with become less effective problem solvers when angry. I helped him figure out a negotiation compromise, so that he would not violate his probation on his birthday. Instead of going home on pass he successfully negotiated a trip to downtown Chicago where he shopped and went to dinner. As the session ended, I asked him a closing question. "How long do most Black Men live?  " He stated, "Most Black men don't live to see their 21st birthday." I have asked this question periodically throughout the years to adolescent and emerging adult African American males and their answers have always been similar. When I ask for proof they usually say, "Several of my friends have been killed and I watch the news at night." This is an existential concern, which lead some the young men I work with to conclude: "Why should I stop getting high? Why should I finish school? Why should I leave the gang? I'll be dead soon anyway."

During my next session with the young man who negotiated a downtown pass, I shared with him City of Chicago and Illinois Department of Public Health statistics in order to dispel the myth that most Black men don't live to see their 21st birthday. Here is the data I shared: Chicago averages 500 murders per year, with a 200 murder increase this year. There are 40,000 annual births in the city of Chicago and  2.7 million residents live in the city. When you add the residents of the surrounding suburbs the number of residents increases to 9 million. Over the course of the past 20 years 112 people in his neighborhood (Chi-Raq) have been murdered. Their are 73 thousand people who reside in his neighborhood.  I showed him public health statistics which revealed that the life expectancy of Black males living in Chicago is age 70 not 21.

The young man was silent for a moment. Then he stated, "This means I can live! I'll have to take a little time to think about this. This means I have to get serious about my life."  For those of you working with young African American males diagnosed with Substance Abuse or Substance Use Disorders may need to address this existential concern in treatment. Why should I stop getting high, when I'll be dead soon anyway?

Reading As A Recovery Tool for African Americans

Today my wife and I visited The American Writers Museum. Located in Downtown Chicago This is the first museum of its kind. Featured were the works of Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and Frost. Prominently featured were also the works of great, best selling African American writers including: Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), Frederick Douglass (1818-1891), Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960), Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000), Alex Haley (1921-1992), James Baldwin (1924-1987), and Lorraine Hansberry (1930-1965).

Viewing the works of prominent African American writers dispels the myth that, " if you want to hide anything from an African American, put it between the pages of a book. " Reading has always been an important recovery tool for African Americans with Substance Use Disorders. Consider the story of Benneth Lee, who went from gang leader, and heroin addict to the Addictions Counselor of the year. According to Benneth, " I was on death row for the one crime I did not commit. They placed me in solitary confinement. This is the place where people tend to lose their mind. Someone left a book in the cell. To deal with boredom and to stay sane, I picked up the book. I decided I would toss the book  in the air and what ever page it landed on is where I would start reading. The book was titled, The Autobiography of Malcolm X. The book landed on the page where Malcolm was in prison and could not read. The book mentioned that Malcolm learned to read in prison, reading the dictionary from cover to cover. At that time I could barely read. I got access to a dictionary and learned to read. Once I learned to read, I was no longer a prisoner, I was an inmate. Reading freed me!

To learn more about biblio-therapy as a recovery tool for African Americans with substance use disorders, click here.

Spirituality as a Substance Abuse Protective Factor for African Americans

In the last 3 blog posts we discussed dance and movement, music and humor as substance abuse protective factors for African Americans. In this post we discuss perhaps the most important protective factor for African Americans, spirituality. Members of 12 step communities often joke, " religion is for people who are afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for people who have already been to hell and are trying to come back. If oppression is "hellish " this might explain why spirituality has been so important to African American survival for centuries. 

Harvard researchers reveal that African Americans have the highest church attendance in the country. Research presented by James Garbarino, PH.D indicates that spirituality in the form of non-punitive religion is a substance abuse protective factor. A common theme included in the definition of spirituality is connection. Where as many Americans experience  connection in a church community others do not. Some experience spirituality being in nature, dancing, singing, listening to music( including gospel music). While gospel music does not specifically talk about drugs as openly and as frequently as rap music, it instills hope! The song Smile by Kirk Franklin begins with the following lyrics: " I dedicate this song to recession, depression and unemployment." All 3 of these conditions have been found to increase substance use on the individual and community levels.

Dance and Movement as Stress and Trauma Relief and Substance Abuse Prevention Tools for African Americans

Tag Words: Dance, Blacks/African Americans, Substance abuse protective factors, Substance use disorders

In the last two blog posts, we discussed humor and music as substance abuse protective factors for African Americans. In this post, we highlight dance and movement as protective factors. In the book, The Body Keeps The Score, renowned trauma specialist Bessel Van der Kolk states that trauma is lodged in the body and that the body has a longer memory than the brain. A person may forget the specifics of the traumatic events they experienced; the body has a way of remembering. This is one reason why the body of some people tighten when they are touched or hugged. The body keeps the score. According to Van der Kolk, when September 11th trauma survivors in New York City were asked what helped them most in coping with the terror of September 11, their response was acupuncture, yoga, and movement. All physical stuff! The body keeps the score.

At a recent seminar, a adolescent Native American girls dance troupe performed a sacred hoop dance. The leader of the dance troop told me, "I am a recovering alcoholic. I returned to cultural dances when I was 36 years old. I got sober at 37. Dance got me sober. I am now using dance to help these girls heal trauma and as substance abuse prevention." Like Native Americans, African American have experienced hundreds of years of historical trauma. The link between historical trauma and addictions is well chronicled. African Americans have used dance for centuries to cope with stress and trauma, two precursors for the development of substance use disorders.

Dances created by African Americans are emulated throughout the world and go by many names: The Lindy Hop; The Worm; The Bus Stop; The stroll; The Twist; The Robot; The Electric Slide; Moon Walking; Break Dance; the Cabbage Patch; Hammer Time; Running Man; the Harlem Shake; the Dougie and the Dab. While other communities enjoy these dances for African Americans, they have provided stress relief or a form of medicine for trauma for decades.

During The Harlem Renaissance of the early 20th Century, African Americans would frequent dance clubs such as the Cotton Club and the Savoy and dance until 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. It is written that a common food dish today, chicken and waffles was created because blacks leaving those clubs were hungry and because of the hour (3 am), they could not decide if they wanted breakfast or dinner. When the clubs were closed during the recession of the 1980's, they would turn an outdoor sidewalk into a club and break dance. The church is perhaps the place where three protective factors converge for African Americans. Spirituality, music, and dance. On any given Sunday it is common to see and hear singing, shouting, prayer and dance.

Music as a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Protective Factor for African Americans

TAG WORDS: Music as a substance abuse protective factor for blacks/African Americans

Mahalia Jackson

At seminars, I ask participants, “When you are thinking about hurting someone, what type of music calms you down?” Audience members, smile, laugh, then shout out; gospel, love songs, classical, jazz etc.

In the last blog post we discussed, humor as a substance abuse protective factor for African Americans. This post focuses on music as a protective factor. Poet Langston Hughes tells the story of how blacks in slavery invented blues music. Per Hughes, the signature of every blues song is repeating the first line of the song twice. He went on to state, “The slaves were picking cotton in the field, and one of them said, it sure is hot out here. Another said, what did you say? Then the first repeated the lyric, it sure is hot out here.” And that, per Langston Hughes, was the birth of the blues. For years, African Americans used blues music to deal with their pain followed by jazz music which had a calming effect. We can't forget gospel music, the anti-drug. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr traveled from city to city, he often feared for his life. One of his most important companions of the journey was gospel singer Mahalia Jackson who would often sing him gospel songs when he was either afraid or tired. He would frequently call her from the road and ask her to sing gospel songs over the phone.

While there are many critics of rap music today, many youths find rap to be therapeutic, feeling the rapper is telling their story. The vast majority of young men I counsel are raised without their fathers present in their life. This produces rage in many, which is often medicated with alcohol and other drugs. Then they listen to rappers who were also raised without their fathers and know they are not alone, including Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, Notorious Big, etc.

As addiction progresses, people find themselves isolated from loved ones, homeless and rarely having the opportunity to listen to music. Sometimes when I am traveling in my car, and I see older, homeless African American men with substance use disorders, I roll down my window and play music for them. If you were with me at those times you would witness these men come to life, some start dancing others sing. They often say, “Thank you! I needed to hear that.” Below are two of those songs. They instill hope. Enjoy!

Sam Cooke- A Change Is Gonna Come

Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions- Peolpe Get Ready

Humor as a Substance Abuse Protective Factor for African Americans

TAGS: Humor, Laughter, African Americans and Substance Abuse Prevention

SAMHSA produces an annual report on drug use by race. Consistently African Americans rank third or fourth on the list which is contrary to stereotypes. This may also be shocking given the amount of trauma African Americans have endured ranging from slavery, lynchings, Jim Crow Laws, police brutality, community shootings, and gang violence. Dr. Gabor Mate has demonstrated a clear link between trauma and heavy substance use. To explain substance use prevalence among individuals researchers examine risk and protective factors. One substance abuse protective factor for African Americans is Humor.

Groups with histories of oppression often produce lots of stand up comics. The comedians use humor to help the group cope with oppression and trauma and as an alternative to drug use. One example is the Jewish Community which has produced scores of stand-up comics ranging from Groucho Marx, Charlie Chaplin, Woody Allen, Joan Rivers, Jerry Seinfeld and Sara Silverman.

Comedian Dick Gregory

Comedians have been a part of the African American Community for Centuries. During slavery, they were used to entertain slave owners and their guests. They soon began to entertain themselves, sometimes making fun on those who enslaved them (when they were not watching of course). During the Vaudeville Era (1880's to 1930's) African American Stand-up comics were common. In 1960;'s, 70's and 80's stand-up comics such as Dick Gregory and Richard Pryor used comedy successfully to take away some of the strings of oppression. Comedy becomes even more prevalent inAfrican American Communities during times of economic recessions and crisis. In the midst of the recession and cocaine epidemic which impacted the African American Community in the Mid 1980' and 90's, a group emerged called The Original Kings of Comedy (Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac, Cedric the Entertainer and D.L. Hughley). They performed all over the country to sold out audiences (mostly African Americans). They were the highest-grossing comedy tour in US History.

Comedian Whoopi Goldberg

In the book, The Anatomy of an Illness, author Norman Cousins describes the therapeutic benefits of humor. Cousin points out that laughter decreases physical and emotional pain, helps our immune system, reduces stress and helps reduce depression. For Cancer patients, laughter kills cancerous cells in the body. When my God Mother was in the 4th stage of cancer her number one request was to watch Tyler Perry Comedy films.

When people use drugs dopamine is released. This is a neurotransmitter in the brain which when released allows the user to experience the pleasure of the drug. Like cocaine, Laughter also releases dopamine. African Americans Have used laughter for centuries, to survive and thrive. I end this blog post with a joke told by Dick Gregory. Born in 1932 he is perhaps the oldest living stand up comic. Gregory marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the height of the turbulent civil rights era of the 1960's.

Comedian Richard Pryor

Dick Gregory: (entering a segregated restaurant in Mississippi where Blacks were not allowed) " Give me a hamburger "

Restaurant Owner: " We don't serve Coloreds! "

Dick Gregory: " I don't eat them! Give me a whole fried Chicken! "

When the Chicken arrived, the Klu Klux Klan walked into the restaurant and said to Dick Gregory, "     Whatever you do to that chicken we're gonna do to you." Dick Gregory picked the chicken up, and he kissed it.

ATTC/NIAT Blog Post: African American History Month and Addictions Recovery

Originally Post by: ATTC/NIAT on February 1, 2017
Link: http://attcniatx.blogspot.com/2017/01/african-american-history-month-and.html

African American History Month and Addictions Recovery: Featuring the Online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment, and Recovery

Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC
Gabriela Perez, BA

Carter G. Woodson (December 19, 1875 – April 3, 1950)

In seminars, I ask audiences, “What is the reason that African American History Month is in February?” There is always a pause, followed by the same answer, “Because it’s the shortest month of the year,” which brings about laughter. The answer, though, to why African American History Month is in February is to honor the birthdays of AbrahamLincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14). Douglas was the first prominent American recovering alcoholic (White, Sanders, Sanders, 2006). Douglass was also the leader of the Black Temperance movement. This history has been shared with audiences of addictions counselors and inmates in prisons (disproportionately African Americans with substance use disorders). Most are unaware of this history, and many are inspired by it.

The Online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment and Recovery

African American History Month was originally Black History Week, created in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodsen. It was celebrated the second week of February and was enthusiastically received. In 1970 it expanded to African American history month. Woodsen noted that the contributions of African Americans to American society were scarce in the literature. His original intent was the encouragement of the teaching of African American History in public schools (Scott, 2011). Writings on the treatment of addictions and recovery are also scarce in the literature, and thus we developed the Online Museum of African American Addictions Recovery.

The purpose of the museum is to serve as a single site where individuals interested in the history of addictions, treatment, and recovery among African Americans can be found. The museum includes 22 exhibits. You will find everything from scholarly articles that focus on engagement strategies with African American clients seeking recovery and effective approaches to cross-cultural counseling; non-traditional approaches to recovery for African Americans, and writings on innovative approaches to the prevention and treatment of fetal alcohol syndrome in African American communities. Historians may be interested in the exhibits that tells the story of substance use, treatment and recovery in African American communities from multiple perspectives, including literature, popular culture, biographies of historical pioneers, motion pictures, and music. Click on the music links and hear songs by Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Prince, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Jimmy Hendricks and numerous hip hop artists. For counselors who want to be more effective in their work with African American clients, the museum also lists various educational workbooks, available for free download, DVDs, and videos.

As you enter the museum, the first thing you notice is a picture of the famous blues singer Billie Holiday. Her story is living proof that advocacy, culture- and gender-specific services have been a need for a long time. As a youth, Billie Holiday lived in a brothel and at the age of ten was sexually assaulted. To numb the pain, she developed an addiction to alcohol and heroin. Music along with drugs was her primary medicine for trauma. In the 1930's war on drugs, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics singled out Billie Holiday as a primary target of the war. She was spied on by the Bureau; informants were used to testifying against her, and she was frequently arrested. Billy Holiday went in front of a judge and pleaded for treatment. She went on to state, “Imagine if the government chased sick people with diabetes. Then sent them to jail and they could only get insulin illegally. If we did that everyone would know we were crazy, yet we practically do the same thing every day to sick people hooked on drugs,” (Hari, 2015). Peter Bell was quoted as having said addiction is best treated when the cultural context in which it develops is taken into consideration (Sanders, 2015). The museum offers the historical and current context of treatment and recovery for African Americans seeking recovery. We hope you enjoy the museum.
 

References

Hari, J. (2015). Chasing the scream: the first and last days of the war on drugs. Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Sanders, M (Ed.). (2016). Substance Use Disorders in African American Communities: Prevention, Treatment and Recovery. Routledge.

Scott, D.M. (2014).  The Origins of Black History Month. Association for the Study of African American Life and History: https://asalh100.org/origins-of-black-history-month/

About the Authors

Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC, is the curator of the Online Museum of African American Addictions Recovery. Mark is an international speaker on Addictions Recovery and author of five books on addictions recovery. Mark has had two stories published in the New York Times best selling book series, Chicken Soup for The Soul.

Gabriela Perez, BA, is the developer of The Online Museum of African American Addictions Recovery. Gabriela has worked in everything from teaching English as a second language to working in Chicago as a case manager with youth ages 17 to 21. Currently, Gabriela is a pursuing her Masters in Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, with a concentration in community development.

Multiple Styles of Recovery for African Americans

By pinguino k CC BY 2.0

Key Words: Blacks/African Americans, Men, Addictions, Substance use disorders, Addict

A popular television commercial advertising addictions treatment ends with the phrase, "You can't beat addiction on your own. No one can!" The commercial then displays an 800 number for you to call if you need help. The idea that everyone needs to go to a treatment center to begin recovery is untrue. Solo recovery is the most common pathway of recovery, particularly for individuals who are in the early stages of addiction and individuals who have a great deal of recovery capital. That is internal and external assets that they can bring to bear on their recovery. Examples include success before addiction; a good education; highly employable; positive family support; and they live in a community that supports recovery, etc.

The idea that there is only one way to recover was very popular in the 1980's when clients were called "addicts" and the one solution to address the addiction was a 28 day stay in a hospital. Much has changed! We now know that persons seeking recovery have multiple ways of initiating recovery. In an article entitled multiple styles of recovery for African American Men, the authors highlight multiple styles of recovery including treatment-assisted recovery; medication-assisted recovery; 12 step recovery; harm reduction; temporary drug substitution; religious pathways; cultural pathways and quantum change, sudden overnight transformation. This was the pathway of recovery for actor Samuel L. Jackson.

When Jackson was in treatment for crack addiction, he received a phone call from movie director Spike Lee, who invited him to play the role of a "crack addict" in the movie Jungle Fever. Jackson dropped out of treatment to play a role that he qualified for in the real world. In one scene in the film, Jackson is shot and killed by his father. He stated, "When I heard the sound of the gun, it killed the active addict in me." Jackson is in long-term recovery. To learn more about multiple styles of recovery for African American Men click here.

Down with Dope, Up with Hope!

Key Words: African Americans with substance use disorders, Substance abuse prevention, and African American communities

As Barack Obama is leaving office as the first African-American President of the United States, the media talks daily about his opposition parties plan to dismantle his "signature or most important legislation," that being Obama Care. Obama Care provides medical care for 20 million Americans who otherwise would be uninsured. Some experts believe that if this legislation is overturned, the Presidents legacy will be destroyed.

There is a part of his legacy that will never be destroyed. The hope he has given to millions of African American youth who now believe they can be anything they desire to be, including President of the United States! The picture included in this blog post is of 5-year-old Jacob Philadelphia. As Jacob was leaving the White House, he asked a question to President Obama. Jacob asked, "I want to know if my hair is just like yours? " This picture speaks volumes.

The title of this post, " Down with Dope, Up with Hope " is a frequent quote used by Civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson, Sr. Hope is an important ingredient in substance abuse prevention in African American communities. Hope allows youth to believe that success is possible. For African Americans with substance use disorders in need of treatment, hope is also an important motivator. Particularly for those in communities who experience despair due to extreme poverty. A Native American outreach worker said it best. "My clients don't hit bottom; they live on the bottom. If we wait for them to hit bottom, they will die. The obstacle to their engagement in treatment is not an absence of pain; it is an absence of hope."

If We Knew Better, We Would Do Better: Time to Release African Americans with Substance Use Disorders From Prison

By Adria Richards - Flickr: CC BY-SA 2.0

Key Words: African Americans with substance use disorders

The title of this blog post, "If we knew better, we would do better," comes from late poet Maya Angelou in a conversation with Oprah Winfrey. This quote could easily be applied to the high imprisonment rates of African Americans with substance use disorders. Following the cocaine related death of All American college basketball player, Len Bias (University of Maryland), the US Congress intensified its war on drugs. This led to millions of Americans being arrested for possession of small amounts of drugs. Disproportionately, African Americans with Substance use disorders (approximately one million). As a part of the war on drugs, congress passed mandatory minimal sentences for possession of small amounts of cocaine. In some instances 20 to 30 years, in other instances, life sentences. These arrests were not based in Science. They were primarily based upon the stigma of cocaine and the betrayal of African Americans as the primary user of this drug. Today we now know that alcohol and tobacco do more damage to society than all illicit drugs combined.

At the time of this writing, the country is in the midst of a heroin epidemic. More Americans are dying from drug overdoses than gun violence. The face of addiction has now shifted from African Americans addicted to crack cocaine to white suburban youth addicted to heroin. Congress has responded to the current crisis by increasing the addictions treatment budget by a billion dollars. Cities and states are drafting more legislation that includes alternatives to incarceration. While our consciousness has awaken to the fact that addiction is an illness that needs to be treated, lets remember the millions incarcerated for non violent drug offenses. At the time of this post I just read an article that indicated that President Barack Obama pardoned 1000 persons in federal prisons for non violent drug offenses. While this is a good start it is not enough. Programs such as the National Alliance For The Empowerment of The Formerly incarcerated will grow in importance. There mission is to mobilize and organize ex-offenders to fight for their citizenship, expungement legislation, reduction of sentences for non violent drug offenses and to help those leaving prison successfully reenter society. According to the Director, Benneth Lee, "Laws created the war on drugs. If ex-offenders united, we could swing any election."

Benneth Lee Website: www.naefi.com