Source: CounterPunch
by Martha Rosenberg
“Twelve Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous are free, self-supporting and do not advertise so many do not know about them and their success rate. (Disclosure: members of my own family have benefited from them.) Such programs promote no drugs and use no psychiatric or psychology experts, relying instead on peer-to-peer healing. But drugmakers and insurance companies are increasingly trying to monetize such groups. They are succeeding. That is why so many people who once called themselves alcoholics and drug addicts now say they are ‘dually diagnosed’ with ‘major depressive disorder’ and ‘bipolar disorder.’ (That’s what the psychiatrists and the rehab center said — both sponsored by drugmakers.) Today, when alcoholics and drug addicts leave rehab, they are lifelong Pharma customers when a cup of coffee and a hug used to be enough to keep someone clean and sober.” (11/14/24)