Opioid Reckoning: Love, Loss, and Redemption in the Rehab State

The opioid epidemic in the Americas is explored in Amy C. Sullivan's book Opioid Reckoning, which looks at the crisis' complexity and humanity through firsthand accounts of people dealing with stigma, treatment, and recovery. It questions current treatment models, healthcare inequities, and the criminal justice system and offers a path forward that cultivates empathy, love, and hope for anyone affected.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 08 November 2022
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

The opioid epidemic in the Americas has caused significant harm to families and communities, despite extensive media coverage, federal legislation, criminal prosecutions, and harm reduction efforts aimed at preventing overdose deaths. Over 450,000 Americans have lost their lives to opioid overdoses since the late 1990s. In her book, Opioid Reckoning, Amy C. Sullivan delves into the complexity of the crisis by presenting firsthand accounts of individuals grappling with the profound effects of stigma, treatment, and recovery.

The author, like many others in the United States, has been personally affected by the epidemic. Using her own story as a starting point, Sullivan explores how the opioid epidemic challenged established recovery protocols in Minnesota, a state renowned for its pioneering addiction treatment. By centering the voices of those who have experienced opioid use, treatment, recovery, and loss, Sullivan exposes the devastating consequences of a one-size-fits-all approach to treating opioid dependency.

Opioid Reckoning takes a clear-eyed and nonjudgmental approach to examining various aspects of the issue, including drug use, parenting, harm reduction, medication, abstinence, and stigma. It questions current treatment models, healthcare disparities, and the criminal justice system. Additionally, Sullivan imagines a future where individuals suffering from opioid-use disorders have access to the same individualized care, free from judgment, that is available to those with other health problems.

Through her book, Sullivan provides a captivating insight into how the state that invented "rehab" addresses the challenges of the opioid epidemic and its overdose deaths while also taking readers into the intimate lives of families, medical and social work professionals, and grassroots organizations. Opioid Reckoning is a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation about combating the epidemic and promoting recovery and well-being for all affected.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 38 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781517914677