(NEW) History of Methadone Anonymous

Born of Necessity

In 1991, Gary Sweeney, CACAD - Education Coordinator at Man Alive, a
large methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) center in Baltimore - was
attending a Narcotics Anonymous meeting to see a patient receive an
"Anniversary Chip" (an award for sobriety time). When the woman
expressed her gratitude for how methadone had helped her, she was
ordered to return the Chip because the group viewed methadone as just
another prohibited drug.

The woman fled the meeting in tears; Sweeney was outraged at the
group. He decided to develop a 12-step program for MMT patients.

Sweeney modeled the program after Alcoholics Anonymous. Only the first
of AA's 12 steps mentions alcohol: "We admitted that we were powerless
over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable. " Inserting
"illicit drugs and alcohol" in place of "alcohol" was the only change
needed to adapt all of the steps for methadone patients.

Early Growth

Sweeney was soon joined in his efforts by Duncan McGonagle, RN, C,
CARN (currently at Beth Israel Medical Center, MMTP, New York) and
later by Fred Christie, MA, CASAC (founder of AFIRM - Advocates For
the Integration of Recovery and Methadone - Long Beach Medical Center,
New York). Together, the trio have helped spread the word and assist
in the startup of hundreds of groups.

According to Sweeney, there are today at least 600 MA chapters
worldwide. Christie says there is an MA presence in 25 of the United
States, with up to 45 weekly meetings in New York State alone.
McGonagle notes that there are now meetings in Israel, Australia,
England, Spain, Scandinavian countries, Russia, and many other
countries. There even has been an inquiry from China.

Following Tradition

Most MA meetings are hosted by MMT clinics. However, Sweeney stresses
that the clinic merely should provide meeting space - as would a local
church or community center, for example - without any attempt to exert
control over the meeting or its participants.

It is also important that MA groups give something back to the host
organization in the form of at least a token space rental fee or
volunteer services. This is in accordance with essential AA traditions
requiring each group to be independent and fully self-supporting
through its own contributions. A collection basket is usually passed
at meetings and the usual contribution is a dollar or two, if the
person can afford it.

MA groups also adhere to other AA traditions, such as a prohibition of
professionalism. Group leaders are "trusted servants"; they do not
make decisions for the group or act as therapists. Furthermore,
discussions of controversial issues are not permitted; for example, MA
meetings are not platforms for debating treatment concerns or politics.

MA is not an advocacy organization; it neither endorses nor opposes
any causes relating to addiction treatment or other matters. Each
group's primary purpose is to help members abstain from illicit drugs
and alcohol and help others to achieve such sobriety.

12-Stepping

Since there are still few MA meetings in most locales, MMT patients
are also encouraged to attend AA meetings on a regular basis. Some
patients choose to also attend Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or Cocaine
Anonymous (CA) meetings. Both organizations are modeled after AA
principles and traditions.

However, Sweeney emphasizes, there is no need at meetings for patients
to discuss their medications, including methadone or other prescribed
drugs. McGonagle agrees, "abstinence from all mood-altering chemicals,
not prescribed by a physician, is the primary goal of all
chemical-addiction- oriented 12-step programs. Methadone should not be
an issue, even at MA meetings - it is a medication, period."

Yet, some AA members (as well as many NA and CA participants) are not
completely accepting of methadone as a medicine. The solution,
Christie explains, is that "there are usually many different AA groups
in any metropolitan area and MMT patients should search out those in
which they feel most welcomed and comfortable. "

In most AA groups today, the medications one takes is a non-issue and
a personal matter. Discussions of medical treatments are discouraged,
since there is an unwritten tradition that, "No AA member should play
doctor." When it comes to methadone, a patient's openly commenting on
his/her MMT program would be an irrelevant distraction from full
participation in AA, or in an MA group for that matter.

Who's In Control?

As with AA and similar 12-step programs, MA relies on underlying
principles of spirituality. While this is not the same as religion, it
is often a source of misunderstanding and controversy.

Christie notes that in modifying the 12-steps for MA the word "God"
was removed and replaced with "Higher Power." Still, acceptance of
spiritual faith as a guiding force in one's life is a sticking point
for many addicted persons.

McGonagle says, "We suggest that the individual develop a concept of a
'power greater than themselves.' Sometimes a newcomer will use the
group as a Higher Power. The important idea is to get MA members 'out
of themselves' and away from any notion that they are the Higher Power
and totally in control of their addictions or their lives."

The coming together of people with common problems to share their
experience, strength, and hope with each other can indeed be a
powerful force on a spiritual plane. Some people, even avowed
atheists, have succeeded by using the group as their Higher Power, at
least initially.

Into Action

Some time ago, pre-MA, Joan Zweben, PhD noted, "Enhancing the
partnership between 12-step programs and professional treatment is
emerging as one of the most important therapeutic tasks today in the
addictions field." Enlightened MMT clinic staff can serve vital
supportive roles in working with patients to promote their
participation in 12-step programs and acceptance of spiritual
concepts. Doubts or fears expressed by patients can open many doors to
therapeutically helpful interactions that benefit participation in
both the MMT program and 12-step groups.

McGonagle notes that, once regular MA meetings get started at a
clinic, the environment usually changes for the better. Patients seem
to more fully realize the benefits of MMT in terms of their more
active participation in treatment, less illicit drug use, looking
after their health, taking care of their families, and generally
improving their lives in other ways.

MMT clinic staff can do much to help organize MA programs and
encourage patients who show an interest.

First, it would be helpful if staff become familiar with how AA groups
operate, since those essentially serve as the prototype for MA. At the
least, clinic staff can attend open AA meetings that welcome the
public; patients can attend closed meetings that include only addicted
persons seeking recovery.

Second, there also is a great deal of AA literature available,
including helpful manuals on starting and running local groups.
Furthermore, Christie, Sweeney, and McGonagle stand ready to answer
questions and assist in starting MA groups.

While 12-step program participation may not be uniformly beneficial
for everyone, it has withstood the test of time and proved invaluable
for a great many. In the final analysis, when asked, "How does MA
work?", most group members and MMT staff simply respond, "It works
very well."

http://methadone- anonymous. org/