For people with mental illness, drugs and alcohol can be a key survival strategy. I’ve learned they shouldn’t have to ‘get clean’ to get treatment

A decade ago, while working in a women’s prison, I met a young woman whose story would leave an indelible mark on me. She had endured severe abuse at the hands of men, and I was initially concerned that, as a male social worker, my presence might rekindle her trauma. Yet, through careful and considered engagement, we were able to forge a relationship of trust. Jenny* confided in me that heroin had become her refuge – the only respite that quieted the relentless storm of her thoughts. But her dependency had brought dire consequences: the removal of her children and her subsequent imprisonment for possession with intent to supply. Even s......

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