Dear Hossein,
I am delighted to hear that the public meeting with travelers and co-travelers went well and that the announcement of my role as international Didehban of Congress ۶۰ was warmly received. Being accepted in this role by the Congress ۶۰ community is a great honor for me and I will do all I can to be worthy of everyone’s trust. I look forward to Ehsan’s translation of the Didehban pact and will cherish the shawl as a symbol of our shared commitment to spreading recovery throughout the world.
Congress ۶۰ is built on three distinctive ways of knowing. The first is the experiential knowledge of what this community and its methods have meant in the lives of travelers and co-travelers. Those touched and transformed lives represent the “living proof” that no one can challenge or contest. A second pillar consists of the clinical knowledge of addiction professionals who witness the effectiveness of Congress ۶۰’s approach to treatment and recovery support. This is evidenced by the adoption of the DST method and other aspects of Congress ۶۰ by other addiction treatment organizations. The third pillar is the scientific knowledge emerging from the research being done in collaboration with Congress ۶۰, as evidenced by the scientific articles that you are now publishing on your own and in collaboration with independent research scientists. It will be further evidenced by the university now under construction that will spread the teachings of Congress ۶۰ to future generations of helpers and scholars. It is rare indeed for an NGO to have such a strong foundation of support.
You referenced NIDA’s hesitance to speak of “cure” of addiction. There is a long history in the U.S. behind such hesitancy. So-called “miracle cures” for addiction began being widely promoted beginning in the mid-۱۸۰۰s in the U.S. that were later discredited when studies revealed that most of these bottled and boxed cures were filled with excessive doses of alcohol, morphine, cocaine, cannabis, or chloral hydrate. And so claims of “cure” became associated with the criminal exploitation of addicted people and their families. Even in the modern era, disreputable for-profit private programs promised cures in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars. And particular medications (e.g., methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone) have sometimes been touted in the U.S. as “cures” for opioid addiction in spite of research studies confirming that recovery is far more complex than what these medication along can provide. Few treatment programs in the U.S. have integrated time-limited medication support, psychosocial support within a vibrant recovery community/culture, and spiritual (worldview) support as happens in Congress ۶۰ every day.
I will extend your best wishes to Dr. Seppala and Dr. DuPont. Our presentation preparation is nearly complete and will take place later in October.
In my recent communication with other addiction experts about Congress ۶۰, two questions have come up that I would like your responses to.
The first is based on the rapid spread general practice physicians prescribing buprenorphine as a treatment for opioid addiction in the U.S. I have been asked if this is also occurring in Iran and what particular advantages OT offers within Congress ۶۰ compared to the use of methadone or buprenorphine by other treatment providers. We have briefly discussed this before but I would like your current response to that question.
The second question stems from the experience in the U.S. where individuals maintained on methadone of buprenorphine experience heightened vulnerability for addiction relapse during the final stage of tapering from these medications or in sustaining recovery once this medication support has ended. The question I have been asked is if Congress ۶۰ provides any special supports for individuals during the final stages of OT support and the months that follow.
I will be happy to pass along your responses to these questions.
My best wishes to the ۸۵۳۰ individuals who will take part in the co-guide examinations. That is a remarkable number of individuals hoping to assume this unique helping role.
Please extend my warm regards to your family and to all members of Congress ۶۰.
Friends and Brothers Forever,
Bill