Originally Posted by bemyself

More and more, I've been reflecting - over a few years now - how curious it is that us alcoholics / addicts are seemingly 'not supposed to' get riled about poor service or being mucked about by various health providers. Yet, with almost all other health / medical issues, people are understanding; e.g. if someone has some serious disease like cancer, MS, requires surgery, etc etc, such a long list alas...and their treatment options becomes some additionally fraught process, then no one is particularly surprised if that patient gets upset about it. There is certainly not the same kind of underlying implication that 'well, you should be thinking better about this'.

In those scenarios, it's considered quite reasonable for that patient to complain or at the very least, to lodge their dissatisfaction through whatever formal or informal channels. And thereby to hopefully get a bit more action. So they can get the help they need, sooner rather than later. And I say this, knowing full well how convoluted and disjointed so many of our health services are - in Aus, the US, the UK etc. So I know - on that level - some of the limits of what we can achieve in terms of timely service.

But, I still believe it's inappropriate that in general, the AOD sectors still carry that subtle characterisation of their 'client / patient' base. As 'difficult', and so on and so on.

Plenty here would disagree with me, but that's how I see it, and have experienced it. It's so not helpful.