Mindfulness: And Drug Users as Well as Non-Users Questing among the Unresolved

Abstract

“Mindfulness”—(focused attention)—in substance use intervention is explored as a concept, process, tool, and a Way, as a narrative, considering selected unresolved critical issues.

Keywords :

• focused attention
• mindful
• mindfulness
• mindless
• path
• process
• savor
• strategy
• technique
• tool
• trait
• way

THE AUTHORS

Stan Einstein, PhD, clinical and social psychologist, student, academician (emeritus), researcher, journalist (newspaper and radio), editor/author (28 books, editor, 4 Special Issues of Substance Use and Misuse (SUM), co-editor, 2 Special Issues of SUM, unlisted co-editor, 35 Special Issues of SUM), journal editor–founder Substance Use and Misuse, 1965–2013; Drug Forum; Social Pharmacology; Violence, Aggression and Terrorism; Altered States of Consciousness), consultant, lecturer, conference and training program organizer, volunteer, awards (Pace Setter award, NIDA; Mayor of Jerusalem Outstanding Volunteer Award). Area of interest: the parameters of failure.

Notes

4 Rittel and Webber suggested that problems can and should be usefully categorized into two types: “tame problems” and “wicked problems” The former are solved in a linear, traditional known and tried “water fall paradigm”; gather data, analyze data, formulate solution, implement solution. The latter “wicked problems” can only be responded to individually, each time anew, with no ultimate, repeatable solution. Substance use, from this perspective, when it is or becomes a problem for someone, is a “wicked problem.” This raises the unresolved issue of what is/can be the relationship of mindfulness to : “tame problems” and “wicked problems”? Rittel, Horst, and Melvin Webber, (1973) Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning”. Policy Sciences, Vol. 4, pp. 155–169.

5 The cyberneticist Heinz Von Foerster posited that there are two types of questions; legitimate and illegitimate ones. The former are those for which the answer is not known and is, perhaps, even unknowable during a given state of knowledge and technology. The effective and predictable control of man's “appetite” for a range of psychoactive substances, whatever their legal status is one such example. An illegitimate question is one for which the answer is known, or, at the very least consensualized. The asking of illegitimate questions has been, and remains, by and large, the acculturated norm. Heinz Von Foerster, Patricia M. Mora, and Lawrence W. Amiot, “Doomsday; Friday, 13 November, A.D, 2026,” Science, 132, 1960. pp. 1291–1295. The reader is referred to Pablo Neruda's The Book of Questions for a poetic exploration of legitimate questions. The reader is reminded that there are also “unanswerable questions” due to given realities. One could not have asked about the actual or potential relationship(s) between mindfulness’ effecting selected diagnosed people—for example, those consensualized with a check-listed substance use disorder, (American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), 4th Ed.; American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC, 1994; 5th Ed. 2013) prior to the relatively recent medicalization of selected people, engaged in selected behaviors, using–misusing–”abusing” selected licit or illicit substances, in selected ways for selected “reasons”/functions and which meet the agendas of selected influential stakeholders. Are the types of questions being asked about mindfulness, from this question nosology, legitimate or illegitimate ones, and what are the implications of the answer(s) given? And for whom? Considering this footnote is a mindfulness challenge.

6 “Big events”—This relatively new term, introduced into the intervention literature by Friedman et al (Samuel R. Friedman, Diana Rossi, Peter L. Flom. (2006). “Big events” and networks: Thoughts on what could be going on. Connections 27(1): 9–14.) refers to major events such as mega-disasters, natural, as well as man-made, famine, conflict, genocide, disparities in health, epidemics, mass migrations, economic recessions, etc., which effect adaptation, functioning, and quality-of-life of individuals as well as systems. Existential threat, instability, and chaos are major dimensions and loss of control over one's life is experienced.

7 Engaged recipient(s), change agent, program, etc.