Watching You Watching Us

Six people who use drug services met to discuss Channel 4's reality TV programme about "Going Cold Turkey" 20th-23rd February. This programme featured people addicted to heroin at a 5-day detox clinic LIVE on television. The discussion group watched a clip from the programme, and many had watched the full series at home.

	click icon to hear audio clip 1

"Its only for the selected few that as well"its only a small proportion who actually do it"that can afford to do it"

"It will discourage some people because its horrible to watch"

"They are making it out that it's a pure cure for the rest of your life but it isn't " because it depends on where you are living when you come back out, and you have to make changes!"

"Its not rattling to me that, that's a ride"

"I think it was good. If you actually watched it"if you actually listen"it didn't say it was a quick fix at all!"

"That's not the only way to detox and that's not the ideal way to detox. I think it gives the wrong impression because it doesn't explain that, giving the impression that's was a detox. And that is not a detox " it doesn't have to be anything as severe as that"

click icon to hear audio clip 2

"Cold turkey is proper bare back without no medication, nothing"that should have been called detox 5!"

"I rattled for 7 weeks after coming off methadone"that's what I mean - they will go back out and use because it's too short"

"It's not real because its not accessible to the majority of people!"

"If you are forced to do it 9 times out of 10 you want to go back to it, because you think that you didn't really want to do it anyway. You have got to be ready to do it."

	click icon to hear audio clip 3

The full details about this programme and others shown during Channel 4's addiction week can be accessed at http://www.channel4.com and there are also further links so you can find out more.