I have always found it interesting that what comes most naturally to humans is to rank themselves against/ relative to one another. Being collaborative and equal partners rarely occurs outside of basic survival. We will naturally band together if it is in our best interests, in order to survive- otherwise, well, it's a dog eat dog world. The feminist movement finally had to realize that we rarely play nice when there are outside motivators, like money.
The term pecking order comes from chickens. When you place chickens in a pen together, they will rank themselves, and it is acted out in pecking one another on the head. Then, they all settle down because they know who ranks where- worked out through pecks. We humans are not fair behind, or should I say ahead?
If you want people to work as a team, define an agreed upon, mutual enemy. Or reward, money.
People with substance use disorders do the same thing. And, for what it is worth, so do the clinicians treating them. That is to say, the clinicians rank the patients, and they also rank themselves. 28 years in mental health and substance abuse settings- this never fails to amaze and mortify me. I guess with patients it's understandable- no one wants to be the bottom of the bottom. Which is horribly wrong since substance use disorders don't discriminate... No one is on the bottom, it's a disease.
Alcohol va substances
Cannabis vs them rest
Meth vs cociane
Heroin on the bottom (junkies? a horrible term)
Needles vs smoking, snorting
mft, lcsw, psyd, phd, Md
trainee, intern, licensed
I want to say publicly that the skills I learned at Boys Republic in regards to how to un-due the vertical pecking order, and how to develop social environments that are horizontal- was the best training, the most valuable training in my career. It was a VERY difficult place to work as a person with a graduate degree working on the front lines. But, I am grateful everyday, for all that I learned. And that I left as soon as reasonable.
To Jade, Lisa, Susan, Heidi, Sterling, Diana, Bob and Yvonne: Where ever you may be, wishing you grace and serenity. My "BR" experience is on my gratitude list every day.
I have always found it telling that most of the staff during my time as a "student" (please pick up on my seething anger) left shortly after I "graduated".
ReplyDeleteI used to wonder what your clinical notes said about me. Yvonne told me once that GR was never set up for someone like me, and that how I survived, much less excelled, always amazed her; and that I was a brat. ;)