Introducing Tina Turnaround

The crystal meth epidemic has been a major cause of new HIV infections in recent years, and it also continues to wreck havoc on the health of those already positive. With the right support and financial backing (i.e., an organization such as the Elton John AIDS Fund), I would start a national detox treatment and networking agency called Tina Turnaround, a concept that I first conceived some seven years ago. “ Tina” is the main slang for crystal meth among gay men and Tina Turner has long been an icon in the gay community. If I were able to enlist her support and start this agency, it would provide a national referral network for meth-addicted gay men to be connected to regional treatment and support groups, such as Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA). It would also provide telephone crisis hotlines and internet support. Most of all, it would serve as a detox center to fill a great need in this country as crystal meth is one of the most addictive street drugs and one of the most difficult to treat.

I would seek out psychiatrists and mental health and addiction counselors who are open to holistic approaches to staff the agency and provide daily individual and group counseling to clients along with other practitioners who could provide holistic modalities such as Chinese herbs, acupuncture, massage, reiki and yoga in a beautiful rural setting. The relapse rate of 92% is worse than that for cocaine with withdrawal symptoms such as depression and physical "agony" which are worse than those experienced with heroin or cocaine withdrawal and yet there's no methadone for meth. Tina Turnaround could serve as a research center to conduct trials of a relatively new drug called Aeropoprazol, which it is hoped, could be used along with Wellbutrin, to alleviate withdrawal symptoms. My vision for Tina Turnaround is that it would be open to all persons, and that clients would be able to attend gay, straight, gender-specific and mixed groups as they choose as well as come together to support each other as a whole community.

Since my Master's thesis was on the need for HIV/AIDS-specific training in graduate counseling programs, which included an experiential curriculum, I would then work to establish Tina Turnaround as a crystal meth and HIV/AIDS counseling and treatment training program, providing specialized instruction and internships for those who wish to help this growing population.