News, Research & Ideas

There comes a point where you get tired of playing along with polite fictions. Everyone in policy circles talks about homelessness, mental health collapse, substance use, austerity, fragmented care, but very few will say the part that actually matters. The part that explains why nothing changes, no matter how many reviews, strategies, or bold visions […]

In my upcoming book “A Philosophical Critique of Co-Existing Mental Health and Substance Use Challenges Pain Comes First, Drugs Come Later“, I explore the idea of temporal confusion — what happens when distress, trauma, or survival reorder our sense of time itself. I wanted to give you an insight into what I mean. Darren had […]

I’ve always been fascinated by Stoicism and the writings of Marcus Aurelius. But for years, I didn’t really understand them. I admired the calm, the discipline, the way Stoicism seemed to offer a steady hand in a chaotic world, but it felt distant, almost clinical. Then, a couple of years ago, I finally sat down […]

The Ecology of Reintegration: Beyond Housing, Toward Coherence We often talk about “recovery” or “rehabilitation” as if people are machines that can be repaired. But reintegration after homelessness isn’t mechanical, it’s ecological. It happens across layers of human experience — safety, health, belonging, agency, and meaning — all of which grow or wither depending on […]

Emily Kenway’s recent investigation is nothing short of amazing research—and also incredibly uncomfortable reading. It lays bare the brutal reality of addiction, homelessness, and modern slavery in the UK. It’s a story we don’t often hear, or perhaps one we choose not to see. Kenway’s work (2025) highlights a devastating truth: addiction is one of […]

Picture this: it’s a cold night in London. You walk past a row of shopfronts, their bright lights casting long shadows on the pavement. Huddled in the doorways are people wrapped in sleeping bags, cardboard beneath them for insulation, faces turned away from the world. You might wonder—how did we get here? And more importantly, […]

It’s 2 AM, and I’ve been called to A&E to assess a man brought in by the police. He’s pacing, sweating buckets, and talking non-stop—mostly about how “they” are after him. His pupils are like black holes, and he keeps darting glances towards the door as if he’s expecting someone to burst through at any […]

Synthetic cathinones—commonly known as “bath salts” or, more infamously, as “monkey dust”—have been a growing concern in certain parts of the UK. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) recently released an updated assessment on these substances, highlighting their risks and making recommendations on how best to tackle their harms. So, what does […]

Introduction If you’ve ever heard the term monkey dust, you probably associate it with shocking news stories of people running naked through traffic, climbing buildings, or exhibiting extreme paranoia and violence. Officially known as methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), this synthetic stimulant has gained a reputation for turning people into zombies. The standard response? Criminalisation. Arrest the users, […]

Introduction You may have heard of “monkey dust” in the news, often linked to bizarre and violent behavior. Officially known as MDPV (methylenedioxypyrovalerone), this synthetic stimulant has gained notoriety for turning ordinary people into highly agitated, paranoid, and sometimes dangerously aggressive individuals. While the short-term effects are well documented—hallucinations, extreme energy, paranoia—the long-term damage this […]

The relationship between mental health and homelessness is as intricate as it is urgent. Homelessness is often associated with a range of mental health symptoms—primarily anxiety and depression—but the causal pathway is anything but straightforward. Are individuals homeless because of pre-existing mental health conditions, or do the conditions of homelessness exacerbate their distress? The answer, […]

In recent years, monkey dust has been portrayed in the UK media as a terrifying new drug sweeping through communities, turning people into “zombies” and fueling crime. Nowhere has this narrative been more entrenched than in Stoke-on-Trent, where local reporting has shaped public perception, policy debates, and—crucially—the lived experiences of those struggling with addiction. But […]

“If you died tomorrow, your job would be advertised within 48 hours.” After Some Reflection… I’ve realised that, no matter how much passion, time, or effort we pour into our jobs, the system keeps moving. If I left tomorrow, someone else would step in. The work would continue. The gaps we desperately try to fill […]

I remember my first day on a crisis mental health team like it was yesterday. Anxiety had taken hold of me—my heart raced, my hands trembled slightly, and my mind buzzed with the weight of responsibility. Then it happened: my first assessment of the day. A 35-year-old man had been booked in the day before, […]

I remember my first day on a crisis mental health team like it was yesterday. Anxiety had taken hold of me—my heart raced, my hands trembled slightly, and my mind buzzed with the weight of responsibility. Then it happened: my first assessment of the day. A 35-year-old man had been booked in the day before, […]

A year ago, I wrote an article titled “The Power of Words: A Deep Dive into the Language of Addiction,” exploring how the language we use to describe addiction shapes societal views, perpetuates stigma, and influences the way we treat individuals suffering from substance use disorders. I argued that the words we use, such as […]

Let’s be honest: being a social worker isn’t for the faint-hearted. There are days when it feels like you’re standing in the middle of an emotional storm, especially when you’re faced with high-stakes situations like removing children from a home or facilitating an involuntary hospital admission. Emotions can run incredibly high, and yes, there are […]

Walking Past Poverty: Yesterday, on 3rd September 2024, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi, posted a tweet displaying what appeared to be a person sleeping rough on the pavement in Mayfair, one of London’s most affluent districts. Accompanying the image was his caption: “This is now in Mayfair, just walked past, what is […]

Recently, I was approached by an organisation to write a piece on overcoming adversity. As we delved deeper into the conversation, it transpired that what they meant was overcoming and coping with a toxic work environment. This got me thinking: How do you truly achieve this? How does one not just survive but thrive in […]

Imagine losing everything: your house, your relationship, family, friends, and job. The only option left is to sleep rough. What must go through your head? Where will you sleep tonight? Where’s safe? Where’s shelter? How will you get food? Where can you use the toilet? The world suddenly becomes an uncertain, daunting place, filled with […]