The Pastoral Clinic: Addiction and Dispossession along the Rio Grande

Just before her 29th birthday, Alma was found in the parking lot of an emergency room, left there by loved ones who feared she might die from a heroin overdose. The local drug court sent Alma to Nuevo Día, a clinic that she had discharged herself from before. Alma had been in recovery programs six times and detoxification clinics twice in the last five years. Garcia explains that Alma’s story is common, part of the recidivism perpetuated by a cultural understanding of addiction as a chronic illness. Two years after her encounter with Alma, Garcia learns that Alma has died after overdosing on heroin.

Garcia explores addiction within the context of loss, arguing that the two are intrinsically linked. The researcher uses Alma’s life to explore the idea that unresolved grief and addiction are connected, sharing what she learned about Alma’s history and life after Nuevo Día. She feels it is important to honor Alma’s story and character: “Alma as she appeared to me—generous, reflective, and deeply engaged in trying to find a way to live” (72).

After finishing her 30 days of detoxification, Alma finds a room at a halfway house. Garcia visits her and takes her to the local library, where she tells Garcia about her older sister who died after being hit by a drunk driver.