Baker sees 'positive contribution' in Kennedy book
Gov. Charlie Baker weighed in on former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy's new book Tuesday, calling Kennedy's decision to write publicly about addiction struggles within his family a "positive contribution" to others dealing with similar issues in private.
In "A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction," Kennedy details his struggle with drug addiction, alcoholism and touches on his father's — former Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy — problem with alcohol, according to a Boston Globe report.
"I think for the former Congressman to make the decision to come out and to speak so frankly and completely about his own issues with respect to addiction and mental health issues is a testament in some extent to his courage and willingness to put this issue forward," Baker told reporters after attending an anniversary event for the Communities Preservative Act .
He said oftentimes people addicted to opioids don't recognize they have a problem and therefore don't seek treatment. Adding that he doesn't know the context behind all the excerpts, Baker suggested the book could help those struggling with addiction.
"I do think that his decision to be so open and public about his own struggles will be helpful to other people who deal with similar kinds of issues and struggles themselves and in that respect I think it's a real positive contribution," Baker said.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments