Some of you got your wish

[Lulz~Sect]

tragically accurate

+1

[JurisDictum]

Originally Posted by Lemonhead [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

We seem to view this problem as "junkies" crawling the streets and alleys. This is simply a myth. The great majority are (semi)functioning adults, even many heroin addicts. They are your coworkers, your athlete heroes, your neighbors, your family. And I promise you, you won't know, even those close to you. It's a really easy addiction to hide for a long time. (maybe not shooting up, but most aren't doing that)

There are more deaths from prescription opiods than from street opiods. But deaths are only the tip of the spear. This addiction digs deeper into the soul than you can imagine (pot? what?). And coming out of it is NOT just a week or 2 of withdrawal.

It is a battle to take your mind back and the Demon does not give up for a long, long time, if ever. Do opiates long enough (especially addictively), and it rewrites what it means to be a mammal, much less human. All pleasure, reward, motivation, lust, love gets tied to the Beast and removed from all other action.

It takes a lot of work and a lot of self-awareness (like only an addict can truely experience in some ways) to re-write the reward system in the brain. The longer away from reality, the longer the re-write takes. That's why the solutions are not simple, and why they go back 90% of the time. (PS. I volunteer in this field some and obviously have some experience)

Add: And all addictions have some element of this. It's just that opiates are just so effective at mimicking pure joy, but any drug can have similar struggles.

That's a very good point. But the article on the OP was more about addressing seemingly hopeless junkies that can't hold down jobs (or jobs that are well-enough paying) and support their addiction through crime and other shitty behavior. Giving these people enough to get through the day sometimes -- generally over a long period of time -- will give them enough breathing room to become a more functional addict like you describe above.

Eventually -- sometimes due to age, enough personal work on themselves, and changes occuring in their life -- some of these people become 100% sober...or perhaps just become begin potheads.

[loramin]

Originally Posted by maskedmelon [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

it's not about freebies, lor. it's about being an implement of suffering. I have three questions for you:

1. do you believe suffering is good?
2. do you believe that suffering should be minimized?
3. do you understand that safe injection sites subsidize suffering?

Excellent questions.

I only eat grass-fed/free-range meat because I believe that factory farming causes unnecessary suffering, so that answers #1. However I also have nothing against killing animals, even though that obviously involves some suffering, so clearly I'm in favor of minimizing suffering when it can't be eliminated completely (#2).

But then you have #3, and no I do not understand that safe injection sites subsidize suffering. Drug addicts don't think "gee, I could be addicted to smack today, but I'm out of clean needles ... well, I guess I better sober up". What they'll actually say is "I'm out of clean needles, guess I'll use a dirty one." And without a doubt dirty needles lead to disease, and disease leads to suffering.

So back at you: do you understand that not giving addicts access to clean needles means they will get diseases and suffer?

[Lemonhead]

Originally Posted by JurisDictum [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

That's a very good point. But the article on the OP was more about addressing seemingly hopeless junkies that can't hold down jobs (or jobs that are well-enough paying) and support their addiction through crime and other shitty behavior. Giving these people enough to get through the day sometimes -- generally over a long period of time -- will give them enough breathing room to become a more functional addict like you describe above.

Eventually -- sometimes due to age, enough personal work on themselves, and changes occuring in their life -- some of these people become 100% sober...or perhaps just become begin potheads.

That's also a good point. I am off topic a bit. I just wanted people to get a feel for this addiction a bit.

As far the type of person who shoots up in the street, you know, being from a smaller town, I really don't know them, but I'd imagine many of them started as the more benign addict. Or they are people with severe mental disorders. Or they were just living shitty lives and made them shittier.

I have never met an addict who blames society or "their disease" or anyone else. They all blame themselves and it is, in fact, their fault. Accepting full responsibility is very important to healing. It is not like cancer. It is a disease but of a different kind. But that doesn't mean we can't have compassion. That doesn't mean we shouldn't help. True strength is seeing ourselves in the most deplorable.

Anyways, to actually get on topic, I think these places (ideally) are a way to reach out to the deepest of addicts, to try to push them into sub/methadone treatment. Now, replacement therapy is no panacea and not right for everyone, but it can be hope for those most deeply entrenched. It allows someone to stabilize and start working on underlying causes. Or they can just stay on it forever if need be, especially suboxone, as it has a ceiling effect and overdose is virtually impossible. A very normal life can be lived on it.

[AzzarTheGod]

Originally Posted by big_ole_troll [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

not planning on clicking hope yall agree

[AzzarTheGod]

Originally Posted by big_ole_troll [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

this post moved your postcount from 420 to 421. sorry you lost

its a gottem

[skarlorn]

Smoke weed and MuRdEr

[Lemonhead]

Originally Posted by skarlorn [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Smoke weed and MuRdEr

Yo, which persona r we supposed to display here? Forumquest is so complex!

And to answer your question: depends on the strain.

[skarlorn]

Originally Posted by Lemonhead [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Yo, which persona r we supposed to display here? Forumquest is so complex!

And to answer your question: depends on the strain.

You ask the right questions. I have high ( [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] ) hopes for u

[Lemonhead]

Originally Posted by skarlorn [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You ask the right questions. I have high ( [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] ) hopes for u

/blush