Open Thread - Thurs 18 Jan 2024 - How do we help?
How do we help?
Eric Johnson has been a local Seattle reporter for a long time. A few days ago, he published a story about a young woman named Lexi. The story is called: called 'Who killed Lexi Evanson? A woman's life lost too soon to Seattle's drug crisis'.
Johnson had known Lexi for all her short, 35 year old life. She was part of his extended family, danced at his wedding when she was a cute little girl. She had a pretty tough life and became addicted to heroin. She had two loves in her life since then - her dog, Lucy (which was stolen from her) and heroin (she switched to fentanyl after a while because it's cheaper). She died of acute meningitis which she got from an ear infection which spread to her brain. She was found dead, upside down with her head near the brake pedal of a stolen car in December.
Lexi and her dog Lucy a few years ago: from the article above.
I think we've all experienced, been close to, someone with addiction and the associated sadness, angst, despair, and trauma. Earthling1 and his family has suffered this sorrow and hell.
I have too, although not as acutely. My sibling is still alive and has managed, with near death and a long stay in a rehab facility, to get off drugs and alcohol, at least for now. Sib was lucky, so lucky to be able, with our parents help, to get the right treatment at the right time. And it's weird. This is treatment Sib had had before, but it never worked before. It did this time. Unfortunately, many, maybe most, of the addicted are never lucky.
As Eric Johnson writes in his story about Lexi:
So who, exactly, killed Lexi Evanson?
Well, she did it to herself, didn't she? Nobody made her become a drug addict. Lexi did it. A slow suicide.
But there were accomplices. The drug dealers who hunt on the streets, preying on the weak and desperate. They killed Lexi.
The city of Seattle killed her, too, because of its own addiction to a twisted form of compassion and tolerance. Seattle makes it easy to live like an animal and die on the streets.
The state of Washington has blood on its hands, too, and the United States for that matter.
By not creating mechanisms to pluck people like Lexi out of their hellish existence and give them a fighting chance, all levels of governance are guilty.
The truth is that all of us built this machine, this cult of indifference. We watched her dying for years, she and thousands of others, without demanding something different.
We're all complicit. We steadfastly refuse to intervene in lives that are out of control because we are so nice.
This problem all of the country has with dealing with addicts, with drunks, with those without jobs, with the poor, has been here forever, hasn't it? How do we solve it? How do we, can we, make it that so many people aren't killed, don't basically commit suicide by overdosing, with alcohol or drugs? Is it even possible?
Gabor Maté, Aaron Mate's father, has worked with addicts and drunks and the traumatized for a long time (his website). His book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts - amongst other works of his, discusses and explores this. Maté helped set up a system in Vancouver BC where the severely addicted were given rooms/homes in an ex-hotel, and given drugs. No need to whore themselves for money to buy the drugs, no need for stealing, for violence, for death. The drugs were administered by doctors, like Mate. The people getting the drugs were not judged, they were just provided with those, housing and food. Violence went way down in the area, way down. Crime went way, way down. Some of those getting drugs actually worked and got jobs. So, maybe that's a way to help those who are addicted.
Along these lines, I have a good friend who spent years in the 1980s and 1990s working as a counselor and care-giver for drunks (and addicts) who basically were at the end of their lives. The drunks might have only been 30 or 40, but they were at the end. Everyone else had given up on them. Their families, if they had them, were not involved in their lives anymore, traditional 'care' and drug/alcohol counseling had not worked. So, they were thrown intro a 'home', basically kept locked up in there, and ... it was rough. My friend argued for the drunks and addicts, saying that they needed, at least, alcohol. Yes, it made them drunk, but it was ALL THEY HAD. They had little to no hope, no friends (except the other drunks and addicts), nothing to look forward to, nothing to live for. Everyone agreed they were one step from dying. So, let them drink. The 'inmates' (they weren't prisoners, but were kept like prisoners) were allowed to drink and everything got better at the home: less fighting, less anger, MORE recoveries (or partial recoveries) from addiction and drinking, and MORE human to human interactions and connections.
Do we give them what they need, be it drugs or alcohol, and support them, as a society, with homes and food? Can we stop acting like puritanical a&&holes, blaming, blaming, blaming? We'd need ways to stop drunks from getting cars and so on... I dunno. Portugal has tried it with drugs. It works/ed, and then the government has cut the funding and the drug cartels still use the country as an entry point to Europe, so... yea.
Thanks for reading and here's the open thread - and remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!
Comments
Happy Day!
Yesterday was Jaska's 14th birthday. Woot! It's been bitterly, for here, cold. We had 10 degrees for a day, frozen pipes, lots of 'fun'. But it's warming up, and the frozen pipes didn't burst (we'd opened faucets before they froze). So, that's all good!
Hope everyone's cold burst, because we're almost all getting them, has gone as well as ours. So, what's up? How you doing? What's 'new' and what's 'old'?
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
WEF calls for AI to replace voters: “Why do we need elections?”
https://slaynews.com/news/wef-calls-ai-replace-voters-elections/
I LOL'd at that.
People say StoneToss is a neo-Nazi; what do you think?
The only evidence of that I've been given to date is a strip where he implied being a Holocaust denier in a way that, frankly, made me far, far madder at "The History Channel" than him.
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.
Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!
That made me chuckle!!!
I don't even have AI to turn on my lights
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Your point about Portugal is key
Doing something, anything really, in a consistent way over a long period of time
(in the realm of assistance) does alleviate some of the obvious problems to society.
Getting into the realm of why people crumple is a much deeper subject. Institutional
solutions are a mixed bag. Some Scandinavian countries have accepted addiction as
a given in a certain portion of the populace. They seem to have much better workable
policies.
Many years ago here in the US, mental institutions were closed. Mental imbalance
solutions shifted to law enforcement. It is at best a short term and ineffective
reaction to those falling thru the social nets. Jails are now our answer to the homeless,
drug and alcohol abuse, gun violence, plus other 'seemingly' unsolvable problems.
Intolerance of deviant behavior becomes heavier as the criminal justice system
becomes more powerful. I can imagine many better approaches. A connected
network of support mechanisms would help.
Thanks for the OT and happy birthday Jaska!
Institutional Solutions...
Yes, they are a mixed bag. They have to be overseen and monitored. Relatives have to be involved, if possible, or at least care workers who are NOT affiliated with the institution.
I like what some of the Scandinavian countries have done. I like what Portugal has done. Nothing works 100% of the time, but at least it's something. The USA dumping all the 'loonies' onto the streets in the 1980s was awful.
You stated this well, 'Intolerance of deviant behavior becomes heavier as the criminal justice system becomes more powerful. I can imagine many better approaches. A connected network of support mechanisms would help.'
Jaska's had a good birthday, hubby says she'll be getting her driver's license soon!
Thanks for the well wishes, the great comment and stopping by!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Most friends and family
suffering from addiction were hooked on pain pills. None of them ever got free of it, and most didn't even try, as it is magic medicine. (Even though they bought it off the street.)
For 20 years, the bulk of my case load was criminal defense. Virtually every murder, rape, and theft case was connected to drugs.
Clients had managed to kick booze, heroin, cocaine, and meth (smoked, not injected). Nobody ever got off meth they were shooting, and eventually, they all died or were killed.
In Texas, we have a classification of felony that is a half-step from actual prison. It is typically for a drug conviction. A defendant is placed on probation, but as a term and condition for the 5 to 10 year probation, they must sit in a county jail, wait until a bed becomes available in the state jail facility. That could be over a year, and no days served are credited to the state jail term, or future prison term for violating probation.
From what I have been told, the 6 months in state jail rehab is absolutely brutal. Classes, punishment, deprivation, more classes. People who go through that experience, more often than not, never return to drugs. They have said they would rather be dead than go through that, and would never do anything to put themselves through it. There is no incentive for good behavior, since it is 6 months day for day, so it is a guarantee a fellow prisoner will beat you, rob you, and likely rape you.
And that is the best Texas can do?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
You've got a great perspective...
coming from the legal work you have done throughout your life.
Most of my friends and family are hooked on pain pills too, or were. Over the counter kind or those prescribed by doctors. Had a friend ask me to save any 'extra' of those I might have been prescribed after I broke my ankle. But I NEVER take pain pills, so the doctor had me treat my broken ankle pain with Ibuprofen and that was really successful for my pain.
As for the best Texas can do, not sure any state is doing better
In my Sib's experience, they went through something similar in Colorado and it didn't stop their drinking. Part of that is/was social. When they got out, all their friends were drunks, all their social life was with drunks, everything... so, they fell back into it very quickly. So sad.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning Sima, et. al. Thanks for the OT, Sima.
It is not and has not ever been any part of the governments business to be supportive of or assistive to the populace. There was a brief hiccup to the contrary which came about as "The New Deal". This was augmented a bit through many years of struggle to enhance it even in the face of the constant efforts of TPTB and the assorted "elites" to dismantle it. So, how did this abnormality come about.
FDR convinced those who have always ruled this country that vast hordes of the populace would soon knocking down their gates and doors with pitchforks and torches, so they acceded to his little stopgap populace mollification scheme. This was only possible because that threat was sufficiently real that the rulers legitimately feared that it could happen "any day now".
To establish a more perfect union, as they say, and generate some governmental care and concern for the hoi polloi and the populace at large, the rulers need to again fear for their fate and their fortunes should they fail to give the people something. It really just boils down to "enlightened self interest".
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I keep thinking about the Depression...
the New Deal, and the reasons why those changes happened (here and in Europe, where they have stuck around a bit more). I agree, the richies/rulers are going to have to fear the regular people more.
Hope your day was a good one! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Jumping on a trampoline thousands of feet in the air
.
Not something you see every day. I’ve always wanted to sky dive, but with my luck….I’ve decided against it. But what a blast to do it this way. Wowzer they look like they are having FUN.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Too high up!
I've thought about skydiving too, but, I dunno. Maybe when I'm 100! I don't like heights, but they don't terrify me. Wanna make hubby sick, watch a video with heights!
Pretty sure Jaska won't skydive. Wonder if Sam would?
Hope your day was awesome!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
When I came across this It made me think of you Sima.
Happy birthday to Jaska.
That was a great video!
Dang, it makes me wanna have some baby goats now
Jaska sez thanks for the happy birthday. Hope your day has gone well and thanks for stopping by and dropping the great video!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
sima, Jaska is just all that. Happy birthday to Jaska!
My comment above was depressing as pure hell, so this one is happier, still drug related.
I represented a guy in a divorce. Wife, Denise, was in a drug gang, he was a meth cook, in another gang. He wound up dead. She wound up in prison for mere drug possession. This has been approx. 20 years ago.
Hokay, the good part: Dear One and I went shopping in a nearby town last weekend. We had to get gas.
While Dear One was filling up the car, I was standing by the front door of the 7/11. Up walks a woman who was delivering the community papers. We stared. The chat went like this: "Don't I know you? I answered: "Maybe, you look familiar too." "I am Denise!" Seems when she got out of prison, she went home to care for her Mom, who eventually died. "I am straight, can't let Mom look down from Heaven on me seeing me do what I used to do." I told her I had married since the last time we crossed paths. She look in the direction of Dear One, said, "Can't see that well at a distance, but what I do see is pretty cool, so good for you!"
She said she wanted me to help her if she needed to prepare her will.
Funny how there were no hard feelings, no looking back. Only looking ahead.
Thanks for the OT, sima.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
What a great story and coincidence, otc
As they say, it takes two to tango. Nice that you could share a mutual respect. And nice for dear one to get a wink of approval. Mothers have a way of straightening their kids up ; ).
That is a great personal story!
Yes, some people do recover, do 'see the light' and so go on to be a good part of their communities. I am not sure what let's those people do that, and others, maybe most, just fall into the abyss. I don't think it's a personal fault, not really, but I'm not sure. Maybe it's this: 'no looking back. Only looking ahead'.
Jaska has had a great birthday. She is doing well for a dog that's almost driving age
. She's bugging me now, it's time for the first 'coyote' patrol of the night. She LOVES those patrols with me, so we do several now. Why not? Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
What an interesting subject and cause for compassion,thanks sima
I don’t see how the problems people have with addiction can be solved without treatment that is based on knowledge of human nature and needs, as well as support of society - family, friends, productive and free services, etc. At the same time the person with the addiction has to have a desire for life, which is of course also dependent on the understanding and compassion of others.
I’m glad your sister had the support she needed, and found the strength to overcome her challenges. My cousin had treatment for drug and alcohol addiction 3 times. The last time was the charm. He’s been sober for 7 years, and they have been the most rewarding of all for him. He had the resources financially and personally to pursue private treatment, but his success is largely due to AA and the understanding and support he found there.
Happy birthday Jaska, and continued success for your sister.
Interesting about your Cousin...
My Sib's success came about in part because of their involvement in the AA. It gave them another group of friends to be with, to get attached to. So when they returned home from the rehab for the last time, that group of friends was able to jump in.
This is so true: 'I don’t see how the problems people have with addiction can be solved without treatment that is based on knowledge of human nature and needs, as well as support of society - family, friends, productive and free services, etc. ' And, as you said, the willingness and work of the person with the addiction.
Have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping by and offering your, as always, very good comment! Jaska waves hi!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Hi sima
And thank you for inspiring thought and commentary.
In the meantime I watched humphrey's goat video. I had no idea how much like pets of the dog variety they were! Double the pleasure. If I had a tail I'd wave back at Jaska ; ).