Addiction Philosphies.

[Artemis Windsong]

I found this very informative.  The article is longish.

www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2018/3/5/17080470/addiction-opioids-moral-blame-choices-medication-crutches-philosophy

[Shooby]

Interesting article!  Thanks for posting.  I think it is a complex problem.  I think it is mental. physical, emotional and spiritual.  Some addiction happens due to physical.  Someone has a broken leg and then gets treated with opioids and that clicks on the craving in their brain.  Some get addicted due to spiritual, emotional issues, loneliness, anxiety, fear, a broken life, etc.  Some people maybe trying it for the simple thrill of trying the unknown, etc.  However, the end result is often the same where they wind up destroying their own lives.  But, there is a moral component.  And,  there are points in time where the addict is knowingly choosing the drug.  However, because of the strong physical component, resisting that seems like a Herculean task.
  Anyway, I think as a society we need to have compassion and accountability.  I don't believe one can exist without the other.  We can have compassion for the issues that led to addiction and understanding that there is a physical addiction as well. But, we also have to expect the addict to work on their own behalf as well.

[Artemis Windsong]

A very complex problem for each individual.  I found the article enlightening since it addressed many philosophies.  I do not know anyone who has not had a problem of addiction in their family.

One person said in another conversation that it is part of the human condition. 

[Shooby]

This is also a good (long) article in a similar vein:


reason.com/archives/2018/03/08/americas-war-on-pain-pills-is

[Artemis Windsong]

I shared your article on FB.  My DD and GrD are EMTs.

[Deleted]

Mar 11, 2018 9:28:07 GMT -5 Shooby said:

This is also a good (long) article in a similar vein:


reason.com/archives/2018/03/08/americas-war-on-pain-pills-is

The backlash from the addiction crisis is really concerning to me.
Ultimately the addict still has a choice while the legitimate patient won't .

[Shooby]

Mar 11, 2018 15:32:09 GMT -5 @xmascookie said:

Mar 11, 2018 9:28:07 GMT -5 Shooby said:

This is also a good (long) article in a similar vein:


reason.com/archives/2018/03/08/americas-war-on-pain-pills-is

The backlash from the addiction crisis is really concerning to me.
Ultimately the addict still has a choice while the legitimate patient won't .

Yes.  There are legitimate medical uses.  But, if you have doctors running scared of any repercussions from patient misuse, then they won't prescribe them.  Kind of like when Michael Jackson died, the reflex is simply to make drugs harder to obtain.  Well, he wasn't even using opioids, he was using an anesthetic obtained by a doctor who was misusing it.  But, how about looking that the under lying reason of WHY he was doing this in the first place versus blaming the drugs?

[weltschmerz]

As tens of thousands of Americans die from prescription opioid overdoses each year, an exclusive analysis by CNN and researchers at Harvard University found that opioid manufacturers are paying physicians huge sums of money -- and the more opioids a doctor prescribes, the more money he or she makes.


In 2014 and 2015, opioid manufacturers paid hundreds of doctors across the country six-figure sums for speaking, consulting and other services. Thousands of other doctors were paid over $25,000 during that time.

Physicians who prescribed particularly large amounts of the drugs were the most likely to get paid.

www.cnn.com/2018/03/11/health/prescription-opioid-payments-eprise/index.html

During his Pennsylvania speech, Trump said that executing drug dealers is a good idea, so.........

[Shooby]

   So ....what exactly?  Or are you going to turn this into a political thread too?  You have 100 other threads for your normal Trump bashing.

[billisonboard]

Mar 11, 2018 16:17:07 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

...

In 2014 and 2015, opioid manufacturers paid hundreds of doctors across the country six-figure sums for speaking, consulting and other services. Thousands of other doctors were paid over $25,000 during that time.

Physicians who prescribed particularly large amounts of the drugs were the most likely to get paid.
...

During his Pennsylvania speech, Trump said that executing drug dealers is a good idea, so.........

Mar 11, 2018 18:10:24 GMT -5 Shooby said:

   So ....what exactly?  Or are you going to turn this into a political thread too?  You have 100 other threads for your normal Trump bashing.

As I read it, the "what exactly?" is that we should do as President Trump said and execute the opioid manufacturers. Not exactly a Trump bash.

[bean29]

Re:  Executing Drug company officials like Trump has proposed for Drug Dealers:  I think the more obvious conclusion is that we need to change the way drugs are marketed in the US. This however goes to what is best for the Constituents not the Companies who hire lobbyists or the people who benefit from the funds provided by the lobbying firms (Elected Officials).

This country is broken. Congress is no longer working for the people. Unless we get back to that model, our Government as we know it is at risk.

On addiction - this really has nothing to do with the article - I have a nephew who struggles with addiction.  His first Babymomma was pretty successfully recovered, but then was found dead from an overdose.  Her baby was in the room with her for a couple days before she was found.

The baby was placed in foster care, and my DN was going for Methadone treatment.  He lived with my BIL and SIL for a while, but he was driving them nuts.  He is in his 30's.  She said that on the days when he had the methadone treatment it was like he was as high as a kite, and she could not see him ever being responsible enough to take custody of his Son.  I thought the son had been adopted last year - everyone seems to feel really good about the family that has custody of my grandnephew.  My SIL said that family has promised the Dad that even after the adoption he can see his Son.  She does not know for sure if they will keep their word though.