Interesting Thing On Addiction & Social Conditions

[Wolfeye]

Don't know how to post links, but "Portugal Cut Addiction Rates In Half By Connecting Drug Users With Communities Instead Of Jailing Them" is a good article. Talks a bit about drugs, but more about how people tend to be addicts due to social conditions. A point was about being isolated & that this is a big factor in someone getting addicted. Not entirely sure how to explain it, but it's on Truth-Out.org.

[Jester]

Great OP, thanks!!

http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justic ... ommunities

This is an amazing article, and really has a correlation to Winston's fundamental thesis for HappierAbroad": Location MATTERS.

The article's conclusion makes me uncomfortable though. A church I started attending feeds homeless drug users once a week. I would prefer to ignore them and hope they'll go away. So the article's conclusion about befriending them without judgement -- is not something I particularly wanted to hear.




PS to post a link just right click and "copy' the so-called URL (i.e. the gibberish in the "window") at the very top of the webpage

[Wolfeye]

You're welcome. By-the-way: What does OP mean? Not real good at internet shorthand.

Mine doesn't work that way (must be a different system- I forget what I have). Really should learn how to post the damn links, because it comes up so often.

[Jester]

OP can be "the Original Post" or "the Original Post-er".

I use it both ways, being lazy.

[OutWest]

Great OP, thanks!!

http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justic ... ommunities

This is an amazing article, and really has a correlation to Winston's fundamental thesis for HappierAbroad": Location MATTERS.

The article's conclusion makes me uncomfortable though. A church I started attending feeds homeless drug users once a week. I would prefer to ignore them and hope they'll go away. So the article's conclusion about befriending them without judgement -- is not something I particularly wanted to hear.




PS to post a link just right click and "copy' the so-called URL (i.e. the gibberish in the "window") at the very top of the webpage

I have also observed this for years. The prison-industrial complex does not want you to hear this!

[Jester]

Your nudge got me to re-read the article.

This part seems to be the key:

The most crucial step is to get them secure housing, and subsidized jobs so they have a purpose in life, and something to get out of bed for. I watched as they are helped, in warm and welcoming clinics, to learn how to reconnect with their feelings, after years of trauma and stunning them into silence with drugs.

One group of addicts were given a loan to set up a removals firm. Suddenly, they were a group, all bonded to each other, and to the society, and responsible for each other’s care.

In other words a feeding program doesnt solve the problem.

Having a purpose DOES.

"Food" for thought.