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Addiction and mental illness in Victoria


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#1081 Nparker

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 08:13 AM

...It seems like the new plan is to house, feed, clothe and provide a constant stream of drugs to people with little possibility of any realistic treatment that will get them off drugs...

How different is this than the asylums of the past?


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#1082 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 08:24 AM

they are going to get better drugs. more “uppers”.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 November 2020 - 08:24 AM.


#1083 aastra

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 08:53 AM

 

How is a life of permanent addiction something to strive for?

 

For individuals or for governments? For the former, it isn't. For the latter it's a critical element of the control program.

 

 

how about we get him off the damn drugs?

 

You don't get it. The main problem wasn't the body-and-soul-destroying addiction. The main problem was that the government wasn't the officially acknowledged facilitator of the body-and-soul-destroying addiction.

 

Wait a sec... if authorities all over the world manage to fully erase the stigma of drug addiction then the major beneficiary of that program would be... authorities all over the world. Just another one of those incredibly convenient coincidences, I guess.

 

Remind me: when the authorities openly endorse and facilitate something, does that same something tend to diminish or does it tend to flourish? How has removing the stigma around urban camping worked out?

 

We all have abundant experience with addiction. I've never ever heard a real person express the opinion that the main problem was the perceived prevailing attitude in wider society. The main problem was always the body-and-soul-destroying addiction. And yet that's the only piece of the puzzle that the authorities shy away from tackling. Building more houses won't help the housing crisis, and treating addiction won't help the addiction crisis...

 

It really does seem like the system is taking off its "friendly face" mask. They used to claim they were doing bad things for good reasons. Now they just do bad things and dare you to understand. If we continue to cheer for it then it's all on us.


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#1084 aastra

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 10:03 AM

Think about something like pyromania. Is the main problem your neighbour's attitude about your compulsion to start fires, or is the main problem your compulsion to start fires? Once all of your neighbours are aware of your issue, they understand, they support you... then what? You still have the compulsion to start fires.

 

Another common theme lately has been the shifting of responsibility over to others while personal responsibility goes out the window. Other people are now responsible for how I feel, my own safety, my perceptions of my own safety, etc. The emphasis on stigma, perceptions, & attitudes in recent years has defied all common sense. We are not mind readers. And, as always, we have the big contradiction: the social credit systems will be all about sharpening stigma and negative judgmental attitudes between people. The very same authorities that want to diminish social stigma also want to magnify social stigma like never before.


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#1085 Nparker

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 10:06 AM

...Another common theme lately has been the shifting of responsibility over to others while personal responsibility goes out the window...

I think this is a huge part of what's wrong with the current approach to addiction.


Edited by Nparker, 27 November 2020 - 11:01 AM.

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#1086 Rob Randall

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 10:09 AM

The main problem we have with addiction is the damage caused by the fraud and theft required to fund the addiction. If we were to eliminate the financials we're left with a disease more akin to alcoholism or obesity--damaging to the person, damaging to society as a whole but not as personally damaging as someone breaking into my car or stealing my bike.


Edited by Rob Randall, 27 November 2020 - 10:20 AM.

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#1087 TwilightZoneVictoria

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 10:59 AM

Imagine if addicts had proper access to treatment? And sooner rather than later? And before feeling the need to move to downtown Victoria or to Vancouver?

 

How many mothers could have their children back? How many addicts could have functional lives? How many more workers and taxpayers could society get to help pay for treatment? 

 

I know of several previous addicts who have been speaking up about their addictions and who are crushing it in career, buying first homes, visibly enjoying life. 

 

Of course there are some who are now too far gone or for whatever reason can't stick to treatment and staying clean/sober

 

Keeping this population all together and giving whatever the addicted mind wants is denying this. It's making it very difficult at the least.

 

Interesting questions: Are the addicts a disposable part of society.

 

It seems like the new plan is to house feed cloth and provide a constant stream of drugs to people with little possibility of any realistic treatment that will get them off drugs. I really think some real sober thought has to be given to this approach.


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#1088 TwilightZoneVictoria

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 11:02 AM

Ask an addict how they did it. Help from others play a part but most will indicate that part of it came from within. 

 

Internal locus of control vs external locus of control

 

ie. I have at least some control over things that I experience vs. Everything that's bad is something that happens to me and I have no control over it and it's everyone else's fault

 

I think is a huge part of what's wrong with the current approach to addiction.



#1089 TwilightZoneVictoria

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 11:13 AM

Alcohol addiction isn't any less harmful.

 

Have a couple alcoholic family members. They steal from family when they have opportunity to. Now family wants nothing to do with them because they lie and steal, refuse treatment, want to guilt everyone into giving them a free roof, free food and allow complete access to our bank accounts. They don't accept boundaries so they get violent and threatened with weapons to get what they wanted. They're family and we love them. We tried to rationalize the behaviour. Having our homes destroyed when there was a temper tantrum, threats, violence, theft. 

 

I'm sure lots of the addicts on the streets are ones who burned all their bridges with family and friends. It's sad. It's also rich when low barrier service spokespeople go on about compassion when they get to drive home after their shift and the addicts don't know where they live. And don't show up with knives to their front door if they don't get what they want. 

 

There's a reason that some drugs are illegal, some are controlled by pharmacies and others have very high taxes on them. 

 

The main problem we have with addiction is the damage caused by the fraud and theft required to fund the addiction. If we were to eliminate the financials we're left with a disease more akin to alcoholism or obesity--damaging to the person, damaging to society as a whole but not as personally damaging as someone breaking into my car or stealing my bike.


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#1090 Nparker

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 11:15 AM

Alcohol addiction isn't any less harmful...

Agreed. Having a safe, clean supply of alcohol does nothing to help an alcoholic.


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#1091 LJ

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 08:40 PM

How different is this than the asylums of the past?

In the past they were a danger only to themselves, not the general public.


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Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#1092 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 08 December 2020 - 07:26 AM

Lifesaving drug test not available to users on Vancouver Island

Fentanyl test strips are approved for use at home—but you can only get them in Vancouver and the BC Interior, baffling experts

 

By Brishti Basu
 
December 8, 2020


#1093 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 27 December 2020 - 04:23 PM

we go to the other side of the country for this story.  here are two pretty well-spoken guys.  brothers.

 

long hard guy seems a bit entitled.

 

 

 

 

It's not unusual for any journalist who pushes stories and topics with a degree of zeal to apologize from time to time for mistakes that get on the air.

 

But I need to say I'm sorry to two brothers named Mitch and Gary for something that happened off the air.

 

You see, Mitch is a cool, slender dude with long hair (probably the hairiest man I have ever interviewed) and he often wears dark sunglasses.

 

And Gary, well, Gary's addicted to drugs.

 

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...thers-1.5852908

 

 

so this reporter seems shocked that these guys seem normal.  i'm mostly shocked at how two middle-age guys just live off the welfare system and don't work.

 

one guy says "jail is not the answer" to drug addiction problems.  but all indicators say they one guy has not been in and out of prison for drugs he's been there for stealing other people's property to support his habit.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 December 2020 - 04:24 PM.


#1094 TwilightZoneVictoria

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Posted 12 January 2021 - 11:18 AM

Has anyone heard of explanations as to why the changes year to year in the number of total over dose deaths in the province?

 

The totals climb steadily yet moderately from 2010 to 2015, then nearly double in 2016. When fentenyl was in the supply?

 

There's a high of 1549 in 2018, a drop to 984 in 2019, then skyrocketing back up to 1548 in 2020 (still missing December numbers).

 

If the numbers skyrocketing back up in 2020 is due to self-medicating mental health then should we be expecting the province to beef up mental health resources?



#1095 Nparker

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Posted 12 January 2021 - 11:20 AM

... should we be expecting the province to beef up mental health resources?

:lol:  :lol:


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#1096 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 12 January 2021 - 11:21 AM

everyone on welfare got an extra $300/mo.  many got full CERB plus welfare.  lots of money for drugs.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 January 2021 - 11:22 AM.

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#1097 TwilightZoneVictoria

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Posted 12 January 2021 - 11:49 AM

everyone on welfare got an extra $300/mo.  many got full CERB plus welfare.  lots of money for drugs.

Following that line...

More money in 2020 for drugs means more drugs for the same numbers of people. Unless it helped draw people to BC for the extra measures.

 

More money for drugs, consuming more drugs, higher tolerances for said drugs.

 

If the extra money stops, higher tolerances for the lower amount of money means more property crime to pay for drugs.

 

Looks like drug dealers and wholesalers profited from some government funding.


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#1098 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 22 January 2021 - 06:08 AM

Victoria had the third highest number of calls in the province at 1,569 behind Vancouver at 8,144 and Surrey at 2,467. Vancouver’s numbers were actually down from 2019 with a 14 per cent drop in the Downtown Eastside.


https://www.timescol...fore-1.24270731


adjusted for population we are probably #1. probably #1 in all of Canada. no surprise.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 January 2021 - 06:10 AM.

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#1099 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 22 January 2021 - 06:45 AM

Victoria had the third highest number of calls in the province at 1,569 behind Vancouver at 8,144 and Surrey at 2,467. Vancouver’s numbers were actually down from 2019 with a 14 per cent drop in the Downtown Eastside.


https://www.timescol...fore-1.24270731


adjusted for population we are probably #1. probably #1 in all of Canada. no surprise.

 

 

if we are just comparing municipal populations:

 

Vancouver is 1 overdose per 83 residents.

Victoria is 1 overdose per 59 residents.

Surrey is 1 overdose per 210 residents.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 January 2021 - 06:47 AM.


#1100 A Girl is No one

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Posted 22 January 2021 - 02:55 PM

And it’s not from a lack of available supports and services (I can already hear the activists)

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