I hate drug abuse...

Keli

<font color=darkcoral>We're smarter than the avera
Joined
Oct 27, 1999
Ugh, I've seen the effects of drug abuse on people for years and hated how it destroys their lives in every way. We live in a rural area hard hit with abuse of drugs, especially meth and opiates.
But lately I'm hating it even more because I have to worry about my husband. He's a paramedic and he is been attacked on multiple occasions in the last six months by men and women so high they are out of their minds and have no idea what they are doing. My husband is fairly fit and pretty strong for his size so he's been able to subdue them all so far but I worry about the day he can't. Because he works for rural counties help is often not close. He came home recently with bruises, scratches, the pocket of his pants torn out (those are sturdy reinforced type pants, took a lot to rip them), his shirt was shredded. All from a guy who was out of his mind on drugs. It was bad luck and stupidity that he was escalating and moments before, when he was having physical symptoms but was still coherent enough to give info he (and his family) denied any drug use. By the time he is peaking and completely out of his mind, he is in the back of an ambulance trying kill my husband. That night my husband had a partner who wouldn't have been able to subdue a guy like this but was able to call police and backup and jump in and help him. Thankfully that was enough. Drugs have made a paramedic's job much more dangerous in our area.
 
I am so sorry. My mother has been an addict my whole life, pain killers are her drug of choice. It makes me sad to see how many more children are growing up in that environment. In the 70’s it wasn’t very common.
 
Ugh, I've seen the effects of drug abuse on people for years and hated how it destroys their lives in every way. We live in a rural area hard hit with abuse of drugs, especially meth and opiates.
But lately I'm hating it even more because I have to worry about my husband. He's a paramedic and he is been attacked on multiple occasions in the last six months by men and women so high they are out of their minds and have no idea what they are doing. My husband is fairly fit and pretty strong for his size so he's been able to subdue them all so far but I worry about the day he can't. Because he works for rural counties help is often not close. He came home recently with bruises, scratches, the pocket of his pants torn out (those are sturdy reinforced type pants, took a lot to rip them), his shirt was shredded. All from a guy who was out of his mind on drugs. It was bad luck and stupidity that he was escalating and moments before, when he was having physical symptoms but was still coherent enough to give info he (and his family) denied any drug use. By the time he is peaking and completely out of his mind, he is in the back of an ambulance trying kill my husband. That night my husband had a partner who wouldn't have been able to subdue a guy like this but was able to call police and backup and jump in and help him. Thankfully that was enough. Drugs have made a paramedic's job much more dangerous in our area.

It's not just paramedics but most of LE & medical workers. People don't realize how strong people who are that drugged out can be. We have had cases where it took 2 or 3 people down. We have cases where the revive someone from an overdose with Narcan, they get released and do it again. One person 3 times in 1 day. It is wearing resources thin in lots of cites.
 
Your husband is on the front lines. It's a very scary place for anyone to be sure.

Drugs ruin lives, ruin families and destroy whole communities. Even the rare instances when a person gets sober, their potential is forever changed. Drug use steals that person's ability to not only achieve goals, but to even make goals in the first place.

Then there's the other side of the coin, where your husband is fighting. There is a real and present danger to every person in our society when they encounter someone strung out, or made mentally incapacitated by drugs. So much crime is committed by people seeking funding for their next dose. Or by people when they are high.

I was driving through our city with my DD the other day, on our way to an event at one of the local universities. There was a guy on the sidewalk, wearing his underwear and a wife-beater shirt, yelling at the top of his lungs at something unknown and unseen by anybody else. He was swinging his arms around like he was trying to strike out at something. I have no idea how police or medics would intervene. I don't think it would be safe to approach the guy. Would first responders just have to wait it out until the guy either came down off his high or passed out? Honestly, I don't know.

I remember , years ago, when I was with my son and we saw a guy yelling out like that. My young son, thought it was funny. I taught him right then and there to stay far away from someone like that because their behavior is unpredictable and potentially dangerous. I taught him say nothing, walk on the other side of the street and move away.

Yes, drugs are bad.
 


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One person 3 times in 1 day. It is wearing resources thin in lots of cites.


Why fentanyl is deadlier than heroin, in a single photo


Heroin-Fentanyl-vials-NHSPFL-1024x576.jpg
 


I work at a hospital. Down the street from a Methadone clinic. Heroin and opiates are the drug of choice. Most people turn to heroin after Oxy's get to be too pricey. We have people who OD all over the place. Their addict friends are also so high that they bring them to the outpatient facilities because they don't even realize they aren't at the hospital. There are people who pass out right on the sidewalk.

Growing up my city had a huge crack problem but crack is a completely different beast than heroin and Oxy's. And Fentanyl. I swear the addicts today are so much worse. And younger!!! It's so sad.
 
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It's not just paramedics but most of LE & medical workers. People don't realize how strong people who are that drugged out can be. We have had cases where it took 2 or 3 people down. We have cases where the revive someone from an overdose with Narcan, they get released and do it again. One person 3 times in 1 day. It is wearing resources thin in lots of cites.

I thought (my knowledge is increasing but still very sketchy, so forgive any ignorance) that Narcan stopped people from feeling the positive effects of drugs so why in the world would they immediately do drugs again? Like I said though, my knowledge is thin, but I'm getting an ancillary education because of other volunteer work I do.
 
Even the rare instances when a person gets sober, their potential is forever changed.

I hate that you feel that way. NA and AA are some of the most involved and effective members of our community that no one (including me previously) acknowledges. The outreach they do at jails is truly remarkable and decreases the rates of recidivism substantially. I'm continually astounded by the good works those groups do for the community at large. I do volunteer work with a local women's shelter and the victims of domestic violence and the NA/AA groups do amazing good.
 
I thought (my knowledge is increasing but still very sketchy, so forgive any ignorance) that Narcan stopped people from feeling the positive effects of drugs so why in the world would they immediately do drugs again? Like I said though, my knowledge is thin, but I'm getting an ancillary education because of other volunteer work I do.

No it does not reduce or curb craving, it counter acts the opioid overdose - brings them back. They get released or leave AMA, right back to it. It happens all the time.

Narcan (naloxone) is an opioid antagonist used for the complete or partial reversal of opioid overdose, including respiratory depression. Narcan is also used for diagnosis of suspected or known acute opioid overdose and also for blood pressure support in septic shock.
 
I thought (my knowledge is increasing but still very sketchy, so forgive any ignorance) that Narcan stopped people from feeling the positive effects of drugs so why in the world would they immediately do drugs again? Like I said though, my knowledge is thin, but I'm getting an ancillary education because of other volunteer work I do.
Many drugs cause psychological and physical dependencies which is why some addicts enter programs several times before it "takes". I thought Narcon is a drug that can save their lives (heart and or respiratory system fails) not for dependency purposes but could be wrong.
 
I thought (my knowledge is increasing but still very sketchy, so forgive any ignorance) that Narcan stopped people from feeling the positive effects of drugs so why in the world would they immediately do drugs again? Like I said though, my knowledge is thin, but I'm getting an ancillary education because of other volunteer work I do.

Narcan metabolizes off quickly, they feel awful due to withdrawals, so they shoot up again.
 
I was driving through our city with my DD the other day, on our way to an event at one of the local universities. There was a guy on the sidewalk, wearing his underwear and a wife-beater shirt, yelling at the top of his lungs at something unknown and unseen by anybody else. He was swinging his arms around like he was trying to strike out at something. I have no idea how police or medics would intervene. I don't think it would be safe to approach the guy. Would first responders just have to wait it out until the guy either came down off his high or passed out? Honestly, I don't know.

Three years ago this month (I remember that because I had just gotten our dog) I was outside with the aforementioned dog at 7:00 am. There's a small wooded area across the street and out came a man screaming obscenities at me, he started charging across the street then jumping back as if he saw a car approaching. I basically froze while wondering, "I wonder if Boo is attached enough to me to protect me?" She's a Rottie, and she's a big girl. She was at the end of her lead within seconds, snarling, ears pinned back, hackles raised, etc. The man is still screaming, jumping, punching things that aren't there. He staggers down the street, kicking/punching cars, like literally laying himself on the sidewalk to kick vehicles with both feet. Three police cars appear, trailing him. One officer ended up using his taser, twice, to bring him down (this was after he punched the officer). Scary morning!
 
I thought (my knowledge is increasing but still very sketchy, so forgive any ignorance) that Narcan stopped people from feeling the positive effects of drugs so why in the world would they immediately do drugs again? Like I said though, my knowledge is thin, but I'm getting an ancillary education because of other volunteer work I do.
No it does not reduce or curb craving, it counter acts the opioid overdose - brings them back. They get released or leave AMA, right back to it. It happens all the time.

Narcan (naloxone) is an opioid antagonist used for the complete or partial reversal of opioid overdose, including respiratory depression. Narcan is also used for diagnosis of suspected or known acute opioid overdose and also for blood pressure support in septic shock.

@Marchand63 is correct about Narcan. However, Vivitrol is a different drug that I believe does better to block the effects of opioids to help prevent relapse, cravings, physical withdrawal symptoms, etc. It is an injection that lasts for a month. It is a fairly new treatment option and is recommended in conjunction with counseling and other treatment programs.
 
No it does not reduce or curb craving, it counter acts the opioid overdose - brings them back. They get released or leave AMA, right back to it. It happens all the time.

Narcan (naloxone) is an opioid antagonist used for the complete or partial reversal of opioid overdose, including respiratory depression. Narcan is also used for diagnosis of suspected or known acute opioid overdose and also for blood pressure support in septic shock.

Thanks for this! I thought it was some kind of blocker for the positive effects of the drug. Is there such a thing and maybe I'm getting the name wrong? Again, excuse ignorance, trying to learn.
 
Our office just met with a representative from a local homeless agency to learn more about how we could help homeless students. Towards the end of the discussion we inquired about a few of the people that we see soliciting at intersections in our drive in. She knew each person that we described. That the money that they solicit goes right back into the drugs, and that very few of them are homeless and actively seeking/open to assistance. They panhandle for drug money. I've made this commute for the better part of two years and have watched as many of these individuals have become deeper and deeper into drugs. They look like former shells of themselves having aged so much.
 
@Marchand63 is correct about Narcan. However, Vivitrol is a different drug that I believe does better to block the effects of the drug to help prevent relapse. I may not be entirely correct about the mechanism by which is works. It is a fairly new treatment option and is recommended in conjunction with counseling and other treatment programs.

I think you answered my question as I was typing it! I've heard of vivitrol and I'm positive I was getting that confused with Narcan. I've only had narcotics when I was in the hospital, and in fact, never filled all the scribs I could have out of fear of opiates which are just a plague on society, as bared out by this thread.
 
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