Accumulator
Well-known member
This is not a D.A.R.E. lecture. I couldn`t care less if people self-medicate as long as they:
a) don`t misbehave
b) remain functional
Of course, a big part of "remaining functional" is merely staying alive.
[PSA]
Illicit Opiate Use is currently more widespread and more dangerous than it used to be; the potency is all over the map, generally skewing towards "stronger" for various reasons. Overdoses are more likely and, indeed, becoming more common.
If somebody is Using, they need to have someone (someone who is not doing the exact same stuff at the same time) present who is equipped, willing, and able to administer Naloxone to counteract an overdose. The days of other countermeasures being effective are gone. There isn`t always time to call 911.
If you suspect somebody is using, just assume that they are; it`s more common than one might think. Users seldom admit it to Non-users, Non-users are often in denial regarding the people they care about, and that combination can prove lethal.
Being accusatory or otherwise judgmental is no more beneficial than urging somebody to quit. Rather, doing those things can make a User more inclined towards solitude or the exclusive company of other Users, which can bode ill in the event of an overdose.
What might, just MIGHT, be beneficial is to be straightforward and objective in expressing your concerns about the possibility of an overdose. Explain that you`re worried about it and that you want to help prevent such an occurrence, and do so in a way that won`t be construed as a guilt-trip. Let the User know that you are there and willing to help.
Then, be there.
Have Naloxone on-hand and know how to administer it.
There`s no downside to having an unused dose of Naloxone sitting around (INSERT usual precautions), but there is considerable downside to *not* having it available. The cost is nominal.
[/PSA]
I just attended the Funeral Service for a young woman who died of an Accidental Opiate overdose. She wasn`t a close friend, but she wasn`t just a friendly acquaintance either. She was a nice person and pleasant to be around. She was good at her job and a reliable employee. She was a good mother to her seven year-old daughter. But she had a problem and it resulted in her death at age 25. She died alone in her bedroom, discovered by her mother and her daughter after it was too late.
RIP Rachael, you`ll be missed.
a) don`t misbehave
b) remain functional
Of course, a big part of "remaining functional" is merely staying alive.
[PSA]
Illicit Opiate Use is currently more widespread and more dangerous than it used to be; the potency is all over the map, generally skewing towards "stronger" for various reasons. Overdoses are more likely and, indeed, becoming more common.
If somebody is Using, they need to have someone (someone who is not doing the exact same stuff at the same time) present who is equipped, willing, and able to administer Naloxone to counteract an overdose. The days of other countermeasures being effective are gone. There isn`t always time to call 911.
If you suspect somebody is using, just assume that they are; it`s more common than one might think. Users seldom admit it to Non-users, Non-users are often in denial regarding the people they care about, and that combination can prove lethal.
Being accusatory or otherwise judgmental is no more beneficial than urging somebody to quit. Rather, doing those things can make a User more inclined towards solitude or the exclusive company of other Users, which can bode ill in the event of an overdose.
What might, just MIGHT, be beneficial is to be straightforward and objective in expressing your concerns about the possibility of an overdose. Explain that you`re worried about it and that you want to help prevent such an occurrence, and do so in a way that won`t be construed as a guilt-trip. Let the User know that you are there and willing to help.
Then, be there.
Have Naloxone on-hand and know how to administer it.
There`s no downside to having an unused dose of Naloxone sitting around (INSERT usual precautions), but there is considerable downside to *not* having it available. The cost is nominal.
[/PSA]
I just attended the Funeral Service for a young woman who died of an Accidental Opiate overdose. She wasn`t a close friend, but she wasn`t just a friendly acquaintance either. She was a nice person and pleasant to be around. She was good at her job and a reliable employee. She was a good mother to her seven year-old daughter. But she had a problem and it resulted in her death at age 25. She died alone in her bedroom, discovered by her mother and her daughter after it was too late.
RIP Rachael, you`ll be missed.
