InSite: Safe Injection Site Fights For Life

I am glad to hear about such a great initiative, many people living in mysery need it badly. I think we need a similar national program to extend this initiative.
Prescription pill addiction

Excellent article. It's hard to argue with Trisha who has been there, but I don't believe the over-arching issue here are the drugs themselves - though that is what many people focus on. The reality is that statistics show that 75% of people use all forms of drugs, including hardcore drugs, on a recreational basis with no issues. For the most part, drug addiction, like every other addiction (ie) food, alcohol, etc results when people feel isolated, humiliated, judged and unaccepted - such that their self-esteem and confidence is so low that their way of dealing with what must become an unbearable situation is by doing something to excess - to escape and/or punish themselves because of the self-loathing that accompanies the lack of support and loathing they feel from people and society as a whole. What people need - what we all need - is support and an environment of acceptance - where they are treated with respect and consideration. When this is available to people, they can begin to feel better about themselves - and then maybe there is the possibility of curtailing their excessive and self-destructive behaviour. With all due respect to Trisha - and appreciation for what she has overcome - I don't believe what she was doing before was a 'mistake'. There was a point in her life when she was reacting to the inner and outer circumstances of life - and she was doing the best she could - because regardless of what it may look like to the outside world, we are all always doing the best we can at any given moment. To approach people who are in dire straits with the notion that what they are doing is 'wrong', and that they are making a 'mistake' puts the focus in the wrong place. Lasting positive change for all of us, regardless of our station in life, comes from making changes from a place of acceptance and value - within and without. Can one turn things around without the kind of support I am speaking of? Sure - but I don't think it will be as effective or long-lasting.

An analogy: I'm a Big Brother - have been for 6 years. Sean is now 14 years old. 10 days ago, Sean and his little brother were taken in CAS care. His mother is a good person, who is bitter and angry about life and takes it out on her kids, especially Sean. She simply does not have the tools or the will to break the pattern. Sean has always had trouble doing his homework. He's a smart kid, but he just won't do it. Everyone always tells him it's a 'mistake' for him not to do the homework - and that it will have serious repercussions in his life - all of which is true. But, the reality of the situation is that Sean is growing up in an environment, home and school, in which he has always been judged and been deemed a bad kid - which he's not (he lived with my wife and I for 6 months last year). So, he has grown up with rock-bottom self-esteem, in a hostile environment in which practically everything he does is wrong. So, this being the case, when Sean feels like dirt, why exactly is he going to give a shit about doing his math homework. How does that even register when every fibre of his being is trying to make sense of his mad circumstances. Would it be great if he would do his homework? Obviously. However, you are not going to do things to better your life if you feel your life is worthless.

On the streets, it's not about the drug use. It's about human beings caring for each other - with respect, courtesy and acceptance. In that environment, miracles can happen. I believe this is what the InSite people are trying to do.