For an overwhelming number of people, drugs are a method of release from the sadness and pain they face in their everyday life. While it's very easy to label someone as an addict and send them to 'rehab', I think one of the most important things we can do to help them is to not marginalise them, rather help them assimilate into the society with an open mind and an open heart. This, IMO ensures that they don't feel left out by the people close to them and get depressed, starting the same cycle over again. What do you think?
I read this article a while back and your post immediately made me think of it. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/the-real-cause-of-addicti_b_6506936.html Basically, when a member of society is given opportunity to interact and build relationships, addition is reduced because the void one fills with drugs is now being filled with something real and healthy. Not to say that this theory would work for all addicts and all situations, but it's definitely an interesting idea.
YES! I hate that we still "blame" people for addiction. It's a medical issue first and foremost. Yes I was a dumb idiot when I started binge drinking cheer beer, smoking cigarettes and doing lines of cocaine off toilet seats in dive bars... I know that looking back. But marginalizing those people only makes problems worst.
As much as people assimilate them into society, these addicts eliminate themselves because they do not want to be seen using, for fear of being judged. Most times they do not fit in, they have made addiction their best friend would rather spend time alone or with fellow junkies.
Great point. But some people doing drugs didn't start using out of sadness and despair (that doesn't change they might got to that recently) some of them were pushed into it by bad ''friends''. That is something I always keep in mind. I feel so sorry for anyone enduring this, but I very much despite those awful people who drag others down into their same path to addiction... horrible.
That is true. But when these kids try to get back to their former lives after say, seeing the error in their ways (everybody makes mistakes, and they're kids) if they face discrimination instead of welcoming, helping hands, nine out of ten times they'll revert back to their old ways, and potentially bring a lot more unsuspecting kids into that bad habit. On the other hand, if these kids get help and are able to get assimilated into the mainstream society, they'll play a big part in bringing back the kids who have spiralled into the void of drug addiction.