Frankendrugs and Deaths of Despair
A National Plague!
All the Frankendrugs and death they bring, it’s just not normal and it’s not acceptable and it’s extremely sad… and to repeatedly write about overdoses and suicides at such young ages, well it is a major black-spot of all our lives today, not only my own.
The first 12 years of my career (2000-2012) deaths were infrequent and deeply troubling.
Considered a sentinel event for institutions and stunning news for everyone in the community.
I rarely, very rarely, had a client who passed away.
1 Overdose & 1 Suicide
Despite the fact I worked within intense community based programs in the streets of Pittsburgh. For example, I ran an assertive community treatment team during the full out execution of de-institutionalization movement in mental health.
“Dual diagnosis” as it was called back then.
Deep end schizophrenia and crack cocaine.
Bipolar type 1 and decades of alcohol.
Serious and persistent mental illness.
Literally the emptying of the state hospitals; we managed the reintegration.
And in 6 years 2 deaths that I can remember. 1 overdose and 1 suicide.
Tragic Resignation
There may have been others I can’t remember. But not likely.
People are getting numb to these deaths of despair. And the norms around these deaths are changing.
Although universally acknowledged as tragic, there is a resignation among people. As if “shit happens”…..
It makes me very sad.
I guess we all deal with it in our own way.
The Brink Of Madness
I will say this. I get called nearly every week (or a face to face visit) by a family who has lost someone.
The stories are usually similar. “Tried treatment etc….but didn’t stick and stay in recovery etc….”
One really troubling thing. These kids have NO WIGGLE ROOM. No room for a bad day and a slip.
And that is the problem a with all the Frankendrugs and death, it is a –
Problem Without A Solution
No current treatment or medication can account for the desire when it comes full force.
You can be doing great and still take the wrong turn on one random day.
What do you do in the age of Frankendrugs and death….?
All this leaves me at the brink of madness…at times…
“Just myself talking to myself about myself”….