I will try to broach this as carefully as possible but there is no easy way. I do a bit of informal counselling of a alcohol/substance abuser (long story resulting from childhood abuse). He informs me that New Orleans is well known as having very great drugs problems, I believe with mostly with methamphetamine but cleary the whole cocktail will be used.
This raises a possible reason for some of the violence that is reported and poses some challenges for the communities receiving Internally Displaced Persons from the city.
We have to face it that from the favellas of Brazil to the slums of US cities, the way of aleviating the misery of poverty and deprivation is to blank them out by substance abuse. Along with everything else, the people addicted to illegal drugs (and abused legal ones Mr Limbaugh) will be cut off from their supply network. Even those who rescued their “stash” will be suffering withdrawal symptoms. It could account for the TV reports of people fitting in front of the crew.
I do not want to raise the subject to condemn the individuals afflicted. What I do want to do is float it as a subject that should be addressed. Some will use the break in supply as an opportunity to come off. Others will be increasingly desperate both to get supplies and to raise money for it. The only way for them to do this will be by crime unless it is possible to intervene now. Along with all the other necessities, they will need appropriate replacement/recovery programs. The alternative is for them to sink into the underworld of poverty housing and crime in the cities they are relocated to. Once they establish a new supply they are unlikely to return to NOLA.
As I said, don’t condemn but do not ignore. Just as the mother “loots” to feed her starving child, an addict will steal or prostitute themselves to feed their addiction. Being compassionate to both in these circumstances is difficult but must be done if they and the communities they are moved to are not to go downhill.
You raise a very good point, Londonbear, but the reality is in this country that this conversation is so far out of reality as to be laughable if it wasn’t so sad. That’s not meant as a statement on your diary, but on how disconnected from reality our public discussion on this issue is. Over here, there is no acknowledgment of the realities you bring up. None.
Any discussion at all of addicts will probably revolve around increasing their jail time. It would not surprise me to hear a discussion about taking away some more of our rights so police and courts could handle the situation. In fact, now that I think about it, we should probably expect some pretty severe legislation being proposed in Houston and elsewhere.
Thanks for bringing this up. It is important we start talking about this, even if the powers that be are not listening at the moment. Ignoring it is one of the ways we got into this predicament.
As a recovering addict of 18 years and a former addictions counsellor, I can tell you that the fate of addicts affected by this disaster has crossed my mind more than once this past week. Some addicts will be experiencing extreme withdrawal symptoms and alcoholics who withdraw to the point of DTs are equally in danger of simply dying on the streets. Even people like me who have recovered and are on so-called legitimate meds like Paxil will be dealing with severe withdrawal. Let me tell that you you can simply lose your mind when experiencing those effects. The desparation is absolutely uncontrollable and many, many people will need serious help.
I mourn for those have have died and for those who are in the throes of withdrawal. I know the pain, but I also know that it can be overcome if help is provided and sought. May the survivors find a promise of compassion and acceptance.
The Mayor of NO mentioned this in his radio rant/desperate call for help. He said it explicitly that it was an issue and that it explained some of the behavior that had been seen.
I also have some familiarity with treating drug and alcohol addiction. One of the things that can help some – and I emphasize some – of the people who are addicted, is a change in the environment. The familiar cues, the associates, the sources, the context, are all things that help trigger desire, along with the physical cravings. No one can argue that the hurricane has created a world-shaking change in the daily surroundings of most New Orleans residents who are addicted.
Certainly many of these addicts must be in great distress from withdrawal. They may need help dealing with the physical pain of that often terrible process. I was pleased to hear that there was some attention to this at the Astrodome in Texas. I hope it is done elsewhere, too, as opposed to ignoring or locking those folks up.
Of course, the terrible stress of the hurricane, its aftermath (even worse), and withdrawal symptoms, may make seeking treatment less than likely, as opposed to seeking treatment. But for some, however few, it is an opportunity that I hope will be offered.
Considering how much funding for treatment has been stripped out of federal and state budgets over the last two decades in favor of criminal “solutions”, it would be the least we could do.