A few weeks ago I celebrated my eighth year clean and sober. That means I haven't taken a drink of alcohol or had a mind altering substance since January 7, 2005. It was struggle to get to that first day of sobriety with few ups and many, many downs. Hard lessons had to be learned and a low bottom had to be reached. For me that low or rock bottom had to be a combined emotional and spiritual bottom rather than a financial one (although the financial one was there but if that was the only factor it wouldn't have stopped me as I had proven many times before). My journey to that date ended in my engaging in controlled drinking or what the governments of today like to refer to as harm reduction. For me harm reduction was a means to an end and not a lifestyle. If it had turned into a lifestyle I can guarantee you that I would not be writing this blog today. I would most likely be dead.
For some reason governments and many clinicians think that harm reduction is the best way to treat addictions. Harm reduction means letting people continue to drink and/or use drugs in the least harmful measure possible. To me this policy boils down to just allowing people to kill themselves very slowly.
I am a recovered alcoholic/addict. Recovered meaning - "a personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from [addiction]" (Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book 1939). Recovery to me means freedom. I have the freedom to go out anywhere in the world without the fear of succumbing to my addiction. Harm reduction does not provide this freedom to people. Let's take the person who has stopped using heroine or other opiates by going on the harm reduction methadone program. Methadone doesn't physically hurt people on it. But it doesn't provide freedom either. In Ontario a person on Methadone has to go to their methadone provider on a daily basis to receive their dose. Some may earn the right to take some doses home but it is under strict guidelines. To me this is not freedom. They can't go anywhere because they have to stay around to get that dose. The methadone user is also not dealing with the issues of why they have to self medicate in the first place.
If one takes a look at the 12 Steps they will see that the only step that mentions one's addiction is the first step. The rest are a guide on how to live one's life. This is because people suffering from addictions cannot face life, cannot manage their emotions and thus must self-medicate to survive. On top of that who is paying for this methadone? Us the taxpayers. Part of recovery is taking responsibility for your actions. Society is taking responsibility for this person's actions.
I remember when I was taking my Addictions Diploma at school. We watched this video from a US media show about harm reduction. It showed alcoholics who were allowed one to two drinks a day. One of the people featured saved up all her drinks so she could get wasted at a Saturday party. To me this is not preventing harm it's just allowing someone to deny their problem, self-medicate and injure their bodily organs. I argued this in class to no avail.
Vancouver has a harm reduction program where it hands out clean needles to addicts and gives them safe places to shoot up. How is one to find their rock bottom, which in most cases is needed to finally become willing to get help, if the government (paid for by the taxpayer) is stopping this from occurring?
Toronto hands out crack kits to people. I don't see the crack problem stopping because of this. Next thing you know the government will be handing out free crack. The City of Toronto already has a program where they hand out free liquor to alcoholics. Following this logic why aren't they handing out free cigarettes to cancer patients?
Let's take a look at detox centres. There are some burdens of society who just use detox centres as a place to crash on the weekends after they've spent all of their welfare money and./or stolen money. These people just show up again and again and again. Taking beds away from people who truly want to get better. There should be a system put in place to ban these abusers of the system for up to a year. Since detoxes are considered an emergency service the government does not allow them to say no to anyone or kick anyone out. This brilliant rule allows drug dealers to enter the facility, under false pretenses, and sell their wares to the above mentioned burdens. Surely logic can prevail and something can be done to prevent this from occurring. Detoxes are the first step for many people wanting to get help. Let's not make things harder.
Another term that is bandied about in the addictions industry is client centred treatment. It's supposed to mean tailor the type of treatment to the person you are helping. Meaning not everyone is the same so different types of approaches are needed. A sound concept. Unfortunately this has turned into something completely different. What many addictions services are doing is letting the client tell them how their treatment program should be run. If the person knew how their treatment program should be run then why the hell did they come to the organization for help in the first place? It makes no sense. The last time I went to treatment (actually the first two times as well) I didn't tell the counsellors, doctors, etc. what I needed because I didn't know what I needed. If I made a suggestion that was ridiculous they didn't say, "well it's client centred so go ahead and do it". In fact if, at my final treatment centre, I tried to tell the counsellors what I thought I needed they would tell me to shut up, take the tissue out of my ears and put it in my mouth. I didn't know anything about staying sober. The proof was the fact that I had failed miserably in my quest for sobriety for five years, the pancreatitis I suffered from and the fact that my family and friends wanted nothing to do with me. Luckily I was desperate enough not to do this at the facility and listen to what those who were wiser than me said to do.
A smart person learns from their own mistakes a wise person from others' mistakes. Let's stop screwing with people's lives and killing them slowly.
Dave the Dude
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Common Sense
The big story I heard in the news and on talk radio today was regarding complaints involving people with baby strollers on the TTC. The TTC is going to waste a load of money studying this issue. Typical bureaucratic bullshit. This problem and many of the problems people face on a daily basis can be solved if people just had common sense. Don't worry I'm not talking about The Common Sense Revolution (actually...nah, won't go there).
I lived in Toronto for approximately 12 years and took transit for the majority of that time. For one thing "TTC" doesn't actually stand for Toronto Transit Commission but means Take The Car. What a crappy system. It needs more subways, alas that is a different debate. Back to strollers. Buses, street cars and subways are crowded on a regular basis. I remember often groaning as people shoved their giant strollers down the aisle of a bus leaving no room for anyone to get by. It is truly a pain in the ass. However, the key word in public transit is "public" and everyone has a right to use it. People with baby strollers just have to remember that the world doesn't revolve around them and if there is no room for them to get on then they just have to wait for the next vehicle. Those who are whining about the strollers just have to remember that babies need to get around too, So to both parties suck it up and deal with reality. Another problem on public transit is these idiots with backpacks. Whenever I carried my backpack onto a transit vehicle I took it off my back and put it on the floor between my legs. It drives me crazy these people who walk around taking up space and smashing people in the head with their backpacks. Also backpacks don't pay a fare so they don't get to take up a seat - yeeesh!!!
Moving on from transit let's talk line-ups. When I'm lining up for something stop crowding me. You won't get to the head of the line any quicker. I want some space. Why do people have to stand less than an inch behind those in front of them? Drives me crazy. I remember one time waiting behind someone in line at McDonald's to order a coffee at lunch. I gave a good foot of space between myself and the person ordering and then this guy buds in front of me. I say something to the guy and we proceed to argue. I didn't lose my space in line but did lose my temper. Let's talk line-ups at drive thrus. Honking your horn to make the line go faster just doesn't work. You think the car in front of you can make their order be made quicker? Usually there's a problem that is neither the customer's nor the employee's fault. Have patience or park and go in. Honking your horn will just piss everyone off and make the employee more nervous and apt to make more mistakes causing an even longer delay.
I heard today that in New York City people have so little common sense that the city has had to come up with a bunch of micromanaging laws such as banning people from sitting on the stairs leading into a subway. In today's society of entitlement and selfishness I have little this problem exists. If it was warmer here I bet the same by-law would be passed. e
What we forget in society is that everyone is equal. That's why I ignore those non-legal parking signs: reserved for mother and kids; reserved for smart cars; etc. Why is a mother with kids more important than me? Just because she chose to have kids and I didn't does that mean I have to be penalized. People need to take responsibility for their own decisions. I've made decisions or carried out actions that have negatively impacted my life but I bit the bullet and took responsibility for my actions and faced the consequences without whining. It's like teachers who complain about having to do extra curricular activities. Come on - you knew what the job was before you went into it. If you don't like it stop your whining and use your months of vacation to find a new vocation. Take responsibility for your choices in life and stop blaming the rest of society. We don't owe you shit.
There would be less arguing, less chaos and less money spent if people just used some common sense.
I lived in Toronto for approximately 12 years and took transit for the majority of that time. For one thing "TTC" doesn't actually stand for Toronto Transit Commission but means Take The Car. What a crappy system. It needs more subways, alas that is a different debate. Back to strollers. Buses, street cars and subways are crowded on a regular basis. I remember often groaning as people shoved their giant strollers down the aisle of a bus leaving no room for anyone to get by. It is truly a pain in the ass. However, the key word in public transit is "public" and everyone has a right to use it. People with baby strollers just have to remember that the world doesn't revolve around them and if there is no room for them to get on then they just have to wait for the next vehicle. Those who are whining about the strollers just have to remember that babies need to get around too, So to both parties suck it up and deal with reality. Another problem on public transit is these idiots with backpacks. Whenever I carried my backpack onto a transit vehicle I took it off my back and put it on the floor between my legs. It drives me crazy these people who walk around taking up space and smashing people in the head with their backpacks. Also backpacks don't pay a fare so they don't get to take up a seat - yeeesh!!!
Moving on from transit let's talk line-ups. When I'm lining up for something stop crowding me. You won't get to the head of the line any quicker. I want some space. Why do people have to stand less than an inch behind those in front of them? Drives me crazy. I remember one time waiting behind someone in line at McDonald's to order a coffee at lunch. I gave a good foot of space between myself and the person ordering and then this guy buds in front of me. I say something to the guy and we proceed to argue. I didn't lose my space in line but did lose my temper. Let's talk line-ups at drive thrus. Honking your horn to make the line go faster just doesn't work. You think the car in front of you can make their order be made quicker? Usually there's a problem that is neither the customer's nor the employee's fault. Have patience or park and go in. Honking your horn will just piss everyone off and make the employee more nervous and apt to make more mistakes causing an even longer delay.
I heard today that in New York City people have so little common sense that the city has had to come up with a bunch of micromanaging laws such as banning people from sitting on the stairs leading into a subway. In today's society of entitlement and selfishness I have little this problem exists. If it was warmer here I bet the same by-law would be passed. e
What we forget in society is that everyone is equal. That's why I ignore those non-legal parking signs: reserved for mother and kids; reserved for smart cars; etc. Why is a mother with kids more important than me? Just because she chose to have kids and I didn't does that mean I have to be penalized. People need to take responsibility for their own decisions. I've made decisions or carried out actions that have negatively impacted my life but I bit the bullet and took responsibility for my actions and faced the consequences without whining. It's like teachers who complain about having to do extra curricular activities. Come on - you knew what the job was before you went into it. If you don't like it stop your whining and use your months of vacation to find a new vocation. Take responsibility for your choices in life and stop blaming the rest of society. We don't owe you shit.
There would be less arguing, less chaos and less money spent if people just used some common sense.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
I'm Back
Wow - it's been over a year since I've written a new blog. You know I don't even know what the "B" in blog means. Hmm. I've decided in this new year of 2013 that I will set a goal of writing a minimum of two blogs entries a month. If I'm really energetic maybe one a week. It seems the year 2012 wasn't that good for me so hopefully the 2013 will be better.
I originally started this blog for something to do and because I like writing. So here I go again. Today I went to see The Gangster Squad. I went to see the flick at the Oshawa Odeon theatre. I refuse to go to this theatre during prime time hours because there's been numerous occasions when I went to an evening show on a Friday or Saturday and there was no parking to be had and everyone went home grumpy. So today I took Isaiah and we went to a noon show. There was lots of parking to be had. We got our tickets and lined up at the concession stand. After waiting awhile in line we get to the front and order our food. The dude behind the counter gives me a receipt and tells me I have to line up again to get the actual food. This line up is longer than the first one. What is this Russia during the Cold War? What kind of business practice is that? I've just found another reason besides lack of parking to boycott this place.
The movie itself was great. Gangster Squad is based or inspired, I'm never sure what the difference is, on the gangsters in LA circa 1948. Primarily the gangster Mickey Cohen. Cohen is a fell Jewboy and is played by Sean Penn (Fast Times; Milk). Cohen is one mean gangster who runs LA. The chief of police, played by Nick Nolte (48 Hours), puts together a secret squad of cops to take down Cohen. The squad is formed and chaos ensues. The movie boils down to good versus evil and what the 'good guys' have to do to defeat said evil. In order to defeat Cohen the secret squad must put down their badges and come down to Cohen's level.
The usual Hollywood cliches are written into this movie. There is the cop who has basically given up and doesn't want to join the squad until something traumatizing occurs to persuade him to do so. There's the intellectual cop who poses the ethical questions surrounding the squads' methods. Then there's the leader, played by Josh Brolin ("W"; No Country For Old Men) who is determined to fight for justice. The movie was a good ride and fun to watch. It was also a bit gross starting from the opening scene. I do give the flick three coffees out of five. It also put me the mood to watch The Untocuhables from 1987 a great gangster flick if I do say so myself.
This past I week I've been on vacation. For the last four months I've had this chest cold and a permanent stuffy nose. I've been blowing my nose so hard that I cut the right nostril. I keep picking at it thinking snot is stuck to my nose and making it worse. Back to work this Monday bloody nose and all. ;)
Well that's it for now. I hope this first blog effort of the new year ain't too bad. Until next time.
Dave the Dude
I originally started this blog for something to do and because I like writing. So here I go again. Today I went to see The Gangster Squad. I went to see the flick at the Oshawa Odeon theatre. I refuse to go to this theatre during prime time hours because there's been numerous occasions when I went to an evening show on a Friday or Saturday and there was no parking to be had and everyone went home grumpy. So today I took Isaiah and we went to a noon show. There was lots of parking to be had. We got our tickets and lined up at the concession stand. After waiting awhile in line we get to the front and order our food. The dude behind the counter gives me a receipt and tells me I have to line up again to get the actual food. This line up is longer than the first one. What is this Russia during the Cold War? What kind of business practice is that? I've just found another reason besides lack of parking to boycott this place.
The movie itself was great. Gangster Squad is based or inspired, I'm never sure what the difference is, on the gangsters in LA circa 1948. Primarily the gangster Mickey Cohen. Cohen is a fell Jewboy and is played by Sean Penn (Fast Times; Milk). Cohen is one mean gangster who runs LA. The chief of police, played by Nick Nolte (48 Hours), puts together a secret squad of cops to take down Cohen. The squad is formed and chaos ensues. The movie boils down to good versus evil and what the 'good guys' have to do to defeat said evil. In order to defeat Cohen the secret squad must put down their badges and come down to Cohen's level.
The usual Hollywood cliches are written into this movie. There is the cop who has basically given up and doesn't want to join the squad until something traumatizing occurs to persuade him to do so. There's the intellectual cop who poses the ethical questions surrounding the squads' methods. Then there's the leader, played by Josh Brolin ("W"; No Country For Old Men) who is determined to fight for justice. The movie was a good ride and fun to watch. It was also a bit gross starting from the opening scene. I do give the flick three coffees out of five. It also put me the mood to watch The Untocuhables from 1987 a great gangster flick if I do say so myself.
This past I week I've been on vacation. For the last four months I've had this chest cold and a permanent stuffy nose. I've been blowing my nose so hard that I cut the right nostril. I keep picking at it thinking snot is stuck to my nose and making it worse. Back to work this Monday bloody nose and all. ;)
Well that's it for now. I hope this first blog effort of the new year ain't too bad. Until next time.
Dave the Dude
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