I am not going to go in to great detail about why I started this thread. Lets just say I have witnessed a drug addict/ recovering, in the E.R. or any medical facility, and they were treated extremely poorly and discriminated against. Is this really fair? Should someone that is caught up in the horrible cycle of addiction be shunned upon in a place where they should really feel they could go for help? Even if it isn't illegal drugs; a nurse or Dr. takes one look at a chart of a patient and notices that they are on some type of anti- depressant/ anxiety med and they are automatically thrown under the bus. The patient is either drug seeking or lying. What could be done to bypass this horrible stereotype and allow those who really need medical attention get it or at least be treated with some respect when they seek medical attention??
What could be done to bypass this horrible stereotype and allow those who really need medical attention get it or at least be treated with some respect when they seek medical attention?? ------------------------------ The noob -"OMG this is someones mom dad brother sister child, show some respect. The jaded eye of experience - OMFG not another one Phase 3 - Its a fucking job, I don't get any respect for the work I do or things I have seen, nobody cares
Yes. Their addiction is a choice. I have three relatives who are drug addicts. If you experience how they treat people first hand, you would understand why they deserve to be treated the way they are. When they break into your house, steal money and blank checks and then tell you to fuck off when you confront them, they deserve the shit back they throw. T he faster you can force them to hit rock bottom, the better off they will be in the long run. However, getting them to realize this when they're high all the time is the challenge.
Addiction itself is not a choice, it is the result of making bad choices. Eventually bio-chemistry takes over and you're screwed. It's a tough call. I am a firm believer addicts need to suffer the consequences of their actions, the sooner the better. However, medical professionals should be able to conduct themselves in a more compassionate and understanding manner, which most do, as I've seen in my experience. That said, addicts/alcoholics are a tough crowd to have sympathy for. They will use you till you're all used up, and then ask for more. Been there, done that...on both sides of the coin.
This seems like it should be an easy topic, but its not. Some addicts are addicts by choice. They used drugs for recreational purposes and then they become bio-chemically addicted and then they steal and lie and act like jerks. But then there are those that take drugs for pain, depression, anxiety because its hard for them to function without. Unfortunately some of those drugs are the most expensive out there and if you have no insurance to help pay for them, they can easily spend $100s of dollars per month on that medicine. If you are out of work and your irritability factor is at a 10, its hard to be pleasant to people, so alot of times those people end up on the same road as the recreational drug users, but the difference is, the people that need the medicine, do not want to be on it. They would rather just be normal, but sometimes is not so much of an option for them. I met a guy that was burned on 40% of his body. The doctors made him go to classes on addiction before they would give him anymore. The poor guy says that if someone bumps into him in the spot where he was burned, it feels like he is back in the fire even though it happened to him some 15 or 20 years ago. Most wont throw him under the same bus though as his ailment is visible, but some people have pain in their bodies that is not visible, but can be just as bad. Not really fair to throw them under the bus either.
================= R Girl; Well with the somewhat limited info you gave, assume he/she is an adult, responsible for thier own behavior & most DRs have some training in mercy, hospitals are named ''good samaritan''.... So yes there is a balance between mercy & justice..................; thanks, hope this helps.