Other People's problems

[HarmonicaBruce]

I realize it's accepted new-speak to talk about drug addicts and alcoholics as "self-medicating", but that's non-sense.  Medicate means to administer medicine, medicine is a "substance used in treating disease or illness".  Methamphetamine and large amounts of alcohol does not treat any disease.  It may make the person feel better, but that does not treat their disease.  I self medicate, as we all do.  I take 2 baby aspirin per day.  A doctor or nurse could very well advise me to do so.  A doctor or nurse would never advise a patient to use methamphetamine or large amounts of alcohol to treat their illness, no matter what the illness.

So I claim it's NOT "self-medicating", it's a choice the person makes.  Not that I'm judging anyone, we all have a choice as to how we live our lives.

 

 

[GotSmart]

[font=arial, sans-serif-light, sans-serif]self-med·i·cate[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]verb
verb: self-medicate; 3rd person present: self-medicates; past tense: self-medicated; past participle: self-medicated; gerund or present participle: self-medicating
[/font]

1. [font=arial, sans-serif-light, sans-serif]choose and take medicines oneself, rather than by prescription or on expert advice.
   [/font]
   • take addictive or habituating drugs to relieve stress or other conditions.
     "whenever he hits a period of depression, he has a tendency to self-medicate with any pill or liquid that's in the house"

When my father was in his final stage of cancer, he chose to use large amounts of beer and tobacco instead.  The family DUCK told us that if he preferred that over the morphine so let him be happy.

 

[cyndi]

We're are never ALL going to agree on the complexities of addiction. And that's not what this thread is about. If you want to discuss that topic feel free to start another thread.

SternWake? How's it going with your needy neighbor?

 

[cdiggy]

I realize it's accepted new-speak to talk about drug addicts and alcoholics as "self-medicating", but that's non-sense.  Medicate means to administer medicine, medicine is a "substance used in treating disease or illness".  Methamphetamine and large amounts of alcohol does not treat any disease.  It may make the person feel better, but that does not treat their disease.  I self medicate, as we all do.  I take 2 baby aspirin per day.  A doctor or nurse could very well advise me to do so.  A doctor or nurse would never advise a patient to use methamphetamine or large amounts of alcohol to treat their illness, no matter what the illness.

So I claim it's NOT "self-medicating", it's a choice the person makes.  Not that I'm judging anyone, we all have a choice as to how we live our lives.

 

Could not disagree more. Doctors prescribe amphetamines in large quantities to treat add/ADHD. Some only feel normal when they are medicated, legally or not.

 

[cyndi]

We're are never ALL going to agree on the complexities of addiction. And that's not what this thread is about. If you want to discuss that topic feel free to start another thread.

SternWake? How's it going with your needy neighbor?

Any further discussion, having to do with anything but SternWake's neighbor will be deleted.

 If you want to discuss that topic feel free to start another thread.

 

[mconlonx]

So, um, SternWake... any resolution with the sketch neighbor situation...?

 

[compassrose]

Has it occurred to anyone else that the girlfriend may have gotten fed up with the guy? May have gotten a restraining order? He may be stalking her? He may get violent just to "make her listen to him". An addict of any kind can easily turn violent. I wouldn't want him around me or mine. And where is he getting money to buy booze & cigs? ME? I would simply call the cops. Cruel? Heartless? Maybe. But I have an uncle who is one of the few alcoholics in my family that dried out that would talk about the decision to clean up and sober up. He said that most HAD to hit rock bottom (or their idea of rock bottom) before they got the gumption to clean up. Perhaps a night in jail or a trip in the back of a cop car will do it for him.

I don't tolerate druggies or drunks. Not family. Not strangers. I have enough to do with dealing with my own problems. Does that make me a "bad" person? Maybe. But my safety and peace of mind is more important to me than it is to anyone else.

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

I would simply call the cops.

For being annoying?  If I ever annoy someone, I hope they'll tell me instead of calling the cops on me.  And sometimes calling the cops can back-fire on you.  Before calling the cops, I believe one should try to resolve the situation.  

 

[Gary68]

as someone who would never trust his own father i have no problem telling a tweeker to get lost

and +1 on bruce's statement

 

[SternWake]

Sorry for the delayed update.

I've not seen the guy, thankfully.


One morning I thought I heard a knock which woke me up, but could have imagined it.  I did not investigate.

I thought I saw his truck leaving his old driveway another time.  One Neighbor said they say a bunch of luggage unattended on the side of the road where they had seen him park the night before.

AFAIK, the tweeker and the female he shared the mortgage with, were not romantically involved, just longtime friends.  Rumor is that after several months of her carrying the whole mortgage she confronted him, and he then made threats and he was served with a restraining order and other legal papers.

If he comes around again, I'll be telling him that a cop came around asking questions about him.  Other people on this street say they'll just call the cops on him if he is seen here again.

If he did not find a better place to park overnight, he's probably gotten locked up.  I can't see him talking his way out of it.  No rego/insurance, stolen rego sticker.....
  

 

[compassrose]

I have noticed that men tend to more confrontational than women. Men will "handle it", women tend to call the police. And yes, annoying is also harassment and harassment is grounds for calling the cops. Maybe it's because I don't stealth in a 40 ft turquoise blue bus (LOL) but I see no problem with calling the cops because someone is bothering me. And yes, I would politely tell him/her ONCE to go away and to please stop bothering me. Then I would tell the park office and then I call the cops.

It's not that easy to get a restraining order. Threats of physical injury have to be involved. I know this because my daughter has a stalker. She has looked into it. But because the "relationship" is all in his head, and she doesn't have the money to pay for a piece of paper that the local cops say he would probably ignore anyway, no restraining order has been filed. A restraining order is only for law abiding people and as evidence in the subsequent murder trial. The guy hasn't been around for a few months so either he got sent away or the cops had a talk with him AGAIN. The cops said that the stalker has been violent in the past.

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

It's not that easy to get a restraining order. Threats of physical injury have to be involved.

I have to disagree.  No lawyer is needed.  No "threats" have to be involved.  The person getting the order just has to say threats are involved.  I've obtained a PPO without a lawyer, and I've been served with one that was obtained without a lawyer.  If the person violates the order, and you have a copy of the order, you can call the cops and they'll put him in jail.

 

[akrvbob]

No doubt the laws are different in many states so you can both be right.
Bob

 

[offroad]

PPO - personal protective order. Years ago was able to get one via a judge. A shelter recommended that I go to court house. It was all relatively inexpensive.