The American Opioid Epidemic 20XX: Dropping the H-Bomb

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > The American Opioid Epidemic 20XX: Dropping the H-Bomb

Cugel the Clever: Apr 5, 2009; I LOVE AMERICA AND CAPITALISM DESPITE BEING POOR AS FUCK. I WILL NEVER RETIRE BUT HERE'S ANOTHER 200$ FOR UKRAINE, SLAVA

Hardawn posted:

I wouldn't really consider AA yo be an indoctrination program. Are there groups that become more zealous than others? Probably. But the actual steps are more self reflective than the pray the gay away approach

The AA thread in A/T was closed after it became a debate over the efficacy of AA, so this might be a topic best left for another thread. I'll just say that, because of the lack of much direction nationally, there can be dramatic variation between one group from the next and there is minimal scientific evidence for its efficacy. Anecdotally, when I contacted an organization that nominally oversees groups in Minnesota, asking for distinctly secular groups for a friend who was struggling, the response I got was "I don't know why anyone would want something like that."

# ¿ Feb 29, 2016 18:03

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 11:17

Cugel the Clever: Apr 5, 2009; I LOVE AMERICA AND CAPITALISM DESPITE BEING POOR AS FUCK. I WILL NEVER RETIRE BUT HERE'S ANOTHER 200$ FOR UKRAINE, SLAVA

Watching the Frontline episode on the Opiode epidemic and it's reaffirmed my ~~sociopathic~~ unpopular opinion that these social programs should be offering to put the junkies out of their suffering. Would save everyone involved a lot of pain, time, and money, plus eliminate the huge externalities these people have on the community around them that the documentary apparently didn't care to talk about.

# ¿ Mar 1, 2016 02:08

Cugel the Clever: Apr 5, 2009; I LOVE AMERICA AND CAPITALISM DESPITE BEING POOR AS FUCK. I WILL NEVER RETIRE BUT HERE'S ANOTHER 200$ FOR UKRAINE, SLAVA

SedanChair posted:

What in the wasteful, murderous gently caress? I guess we could just improve the law and medical practice, or we could, you know, go all Aktion T4 about it.

As others aptly stated, assisted suicide ≠ forced euthanasia. You can improve law, medical practice, and offer those who wish it a safe, easy way to end their suffering. Whether it is addiction, another illness, or even just old age, assisted suicide empowers people to take control and end their lives on their own terms. Come now SedanChair, I never expected such conservatism from you!

Of course, the question of whether the individual is able to provide meaningful consent remains salient, but that's resolvable.

# ¿ Mar 17, 2016 02:46

Cugel the Clever: Apr 5, 2009; I LOVE AMERICA AND CAPITALISM DESPITE BEING POOR AS FUCK. I WILL NEVER RETIRE BUT HERE'S ANOTHER 200$ FOR UKRAINE, SLAVA

SedanChair posted:

gently caress you. You just want junkies to die so you don't have to think about them.

I'm honestly surprised to find that assisted suicide is controversial on SA. As ToxicSlurpee stated, it's not a service that is provided on a whim to someone who's at a low point. A mandated waiting period plus some measure to ensure the individual is competent to make the decision for themselves would make sense.

Society needs to be more death positive, in general. Without the stigma around it, choosing to end your life on an up-note in the presence of friends and family would be a welcome option for no few individuals struggling with a terminal illness or chronic/severe disease. Either way, this is a bit of a derail I didn't expect to have to defend.

# ¿ Mar 17, 2016 16:39

Cugel the Clever: Apr 5, 2009; I LOVE AMERICA AND CAPITALISM DESPITE BEING POOR AS FUCK. I WILL NEVER RETIRE BUT HERE'S ANOTHER 200$ FOR UKRAINE, SLAVA

OwlFancier posted:

However "encourage the addicted to kill themselves" as a first response to a growing addiction problem, is not something you will find much support for, and if you cannot see why, I'm not sure if I can begin to explain it to you.

Are you guys confusing me with MIGF? :confused:

I went so far as to check all my posts in this thread just to make sure I didn't have a brain fart, and in none of them did I ever state that addicts should be "encouraged" or otherwise pushed toward assisted suicide. I'm honestly at a loss here.

Cugel the Clever fucked around with this message at 00:42 on Mar 18, 2016

# ¿ Mar 18, 2016 00:40

Cugel the Clever: Apr 5, 2009; I LOVE AMERICA AND CAPITALISM DESPITE BEING POOR AS FUCK. I WILL NEVER RETIRE BUT HERE'S ANOTHER 200$ FOR UKRAINE, SLAVA

Guavanaut posted:

Being as this whole thing started with a post saying 'lol junkies should just kill themselves' I think it's important to identify who we're actually talking about here. A chronic pain patient told to quit morphine cold turkey, an alienated addict being thrown through the wringer of a drug camp, and someone who has voices saying 'kill yourself' all have different reasons to end their life.

...the gently caress? The only ones who have said that are you, SedanChair, and a handful of other semi-literate, try-hard "Woe-Is-Me"-ers. I made it very loving clear in my original post that assisted suicide is an option that should be available to those who might desire it, not a death sentence imposed on the mentally ill, you shitbags. Every post that has followed it has reemphasized that point, and there are plenty of people in this thread who have expanded on my original point very eloquently.

They didn't let their own personal baggage fundamentally cloud their perception of the topic. That SedanChair, of all people, would deny an individual the autonomy of choice in this respect is hilariously awful. Dude, I'm sorry if you or someone you love has had mental health concerns in the past or if you've been targeted by someone who said what you now wrongly accuse me of saying, but please try to give things a little more thought before such a kneejerk reaction.

Edit: to be clear—assisted suicide would be a final alternative for those who have gone through incredible suffering and have found they wish to reassert their individual autonomy by choosing to end their lives on their own terms, peacefully and with those they love. This is not a substitute for correcting the underlying social malaise that leads people down such a path. This is, as has been stated above, not going to be politically feasible in our lifetimes because of a combination of opposition from radical Christian nutjobs and the general taboo American culture has toward the subject of death.

Cugel the Clever fucked around with this message at 05:13 on Mar 27, 2016

# ¿ Mar 27, 2016 05:05

Cugel the Clever: Apr 5, 2009; I LOVE AMERICA AND CAPITALISM DESPITE BEING POOR AS FUCK. I WILL NEVER RETIRE BUT HERE'S ANOTHER 200$ FOR UKRAINE, SLAVA

OwlFancier posted:

You didn't at all say that in your OP, you said that people should be offering to kill addicts because it's easier for everyone.

Congratulations, you're one of the semi-literate, try-hard "Woe-Is-Me"-ers :newfap:

# ¿ Mar 27, 2016 05:58

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 11:17

Cugel the Clever: Apr 5, 2009; I LOVE AMERICA AND CAPITALISM DESPITE BEING POOR AS FUCK. I WILL NEVER RETIRE BUT HERE'S ANOTHER 200$ FOR UKRAINE, SLAVA

crowoutofcontext posted:

Suicides based upon manageable mental illnesses are different from suicides due to deliberating chronic pain or unreversable brain death.

You guys are sounding an awful lot like anti-choice zealots saying:
:supaburn:

"Okay, abortion in the case of rape, incest, or the health of the mother is fine, but your average hussy doesn't deserve to make decisions about her own body."

How do you have any right to flatly deny anyone the choice over their own lives? If you don't want one, don't get one.

# ¿ Mar 27, 2016 22:07

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > The American Opioid Epidemic 20XX: Dropping the H-Bomb