[Drug deaths in Scotland hit record high]

42 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

I nearly bought heroin last year. I was in a bad way mentally and going through a particularly rough patch of depression. I had been at the football earlier, and whilst that was a good laugh, I was drunk by the time I got back to Dundee, alone. I proceeded to drink more, alone, as it was an attempt at coping with my shite depression riddled brain. A poor attempt mind, as it just made me feel horrendous and massively altered my thinking, especially when mixed with the Prozac I was taking each day (prescribed by my GP).

On the way home I was shitfaced and somehow got talking to some lassie. She was in a bit a state herself and had a bag with her. In said bag were needles and other paraphernalia. After asking her about it I somehow ended up agreeing to go halves with her on some heroin (I believe it was about £30 on my part) as I was thinking 'f**k it, why not?'.

I was feeling awful and having dark suicidal thoughts so considered it a way to relieve the pain.We then went to get it (a certain high rise at the bottom of a certain hill). Whilst she was inside (I waited outside the door) I somehow had a big moment of lucidity, and actually ran away. I literally sprinted out of there, a total mess of a guy. I slept fitfully for about 10 hours when I got in, constantly waking and drifting off, my brain in a horrible dark mush.

I lost £30 but it could have been so much worse. I wasn't choosing to be a junkie that night. I was a fucked up, desperate guy looking for a way to feel better. Massively stupid looking back, but to me shows how easy it can be to get caught up in some seriously bad shit.

Takes balls to admit that my friend. You got away handy, heroin is shit!!

[Drug deaths in Scotland hit record high]

3 hours ago, oaksoft said:

You are conflating symptoms of drug withdrawal with addiction itself.

That's not really a helpful position to take because it leads you to put words in my mouth as you have done in the bits I have bolded. Then we just don't get anywhere in our discussion.

When you have something like drug abuse where you can only get over it by choosing to not use the drug (and there is absolutely no other way of breaking an addiction) then it cannot be an illness because illnesses don't work that way.

Interestingly in a post you've called "staggeringly ignorant" you have agreed with my basic premise that drug taking in the first place is a choice and that quitting an addiction to those drugs is also a choice. So I can only conclude that you are taking issue with the label "illness". All I'll say to that is this. Can you name me another illness where your personal choice is the only way to get well? I can't think of any.

Incredibly ignorant. Do your children deserve cancer?  If they do then it's not an illness is it, it's your shifty genes. If I laughed at thier illness (and I wouldnt) would you be to blame for passing on your w**k genetics. I have a feeling you are a frail guy who hates life. Open your mind

[Drug deaths in Scotland hit record high]

6 hours ago, Stinky Bone said:

What about when the addict starts to get the dt's?  When their body goes into fits and the only thing to stop it is more heroin or medication?

When I am ill I sometimes need antibiotics/medication.  When the addict is taking convulsions is he/she not in need of medication to stop it?  

You are fully entitled to your opinion and I respect that but I am unsure how accurate it is. 

I get the sentiment of this but it's false. Only alcohol produces dts. Only alcohol and benzodiazapines produce deadly withdrawal. The rest is pure mind over matter. 

I'll close on this and not aimed at you. If you believe addiction is real them the power of choice is gone, the craving for your drug of choice will consume your world. To deny addiction in this day and age is laughable, the ones on here quizzing it are either abhorrent racists or stay in a closed world. 

Again. Come and see the work we do, come and see the despair, remorse,  shame and hopelessness of these people. Do use a world of good. God forbid you ever have 1 in the family

[Drug deaths in Scotland hit record high]

6 hours ago, oaksoft said:

I don't agree and I'm not alone.

The logical conclusion of what you've said is that people who are overweight through overeating of chips etc are suffering an illness.

Going to have to have a hearty chuckle and block you. I could genuinely open your eyes but people like you make me sad. You couldn't handle meeting an addiction who was better than you in every way so I hope and pray you find solace wanking off to transformers. You are fucked in the head and every addict you meet could tie your peabrain in a knot

[Drug deaths in Scotland hit record high]

6 hours ago, Dee Man said:

Cocaine and heroin are vastly different in price and are taken for vastly different reasons so that's a bit of a daft comparison. 

Not really. Every street dealer will hold both and 20 quid f**k s you up in different ways. The drug is not the problem,  the people who feel they have no option is. I could sell candy floss if the underclass knew they could escape reality

[Drug deaths in Scotland hit record high]

6 hours ago, oaksoft said:

OK. In that case I don't know what I would personally do. I'm not convinced I would get involved unless they asked directly for help. That tends to be my default position on any difficulties people I know get themselves into. I don't see it as the place of one human to interfere in the life of another unless that second person is doing harm to others or unless that second person is incapable of genuinely looking after themselves. People with learning difficulties or disabilities or illness would come into that last category. Drug abuse wouldn't IMO. I don't consider addiction as mental illness though so that might explain my thought process.

Tibbermore is behaving like a dick on this issue but I agree that drug taking is a choice and that addiction is also a choice. Those who help other break addiction allude to this when they say you that the addict has to WANT to go clean for rehab to work. In other words, the addict has to choose to go clean. That is not how illnesses work.

You have no clue what addiction actually is, I accept your views but I can safely say you have a micropenis and a pot belly. I'd betmy junkie life on you being scared to go to the local shop. In short you are a true c**t

[Drug deaths in Scotland hit record high]

6 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Actually, I can categorically state that as much as I love all my kids, if any of them engaged in any criminal behaviour which caused harm to another individual (outside of self-defence), I would cut them off permanently.

Oh and no way would I allow them the easy option of blaming anyone or anything else for their crime including personal trauma.

Tremendous 

[Drug deaths in Scotland hit record high]

I'm a reformed "junkie" and will welcome you in to ourrecovering community . If you feel scared I will be by your side throughout and defend you with impunity. Some of us are normal members of society and some are on the street. You are most welcome tibbermoresaint and just maybe I can show you the good and prosperous amongst our community. BTW I have 2 degrees and a well paid job, 2 kids a wife and a paid off mortgage. I'm still a junkie but I'd love to show you how we operate.

I hope my email shows up but if not I'll get it to you brother. Open your eyes