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How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

theguardian.com

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Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#341

Post by greeneggs »

hkmurakami wrote: post #305
gooseus wrote: post #62

What I find fascinating and disappointing is how much the opioid crisis isn't being talked about or addressed proportional to other societal issues. Billions of dollars of private research being poured into self-driving cars by our greatest minds and millions of dollars in lobbying against gun laws all in the name of preventing unnecessary human deaths... yet according to Ben Bernanke (and his references), opioid ove…

Well, I've been following the GOP Senate healthcare bill closely over the last month, and several GOP Senators have stood their ground amidst pressure from party leaders as well as the Whitehouse to protect funding for their Home State's opioid epidemic. It's been a frontline issue in nearly every article I've read regarding the GOP's difficulty in getting to 50 votes. So while the public at large may be ignorant of…

> ... the States' representatives that have these problems back home appear to be taking it very seriously.

Rather, "several" out of 52 GOP senators are taking it seriously. Or do I misunderstand you?

Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#342

Post by provemewrong »

VonGuard wrote: post #322

I am almost ashamed to admit I have read these forums for years as a sort of exercise in voyeuristic schadenfreude. I just love reading about drug culture, watching drug movies, etc. Just like I love gangster movies. I can't explain it. A few things I have learned: /r/glassine is probably the most interesting. They rate heroin bags in the Pittsburg area. It's supposed to be for everywhere, but it's mostly Pennsylvani…

Me too. Besides what you mentioned, I'm particularly fond of /r/mdma, /r/psychonaut and /r/rationalpsychonaut (for discussions about psychedelics sans spirituality and religion). Also /r/nootropics. And /r/drugs in general. Don't forget /r/trees, which is of course the gateway subreddit, but it's rather boring in comparison.

Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#343

Post by styren »

nextlevelwizard wrote: post #328
vinhboy wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know, even the military monitors reddit to keep on top of new trends and ideas. It has really become a social force, and that's why I agree with you, it is ripe for manipulation. > Reddit is a net-negative to society in my opinion. I did not agree with this before, but after /r/the_donald, I am re-considering my position.

I do not get this opinion at all. Just because there exists a thing you do not agree with does not mean it should not exist. It seems like many people on HN are for free speech as long as it's speech they agree with. There will always be people who do not think like you and do not believe in same things as you, but you are not helping any situation by no platforming them. Join the debate and use your words, like adul…

I wouldn't call what the_donald is doing free speech. I have absolutely no problem with the opinion of people subscribed to the_donald, however their post frequently hit the frontpage and there is never any discussion because everyone with opposing views are banned. The is no "debate" to join.

Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#344

Post by sangnoir »

uiri wrote: post #333
NumberCruncher wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The United States alone holds over 45 percent of the global pharmaceutical market [1]. And less then 5 percent of earths population. Welcome to the society of pharmaceutical addiction. [1] https://www.statista.com/topics/1719/pharmaceutical-industry...

You're comparing a measure in dollars with a measure in people. Yes, per capita expenditure on prescription medication is high in the US. Most other countries have a national health care system which negotiates the price for the whole country. The US market is where pharmaceutical companies expect to recoup their R&D costs, which makes drugs more expensive in the US than anywhere else. This effectively means that the…

> You're comparing a measure in dollars with a measure in people.

I'm not parent, but I'm sure this is intentional as the consequences of such a scenario are easy to extrapolate...

> The US market is where pharmaceutical companies expect to recoup their R&D costs.

They could do this in two ways - having high margins on their drugs, and/or selling a lot of drugs. It is no surprise to see pharma lobbying against tight laws on prescriptions, or anything that gets in the way of the 'market' getting access to their products. Not coincidentally, the opioid crises means they get to sell more drugs.

Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#345

Post by Bakary »

averagewall wrote: post #317

In the HN-popular utopian future where automation has made most people unemployed and living on UBI, we're supposed to be able to pursue our dreams without the pressure to feed ourselves. But in reality, many people don't have dreams or the motivation to pursue them and end up as drug addicts/alcoholics/gangsters which is just easier. I used to laugh at the idea that people need jobs to feel fulfilled. I thought thos…

I don't understand why there aren't more people aware of this potential tragedy. There are few substitutes for the feeling of being socially useful.

Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#346

Post by sangnoir »

averagewall wrote: post #317

In the HN-popular utopian future where automation has made most people unemployed and living on UBI, we're supposed to be able to pursue our dreams without the pressure to feed ourselves. But in reality, many people don't have dreams or the motivation to pursue them and end up as drug addicts/alcoholics/gangsters which is just easier. I used to laugh at the idea that people need jobs to feel fulfilled. I thought thos…

> But in reality, many people don't have dreams or the motivation to pursue them and end up as drug addicts/alcoholics/gangsters

You seem to be suggesting that one can't simultaneously have a job and dreams and be an alcoholic/drug addict/gangster. This is sloppy logic

Edit: Your perspective also explains why society hasn't addressed alcoholism and drug addiction for so long: to you, the alcoholics and addicts are an entirely separate group from upright, hardworking, motivated, dream-pursuing "normal" people.

Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#347

Post by nextlevelwizard »

styren wrote: post #343
nextlevelwizard wrote: post #328

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do not get this opinion at all. Just because there exists a thing you do not agree with does not mean it should not exist. It seems like many people on HN are for free speech as long as it's speech they agree with. There will always be people who do not think like you and do not believe in same things as you, but you are not helping any situation by no platforming them. Join the debate and use your words, like adul…

I wouldn't call what the_donald is doing free speech. I have absolutely no problem with the opinion of people subscribed to the_donald, however their post frequently hit the frontpage and there is never any discussion because everyone with opposing views are banned. The is no "debate" to join.

>I wouldn't call what the_donald is doing free speech

What would you call it?

The reason the posts hit front page is because people keep voting them up. You can disagree by downvoting. While they could very well be banning people who express opposite opinions so are plenty of other ideologically driven subreddits. You can join one of the dozen opposing subreddits for discussion about the topic(s) in hand. I still see no reason to take away their platform.

I do not subscribe to their opinions completely, but I can also see merit in some of the opinions from that camp just as I can see the flaws. Same goes for more left leaning opinions. Bad thing is that everyone gets so emotional and rallied over their own opinions they completely refuse to listen to the other side and budge even an inch. This just creates bunch of echo chambers on either side where no real discussion can be had.

Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#348

Post by lin_lin »

styren wrote: post #343
nextlevelwizard wrote: post #328

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do not get this opinion at all. Just because there exists a thing you do not agree with does not mean it should not exist. It seems like many people on HN are for free speech as long as it's speech they agree with. There will always be people who do not think like you and do not believe in same things as you, but you are not helping any situation by no platforming them. Join the debate and use your words, like adul…

I wouldn't call what the_donald is doing free speech. I have absolutely no problem with the opinion of people subscribed to the_donald, however their post frequently hit the frontpage and there is never any discussion because everyone with opposing views are banned. The is no "debate" to join.

> however their post frequently hit the frontpage

Not anymore. Since reddit made numerous changes, I don't think I've ever seen one of theirs make the front page. Pretty funny that the site had to change the core of their operation to target them.

Re: How a Reddit forum has become a lifeline to opioid addicts in the US

#349

Post by provemewrong »

gsdfg4gsdg wrote: post #258
Chardok wrote: post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I honestly believe drug addiction is a symptom of a greater issue in someone's life. There is no person who wakes up and says "I think I'll get addicted to heroin today"; it becomes a means of escape and relief from something that gradually turns into its own monster and creates a terrible cycle of dependence. By cutting out the time and money needed to "feed the beast" while providing professional help, they can bre…

The vast majority of heroin addicts today started with prescription painkillers. Many of them went into a doctor's office and took the pill that was prescribed to them by a trusted community member with a diploma on the wall. The problem was that these doctors were frequently either directly corrupt or under the unwitting influence of false advertising from Purdue Pharmaceuticals. When I had my wisdom teeth pulled an…

I think this is definitely the problem in the United States. In my country they don't just willy nilly prescribe opioids. The best you get is ibuprofen. For example, after a terrible shoulder injury or tooth extraction, that's all you get. It helps with the pain, but doesn't remove it 100%, doesn't get you hooked though. Of course they give IV opioids after surgeries and such, but even then something mild and in small doses, and only for a certain period time. I remember still feeling pain after an appendectomy, but they refused to give me any more tramadol and just switched to IV ibuprofen. It's just not a thing as a prescription medicine. Except maybe for terminal cancer patients or something equally drastic.

Going off on a tangent, what my country might have a problem with, is benzos, however. They're prescribed like psychiatric vitamins.

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