Dopesick by Beth Macy

[razz]

I had mentioned my deep concern about the opioid epidemic to a friend. She subsequently discovered Dopesick by Beth Macy at our local library recommending it to me. Once she finished reading a couple of days ago, I picked it up today for a 2-week loan period.
Because it is so acute an issue with 100,000 reported dying of overdose from April/20 - April/21, I posted this book on its own thread. Apparently there is a recent unique series type of documentary based on the book available on Hulu or Disney.

Anyone read the book or seen the documentary? Your thoughts?

[Yppej]

I haven't but did read Dreamland.

Covid restrictions have driven up drug abuse, suicides, etc. And a lot of the scary covid statistics are bogus. Today I found out if you go to the hospital for any reason they test you for covid and if you are positive they say you are a covid hospitalization. So you could go in with no covid symptoms, say with a heart attack, and you will bump up the covid stats.

Due to fearmongering many people avoided preventive screenings. Now they are going for things like cancer screenings, finding out they need biopsies or other surgeries, and we hear alarmists saying the hospitals are full and blaming covid in areas where few of the hospitalizations are for covid and even the ones attributed to covid are often for something else.

Hospitals get more money for covid, so the madness and the paranoia continues, with devastating impacts on behavioral health. Who wants to live in fear of a pandemic forever?

Hospitals that get more money for covid patients and miscategorize patients as a result, that's who.

[Teacher Terry]

Hospitals make money on surgeries. Having to cancel surgeries to care for Covid patients is harming their bottom line.

[dado potato]

I had mentioned my deep concern about the opioid epidemic to a friend. She subsequently discovered Dopesick by Beth Macy at our local library recommending it to me. Once she finished reading a couple of days ago, I picked it up today for a 2-week loan period.
Because it is so acute an issue with 100,000 reported dying of overdose from April/20 - April/21, I posted this book on its own thread. Apparently there is a recent unique series type of documentary based on the book available on Hulu or Disney.

Anyone read the book or seen the documentary? Your thoughts?

I watched on Hulu. I would call it timely and thought-provoking. The characters are just believable enough. When the scene changes, often the years (from say, 2002 to 2009) in white letters slide left or right, to help a viewer keep track of flash-backs and flash-forwards. I don't recall ever seeing that device before in video.

I believe the video shows 12-step addiction resources to be ineffective, but Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) to be more effective in bringing about recovery. The FDA approves MAT (eg Methadone, Suboxone, etc.). But in American communities it is not unusual for home-owners to be opposed to the construction of MAT facilities (or "Not in My Backyard") ... for instance, Sequim Washington.

[Yppej]

Hospitals make money on surgeries. Having to cancel surgeries to care for Covid patients is harming their bottom line.

Hospitals make money on everything, but extra money on covid patients. Here is the fact check:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/04/24/fact-check-medicare-hospitals-paid-more-covid-19-patients-coronavirus/3000638001/

[razz]

I watched on Hulu. I would call it timely and thought-provoking. The characters are just believable enough. When the scene changes, often the years (from say, 2002 to 2009) in white letters slide left or right, to help a viewer keep track of flash-backs and flash-forwards. I don't recall ever seeing that device before in video.

I believe the video shows 12-step addiction resources to be ineffective, but Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) to be more effective in bringing about recovery. The FDA approves MAT (eg Methadone, Suboxone, etc.). But in American communities it is not unusual for home-owners to be opposed to the construction of MAT facilities (or "Not in My Backyard") ... for instance, Sequim Washington.

The methadone (MAT) clinics bring very significant problems. My community has four in a population of about 15,000 all concentrated downtown. Those needing this treatment come in from far and wide, are largely unemployed, roam the streets leaning on corners, the general public feel insecure, small businesses shut down, multiple people share accommodation, homelessness, fewer people come downtown, park areas and public benches are filled with them sitting having a smoke frequently cannabis. There is no legislation to govern where they can be situated as they operate in former cosmetic centres, fitness studios, etc., small businesses that used to thrive in the downtown attracting the public. Lately, the litter scattered on the sidewalks has those remaining downtown merchants struggling to present a thriving business area.

MATs are not a solution but a reaction without a plan. MATs may benefit those addicted over time, often of a long duration but they quickly destroy a community's longterm business survival. Businesses pay taxes. MATs don't is my understanding.

That said, my heart aches for those families and individuals affected by this opioid epidemic trying to find a way to help all those impacted. I'm told it is a largely a North American generated issue. Drugs are everywhere but the opioid problem isn't everywhere.

Will find out more when I read the book.

[pinkytoe]

The author of Dreamland has a new book out about meth which sounds interesting. Atlantic Monthly has an excerpt. His claim is that many if not most of the homeless out there in tents are serious meth addicts.

[razz]

I checked with Amazon to see the title of the new book. I will finish Dopesick and then take a break as it is such a heartbreaking issue.

The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth Hardcover – Nov. 2 2021
by Sam Quinones (Author)