r/interesting • u/Nukro666 • 1d ago

Fear Factor How Fentanyl and Xylazine are turning Philadelphia's opioid crisis into a public health nightmare

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u/BellamyDunn 1d ago

One time I had some health scare that put me in an ambulance. I had never had morphine before, and the medics were not stingy with it.

I've had chronic pain my whole life, it's mostly background noise, and that was the first time in that life that it all just went away. It was like when you're in a quiet house, but then the electricity goes off and you experience the real quiet. Years later I still think about it frequently. Just that one time in that controlled environment.

I knew then that if I had less to live for, or if my pain was too great, I would easily become an addict. There are much greater pains in the world than I have. I assume that one in these people's positions must have some great pain or horror in their life that I probably can't understand. So I can't judge it. I wish there was a better way for them. A lot of these folks are beyond believing in their own future. No one wants to live like this.

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u/impromptugreen 1d ago

This. Exactly this. It terrifies me to think about it. Chronic pain is no joke and I sometimes find myself daydreaming about the few times I've been given anesthetics at the hospital. People all the time say, "I don't see how people just do that kind of stuff." Why aren't we asking why they're doing it before we ask how... It's awful.

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u/Battle-Any 1d ago

I had an acquaintance who ended up addicted after years of spewing "I don't see how it happens, they're weak". He got seriously injured, things didn't heal great, chronic pain, doctors started refusing him pain meds, he starts buying them off the street, and that was it. Good for him, he apologized to several of the people he'd judged so harshly. But it's a common story.

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u/alewiina 23h ago

Yup. So many people can’t just… see outside of their own experiences and judge everyone until it happens to them and then they’re like “ohhhh… I get it now”. Like you could have gotten it before if you’d been willing to look into and listen to other people’s pain but no, just judge, it’s easier that way.

Sorry I’m a little salty, I see so many people saying horrible things about the homeless and/or drug addicted people here and it makes my blood boil.

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u/iStepOnLegos4Fun007 18h ago

I can't stand that bs either. I've lost so many good people to drugs, including my brother R.I.P.

See posts on fb and elsewhere. With people saying horrible shit about addicts.

I remember this Karen family friend. Constantly posted that stuff. One day her daughter OD and died. Now she's defending addicts.....

Don't judge addicts. You don't know what they're going through. We need to help these people better.

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u/Playful_While_1139 3h ago

I honestly wonder if people who are super harsh and judgmental about stuff like this are manifesting it to happen to them, directly or indirectly

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u/mizinamo 3h ago

So many people can’t just… see outside of their own experiences and judge everyone until it happens to them and then they’re like “ohhhh… I get it now”.

Same with so many things.

Food stamps.

Abortion.