Harm Reduction Do people assume they are receiving medical advice via BL?

[Jabberwocky]

Just curious whether folks think the feedback given on this site comes from medical professionals?

Because it doesn?t, it comes from other drug users. Even when someone is a medical professionals, that shouldn?t be the framework they?re using on BL. Here they are just another drug user.

Being a medical professional of course would give someone an edge in terms of experience, but the truth is most medical professional don?t necessarily know any more about drug use or harm reduction than an experienced user.

Just curious if people commonly assume the feedback someone gives, such as my own, constitutes medical advice. Because it doesn?t.

That?s obvious to me and many members, but I?ve never asked general folks, so I wanted to test the waters. Curious to hear what people think.

Thanks for the feedback!!

 

[Chris42393]

Hello! When you say medical advice, are you talking about diagnosing medical problems associated with certain drugs?

 

[Jabberwocky]

Im talking about whether people think the feedback they receive on BL comes from a doctor or licensed medical professional, from someone acting in a formal professional capacity as a healthcare professional, or from mere drug users.

Iono this thread is probably unnecessary but I’m curious to hear what people are thinking.

For myself, I have never assumed the advice I have seen on BL constitutes advice from a doctor. Even when someone says they are a doctor, I still look at what they post as coming from their capacity as a drug user, not as someone acting as a doctor. I’m generally suspicious of why someone would feel it necessary to present themselves on here as a medical professional.

Lol I have created the worst poll ever for this. If any mods want to spruce it up somehow be my guest

 

[Chris42393]

This is just my opinion

With experience.. Ie drug use, comes knowledge. After years of using drugs... people learn the side effects of them, they learn about the human body, they learn the right and wrong way to do things, etc. Just because someone isnt a MD/Medical professional, that doesn't mean they dont know what they're talking about. They then pass their knowledge/experiences on, to help other people.

I, myself, who is a Medical Professional, am actually astonished at the knowledge people have on this forum. Its amazing, tbh. (unless they're are a lot more MD/MP on here then realized LOL)

 

[Jabberwocky]

Thanks for your feedback Chris

I am so grateful for compassionate, professional and open minded medical professions. IMHO we need a new generation of medical professionals if we are to really make progress with drug use related or addiction issues. But it is touching to begin encountering more such folks out there. Such folks are truly a gift - not just to drug users, but their non-using family members and their entire communities more generally.

People easily forget that drug use isn’t just an individual issue - especially with the war on drugs - it affects entire communities, users and non-users alike. It’s like how making naloxone available doesn’t just benefit opioids users, if benefit their entire communities.

 

[Pickledlemons]

I would agree with you that in many circumstances ( such as suboxone dosing ), a bluelight user would know more than your average doctor. I learned about binding affinitys, ceiling doses, active metabolites and more from bluelight and elsewhere on the internet. All doctors have done is try to cram as much down my throat as they can.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Bluelight is a valuable resource for information and advice that is peer reviewed. I trust the information I get here just as much as I would trust the information I get from a medical professional, that said, I typically verify whenever possible. It's the same courtesy I'd extend to information a medical doctor provides. Trust but verify.

People should not blindly follow advice given on this site, but can use it to make informed choices. If dangerous or incorrect information is given (which sometimes happens given the diversity of user base) someone else will typically chime in. This system works for the most part and provides a valuable learning and harm reduction resource to users and researchers.

Recent complaints about mods playing doctor are unfounded IMO.

 

[Shedaeza]

I would sure hope not. However, I would say that for all other purposes, this is definitely that best place to receive (for the most part) unbiased and truthful information from others who also have experiences with drugs and also come from various backgrounds and therefore you can find a wealth of information on all kinds of things that you couldn't find from a physician.

Of course when it comes to serious medical questions, that should be taken to a medical professional.

 

[PerpetualAnhedonic]

Lol hahaha I was actually thinking about saying in that other thread that maybe what that person was suggesting is that every BLer have a disclaimer next to their name "I am not your doctor" hahaha....since apparently everyone is too stupid to realize that is not the case lol..

I love this poll hahaha.
Can we vote more than one though? Because the top three apply in different situations, different times, and different people..

-PA

 

[d1nach]

I may have said I am not a doctor with no college education many times

Mostly i just try to use words like could, may , i think, i believe, possibly ect

I never thought i was getting medical advice

 

[CFC]

Unfortunately many GPs don't really know much about medicines generally and certainly not wrt addictions. Research has shown that less than 20% feel prepared or able to identify or treat people with drug dependencies.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4827345/

Substance use disorders contribute substantially to the global burden of disease,¹ with hospitals and medical clinics often clogged with the primary and secondary sequelae of these conditions in the United States.² Yet many in the medical community fail to diagnose and treat substance use disorders, in part because of the failure to educate physicians about addiction medicine.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2741399/

A national survey conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University [19] of 648 primary care physicians and of 510 adults receiving treatment for substance use in 10 treatment programs highlighted some troubling findings. More than 50% of patients reported that their primary care physician did not address their substance abuse. More than 40% of patients stated that their physician missed the diagnosis of a substance use disorder, and only 25% were involved in their decision to seek treatment. Less than 20% of primary care physicians considered themselves "prepared to identify alcohol or drug dependence." This contrasts with more than 80% feeling very comfortable diagnosing hypertension and diabetes.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Lol nice finds CFC

PA, doesn’t look like multiple votes are allowed on polls.

If anyone wants to vote more than once, pm me or another OD mod or smod and we can add you extra choices to it. Just indicate where you originally placed your vote and where you’d like your extra vote to go.

Thx for all the feedback folks!

 

[N2theavenue]

I know that most people here aren't doctors or nurses, but man, I'm an RN and the people here know far more about drugs and harm reduction than I could ever hope to know. Nevermind their mind blowing knowledge on the drugs themselves and the compounds and science behind them. So, while I know I'm not talking to a medical professional, I'm well aware that most people here know good and well what they're talking about.

 

[Pickledlemons]

It let me vote twice for some reason... I voted for 'No, it is obvious BL is not the doctors office' and 'No, I get better feedback about drug use than I have from doctors'

 

[Abject]

I sure hope not.
Like pickled, I chose both as both of those answers apply.
Some doctors are straight up stupid 8)