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Drug/Alcohol Abuse The Current Great Recession

jspun

jspun

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Jun 11, 2008
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Where you live, and world wide. Do you think that the problems in the economy and increase unimployment are causing an increase in drug abuse or decrease. Or is their a shift in the drugs being used. During the booming turn of the century in the Silicon Valley it seemed that every other person was rolling balls, falling out on GHB, smoking heroin on their lunch break, or buying lots of fine wine watching their stock options gone IPO go through the roof. Some were to buisy to party, but many of those nerds would party hard on their day off. AA and NA were strong but NA in particular has seemed to loose membership in San Francisco in the last 10 years. What are your guys' opininons.

People using more or less than 2, 5, or 10 years ago.
Is substance abuse inversely associated with prosperity or vice versa?

My question less with the homeless whose situation makes drug use almost go hand in hand to make life tolerable. I talking about the employed or recently unemployed with homes.
 
jspun said:
People using more or less than 2, 5, or 10 years ago.
Is substance abuse inversely associated with prosperity or vice versa?

My question less with the homeless whose situation makes drug use almost go hand in hand to make life tolerable. I talking about the employed or recently unemployed with homes.
Click to expand...

I don't think there is any doubt that drug abuse correlates with wealth, but I'm not sure how, exactly...

The poorest of the poor/homeless use heroin to stay warm during the winter/make their lives tolerable, same goes for crack. On the other hand, the richest of the rich use because their lives are boring, to an extent. So much money, so much free time, so much cocaine. So, no...I don't think you can say that abuse is inversely associated with prosperity, as those with more money than god probably indulge more often than anyone would guess. It goes without saying that those on the lower end of the prosperity spectrum also use to cope with the reality of their situation. So, I guess, if people were truly honest and reported their drug use on a census, abuse would effect a similar percentage of folk across all levels of wealth.

I'm pretty sure the DEA has stats that show a higher percentage of the population are using now compared to 2, 5, 10 years ago. Simply more drugs available, I think, and I guess one could assume that due to more drugs being available, a higher percentage of the population is using. Not sound logic, but it's all just an estimate anyway...as there is no DRUG USE census going around :)

My theory on AA/NA is that people are worried about their employer/boss/etc learning that they are an addict, or that the info isn't kept private from insurance agencies, among others. I certainly wouldn't attend, as I don't believe the info is kept confidential, regardless of what those organizations say. Just a whacky theory, again...
 
I think in general drug use increases amongst the general public when the economy is bad and people are extra stressed about money and finding jobs.

I know for a fact that a lot of the bars in my area have actually seen an increase in business due to the recession and more people going out to escape real life for a while. I don't know if this is the case everywhere.

For me personally I pretty much quit going to the bars when the recession was at it's worst, I couldn't justify spending the money on drinks when I could barely pay my bills. I actually went back to opiates at this point because it's cheaper for me to order pods and they help my stress and anxiety/depression more than alcohol. That's just my story, it'll be interesting to hear everyone else's views.
 
Less lately, can't afford em and the bills, and a man and his family has to eat.

gotta prioritize.

Thats just me though...
 
I'm buying cheaper brands of booze, and cigarettes thats for sure.
 
I mostly just drink now, marijuana and other drugs are too expensive. I can get drunk for four days straight of off less than 20 dollars. I just started working 40 hours a week but being poor for a while made me not want to spend money.
 
it's hard to tell when you're in the middle of it. Are more people getting high? No idea.

Drug use, IMO, is constant. It is never changing.

The poorest of the poor/homeless use heroin to stay warm during the winter/make their lives tolerable, same goes for crack
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I really really really doubt that overdoses go down in the summer time. Really doubt it.
 
^exactly where I'm at, MistaJeff, minus the 40 hours a week job.

booze is cheap, and i can't afford an opiate/opioid habit anymore, not physically, psychologically, or financially. and, pot has been too expensive.

so, alcohol ftw for now.
 
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