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Getting people to listen

zekethemusicman

zekethemusicman

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
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Location
Virginia, USA
Ok, first off, i dont post many threads, so im not too sure where this belongs. Mods, if it needs moving or needs to be closed due to repetiveness feel free. I also searched, but didnt find anything

So anyway, one of my best friends overdosed on clonazepam and alcohol a few days ago. This kind of behavior is not common with this guy, tho im not sure if it was intentional or not. Being one of my best friends, this guy always has to listen to me talk about harm reduction and drug trivia, etc. Ive tried to give him as much worthwhile knowledge that i can remember. We have had these talks for at least 2 years. If he, or any of his friends have any psychoactive related questions, they usually call me, and if I cant answer the question, i refer them to Bluelight or Erowid.

Now, this is not the only friend I have that has done something stupid drug related, as have I. So my question is, how do we get people to listen to our tenents of harm reduction? I mean, why does everyone have to learn the hard way. Are there any ways to get people to understand the seriousness of the topics we discuss, or even just plain listen?

It makes no sense to me that someone can hear all there is to hear about drugs and their harm minmization, and still do something so stupid. I know people go overboard, thats not what im saying. Basically, how do we go from preaching harm reduction to acting on it?
 
Sometimes thats the way life is.
Its sad really but you kinda have to deal with it.
You've done all you could and so really theres nothing more you can do.
As for those who dont know they really shouldnt be using in the first place, but like i said, thats the way things are and you just have to live with them. Some people are lucky and get referred to this site and can really help themselves out. Sadly, others have to learn the hard way, but hopefully they learn.


(as for where it belongs i think the blog may be a suitable place?)
 
I say DC is perfect. :)

how do we go from preaching harm reduction to acting on it?
Click to expand...
I think this is a decision everyone has to make for themselves. You cannot practice harm reduction for your friend. If he is so blind after his overdose than I don't know that there is much hope for him. You could talk to your other friends and get them in on the harm reduction by making suggestions. e.g. when you are all at a party together just remind him that there will be more parties and more booze and more drugs but that may not be the case if he takes more on this trip. Encourage moderation and try and show him that you don't need to be obliterated to have a good time.

It's a tough one and a lot of people won't heed your advice but like Mr. TFSzer said, that's just the way life is sometimes. Hopefully your friend won't become your groups poster child for HR if he has an accident.
 
That's just people being people. It's not necessarily your friend but information is prioritized in the brain. They'll learn by doing, not hearing reading or even writing about it. If it has sunk in enough you'll see some responsibility surface through the veil of mistakes.
 
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I appreciate your replies. I guess you all might be right. One thing i have learned is that even tho people might not heed advice or even listen, it still doestn mean that we must stop trying. If i could get someone to listen and act on what i try to teach then i would be happy.
 
you're a good person zeke for doing so
major karma points! :)

The fact that you think about others is a great thing as a lot of people in the drug culture don't (or at least with my experience I'm not trying to pass judgment)
I think if you can spread it out to people at least one will listen and help spread the word.

Keep on doing what you're doing man you're on the right track!
 
i usually just dispel the backasswards drug myths as i hear them and in doing so most of my friends have realized i know my shit and call me when they have questions or doubts about something.
 
my friends are the same way as yours. they have question i have answers. or erowid/bluelight. i think people will not believe that they will get the worst, because they are too arrogant. until it actually happens (OD)
 
dude people are careless.. they just wanna get high, and they dont know shit about the drug they are taking thats why there's so many stupid myths, overdoses, etcs. natural selection FTW though!
 
yeah sometimes i worry about this too, seeing my friends do stupid shit with drugs..

it can be frustrating as hell and can be scary, but basicallly all you can do is give them the advice and hope they have the sense 2 listen.. sometimes people have 2 experienece things for themselves 2 learn a lesson, and if they have the advice on hand when they are prepared 2 change things then that can make it a hell of a lot better..

for example a stupid amount of people i meet only realise 'kicking on' the mdma high is futile after a hell of a lot of uses... if you've already explained 2 them how futile it is, then maybe they will realise why they feel so bad after redosing on their tenth use of the drug as compared 2 their twentieth (and when i say 'uses' i mean seperate days of use, normally seperated by at least a week).

anyway hope ur friend learns man
 
Look - no drug user is going to listen. Nada.
They must WANT it for it to happen.
It's gonna go in one ear and right out the other.
We all think we know what is best.
 
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