Harm Reduction New to this...

[JayMax503]

I am in recovery now (4ish years) and I was on stimulants. When I was in active use, I never had heard of harm reduction practices. Fast forward to now, I work for a company in the US that works directly with harm reduction practices and HIV Care and Treatment.

I do a lot of presentations in my role that talks about why Harm reduction is important, why narcan is important, ect. I always get the same basic questions like "Arent you just enabling someone to do drugs then?" Which is a fair question to those who dont know what theyre talking about lol
but I feel like I just give a cookie cutter answer that my boss had told me to say, since I never really used harm reduction I feel like I can't truly speak on it.

I really want to hear from the ones in active use or recovery of the "why does harm reduction matter to me?" Whether it's narcan training or distribution, needle exchange, sti testing/treatment, condoms, ect. Why do you continue to come back for these services/ look for these services?

So if you have any answers and maybe just age/gender. everything else is anonymous ofc

i appreciate you all even if you don't participate

 

[streaM Freak]

Hi, welcome @JayMax503

Yeah so I've used needle exchanges, so I can speak on that.

Basically, the guy who I usually used with had hep. Never was compelled to share a needle anyway, but I knew some who did and would soak it in bleach or something. Not sure how effective that is. Sometimes we got rigs from CVS for like ten bucks a pack, but money was always tight so the needle exchange was preferred (when it wasn't too far away)

Basically you sign up, tell them how often and what you use, then you can get needles, condoms, narcan, sterile water, saline, alcohol wipes, cotton, and cookers.

Personally, it wasn't just the fresh needles but also the alcohol wipes and sterile water. Because honestly, if I didn't have the exchange I wouldn't have used those.

Several years later, I was in a different neighborhood of the city that didn't have access to a close by exchange. Basically I didn't use the alcohol wipes those days, and I did get cellulitis. The wipe could have prevented.

Not really a horror story, but just an example.

I don't have any personal accounts of this but I am certain that people are more inclined to share needles when they can't afford them.

By the way , the exchanges were pretty cool people and free coffee. Never even seen a drug deal go down there or on the premises.

 

[JayMax503]

Hi, welcome @JayMax503

Yeah so I've used needle exchanges, so I can speak on that.

Basically, the guy who I usually used with had hep. Never was compelled to share a needle anyway, but I knew some who did and would soak it in bleach or something. Not sure how effective that is. Sometimes we got rigs from CVS for like ten bucks a pack, but money was always tight so the needle exchange was preferred (when it wasn't too far away)

Basically you sign up, tell them how often and what you use, then you can get needles, condoms, narcan, sterile water, saline, alcohol wipes, cotton, and cookers.

Personally, it wasn't just the fresh needles but also the alcohol wipes and sterile water. Because honestly, if I didn't have the exchange I wouldn't have used those.

Several years later, I was in a different neighborhood of the city that didn't have access to a close by exchange. Basically I didn't use the alcohol wipes those days, and I did get cellulitis. The wipe could have prevented.

Not really a horror story, but just an example.

I don't have any personal accounts of this but I am certain that people are more inclined to share needles when they can't afford them.

By the way , the exchanges were pretty cool people and free coffee. Never even seen a drug deal go down there or on the premises.

I love to hear that man. I work directly in our exchange too and I've heard stories of many folks reusing needles. Bleaching can be a last resort, but ofc fresh is best. I might have to take free coffee up with my bosses lol Currently I give out candy, stickers, and some freebies like squish balls/water bottles when I have them. I also have wound care kits and boofing kits for people who need/want them.

 

[streaM Freak]

I love to hear that man. I work directly in our exchange too and I've heard stories of many folks reusing needles. Bleaching can be a last resort, but ofc fresh is best. I might have to take free coffee up with my bosses lol Currently I give out candy, stickers, and some freebies like squish balls/water bottles when I have them. I also have wound care kits and boofing kits for people who need/want them.

Oh water bottles is an excellent idea. Dehydration can just amplify issues. And wound care is a good call too.

I've known several addicts (we'd be in tents in the woods) who had to use narcan on their buddies. And, obviously, being in such a remote location even if it is just outside the public eye it's crucial to have that.

 

[streaM Freak]

To be more specific, it's harder to find a vein when dehydrated, on top of just health issues in general

 

[streaM Freak]

I really want to hear from the ones in active use or recovery of the "why does harm reduction matter to me?"

Just saw this added in.

For me, HR matters because my buddies and I didn't use because we had a death wish. We used because we were in a situation where we felt using was a way to get through to the next day. In our MH shelter, we all were very much focused on getting housing. It was what everyone wanted.

Hopefully others can add more.

 

[JayMax503]

Just saw this added in.

For me, HR matters because my buddies and I didn't use because we had a death wish. We used because we were in a situation where we felt using was a way to get through to the next day.

Hopefully others can add more.

Thank you for your feedback, friend. I was trying to think of the best way to word my question which is why I had the add in lol.

 

[some dude]

Google what a needle tip.looks like after multiple uses. Just piercing flesh dulls it savagely.

 

[lolis my thesis]

I never intended to use narcan; but being a stable methadone user my nurse practicioner insisted I carry it and be aware of it
In the drawer it sat forever; 8 mgs. When my son overdosed on fent; I gave him 8 mgs up the nose as we tried to revive him.
I have never seen fent; my son thought it was coke
Totally random for him to party at home; but I could ID and react to an OD. He remained unresponsive to cpr for 10 minutes and the paramedics gave him 4 more mgs and he woke up.
They just said that 8 mgs were enough for methadone, but fent od's take 12 mgs, so stock more.

So here I was, thinking I was narcan aware, CPR trained...turns out performing CPR on a loved one is more than gnarly. And narcan on hand should be 12 mgs...

Every drug aware person should carry 12mg narcan, how to use it including CPR, and that reporting drug OD quickly on 911 is good. Samaritan laws will keep other parties as well as the OD victim out of jail.

\\

 

[agoraphobe]

Oh water bottles is an excellent idea. Dehydration can just amplify issues

I'm friends with a homeless schizophrenic drug user. While water is better than nothing, an optimal dehydration strategy should probably employ electrolytes.

I think a better exchange would be those enhanced Gatorade drinks, that include magnesium and other minerals obviously in addition to salts. Especially true in warm weather climates or summer.

 

[JayMax503]

I'm friends with a homeless schizophrenic drug user. While water is better than nothing, an optimal dehydration strategy should probably employ electrolytes.

I think a better exchange would be those enhanced Gatorade drinks, that include magnesium and other minerals obviously in addition to salts. Especially true in warm weather climates or summer.

This is honestly a great idea. My gf is on a board for community outreach and she works directly with the unhoused. I'm going to bring this up to her, as I also travel to them to give them harm reduction supplies as well.

 

[JayMax503]

I never intended to use narcan; but being a stable methadone user my nurse practicioner insisted I carry it and be aware of it
In the drawer it sat forever; 8 mgs. When my son overdosed on fent; I gave him 8 mgs up the nose as we tried to revive him.
I have never seen fent; my son thought it was coke
Totally random for him to party at home; but I could ID and react to an OD. He remained unresponsive to cpr for 10 minutes and the paramedics gave him 4 more mgs and he woke up.
They just said that 8 mgs were enough for methadone, but fent od's take 12 mgs, so stock more.

So here I was, thinking I was narcan aware, CPR trained...turns out performing CPR on a loved one is more than gnarly. And narcan on hand should be 12 mgs...

Every drug aware person should carry 12mg narcan, how to use it including CPR, and that reporting drug OD quickly on 911 is good. Samaritan laws will keep other parties as well as the OD victim out of jail.

\\

Thank you for your feedback. I'm glad that you were aware of an OD. I think nobody thinks it'll happen to them or a loved one.. until it does. I carry IM and nasal naloxone in my site that is distrubuted for free. Other places I've seen (walmart, cvs, walgreens) still sells it for like $30-$50 per a 2 dose nasal box which is crazy imo. This literally saves lives- why the fuccck would you charge someone.

 

[lolis my thesis]

my narcan rx came in at over 100.00
It was worth it regardless; I complained and at least they gave it to me for free after trying to rip me off...
I wasn't born yestderday!
Mighta rolled off a turnip truck tho...