....to think the term 'junkie' is hugely offensive and ignorant....

[InFlames]

...following on from the Amy Winehouse thread...this will either take off or I'll be slammed for bad nettiquette won't I?


I think the term 'junkies' is really offensive. Would you refer to people experiencing psychosis or schizophrenia as 'psychos'?

AIBU?

[sleepindogz]

shrugs

junkies are junkies however much people try to sanitise it with nice words

just because you know they are a junkie, doesnt mean you cant help them, empathise and feel compassionate towards them. they are still people

[InFlames]

I think it depends on your point of view- if you see addictions as illnesses which I do, then you maybe have stronger feelings about the terms used to refer to a particular group?

[SpecialFriedRice]

CRS My views aren't necessarily black and white.

In your case I would say your drug use was an extension of the anorexia, you were using it to lose weight. In a similar way that a bulimic may use laxatives to aid weight loss. The drug use itself is PART of the mental illness. So I wouldn't consider you or people like you junkies.

To clarify, if drug use is incorporated in a mental illness then I have far more sympathy. But I think that kind of scenario doesn't cover that many addicts.

For example you could be depressed and taking cocaine or heroin, but the drug use isn't linked to the depression. Its just poor judgement. So the depression would be taken out of the equation and then your just left with a junkie who's a junkie for no other reason than they were stupid enough to try a highly addictive drug.

Sorry if this doesn't make total sense, I'm having difficulty getting my thoughts into words!

[CRS]

Fair enough I guess, but I think depression could also lead to drug use/addiction as this too is an uncontrollable mental illness - not "depressed" as in "I feel a bit down" but clinical deprwssion, where judgment is impaired. So for example, if I used amphetamine to lose weight so too might a clinical depressive (mistakenly) use alcohol or heroin to dull despair.

[SpecialFriedRice]

The line I would draw between someone who's a drug addict BECAUSE of mental illness and someone who happens to have a mental illness and a drug addiction coincidentally is a blurry one. Even in my mind. Its something I would judge on a case to case basis, personally.

Although I'm not god so I don't have a queue of drug addicts waiting on my personal judgement of them!

[LadyOfTheManor]

Isn't "psycho" short for "psychosis"? In which case I have no problem with it...not that I know anyone suffering from schizophrenia...

Isn't "junk" a commonly used name for Heroin? (I refer to Melvin Burgess' book "Junk"). In which case Junkie would refer to someone "on" Heroin.

A bit like an "alchi" ? I don't know any drug abusers or alcoholics so I haven't picked my terminology as of yet.

[InFlames]

And vice versa CRS - a phenomenal number of people withdrug and alcohol problems also have mental health issues. Not sure it's possible or particularly useful to try to work out which 'came first' for many people :-)

[CRS]

Well. I guess I just feel sad at the loss of a young life, like all of us, and I'm not at all convinced that you don't HAVE to be mentally ill in one way or another if you actively choose to do things that you know as an intelligent and informed person can kill you. We may be agreeing, except for the fact that I don't think anyone "normal" chooses to destroy themselves.

[InFlames]

Have you not read the thread ladyofthemanor?

[hairfullofsnakes]

This all feels a bit self important to me...

I think it is offensive to liken addiction and the word junkie to racism or homophobia to be honest. Addiction - even though there are usually reasons for an addictive personality - is self inflicted.

[squeakytoy]

psycho is short for psychopath..

[InFlames]

I think the stigma and prejudice against mental illness and addictions is as bad and as dangerous as racism and homophobia - it can destroy lives and in its most extreme forms lead to suicide.

'psycho' is, as I'm sure you know lady, an extremely pejorative term often used by the media and conflated with violence and dangerousness, which has massively contributed to the perception that people with psychosis are risky to society and the public. It does not refer to 'psychosis' except when used ignorantly.

[LadyOfTheManor]

How do you know what people are referring to when they use it? I read parts of the thread that didn't play the violin to the tune of "woe are drug abusers, poor them", yes...didn't leave much of the thread left.

[InFlames]

'psychopthy' and 'psychosis' are often used interchangeably, esp in the media and in crime writing, similarly 'junkie' is often used to refer to anyone with a drug addiction - certainly in London and where I now work.

[LadyOfTheManor]

I'm guessing you'd take offence at "crack head" then?

[duckdodgers]

I have to agree with hairful, its getting a bit self righteous at some points. And Im saying this as someone who works with people with mental health problems. Prejudice is never right of course but you cannot talk about prejudice against mental illness in the same sentence as prejudice against addictions. Because no amount of arguing the point about reasons can change the fact you dont get addicted to drugs unless you start taking them in the first place. And lots of people take them because they want to and enjoy the feelings they get when they take them.

Too much damage is done by drugs to society as a whole for everyone to be sympathetic to people who take drugs.

[InFlames]

Totally agree with the last part of your post duckdodgers, though I think 'choice' in first using drugs can be complicated by a range of factors and the majority of people I've worked with who have addictions also have a range of other mental health issues, so the prejudice issue is intertwined for me.

I am VERY passionate about these issues (no shit Sherlock!!!) - sorry if that comes across as 'self righteous'.

[Belini]

i haven't read this entre thread but when your 2 year old comes in from playing in your garden (fenced and gated) with a used uncapped needle you will be calling them things alot worse than 'junkie' believe me.

[noddyholder]

What has happened to MN? Fgs I don't know any people like thIs in rl time for me to go I think

[EggyAllenPoe]

people who take drugs probably don't need sympathy.

people who are addicted to drugs, deserve sympathy more than hatred, for the position they have landed in. for the sadness that drove them to it.

[scottishmummy]

Belini,was your wee one ok.understandably you'd be apoplectic and scared. naturally you expect your own garden to be safe

[InFlames]

I would be furious and frightened if that happen to me Belini - hope you're all ok.

[duckdodgers]

inflames, wasnt directed at you - honest Just a general feeling about some opinions here being very "PC" if you see what I mean.

As it happens I do agree with you about the range of factors being complicated - sometimes - , I think I said here (or on another thread about this issue, cant remember which!) a lot of my patients have used drugs and/or alcohol to cope with their circumstances and to obliterate their feelings. But part of the therapy process is to make people come to terms with their past to enable them to move on in their lives - and part of this is coming to terms with their life choices, and yes this includes the use of illegal substances. Does that make sense?

But not all drug addicts can be "classed" like this, equally I have seen this to.

[InFlames]

Makes perfect sense and I think you're right - it is complex and just as not all people with addictions willug old people or lewvedirt needles around, some will ... I need to get better at accepting that while
Holding true to my beliefs about prejudice - and my job!!

[duckdodgers]

Like me to inflames. I still get annoyed about general prejudices about mental health, even after all my time as a Psychiatric Nurse but I dont think Im as zealous as I was when I first qualified. For a start Ive learned its better channelling my energy into what I can influence, not what I cant. And secondly you get nasty, horrible negative people with mental health problems, the same as you get with people who dont have mental health problems. I think thats the ultimate in being non prejudicial and non judgemental, I hope.