To think ' bin dipping' is a fkin disgrace.

[chosenone]

A personal vent /rant whatever. I am so embarrassed to even mention this to anyone in RL . My brother has long term drug issues and until recently we were not speaking after he stole and pawned my jewellery, for my parents sake we are, albeit it strained. I saw him earlier with a bag over hos shoulder and wearing gloves so pulled over toask what he qas up to.
He was being shifty so I asked him if he had stolen goods. He then admitted he had a bag of stuff from waitrose bins. He aopened his bag and he had shepherd s pies, cold meats and youghurt s. I made it clear I was disgusted and he said it was desperation that drove him, and he reckons another dozen to ' bin dip ' he said greggs is a other good spot. I said normal people would spend their money on food not drugs. He tried to justify hi.self. He also raid ashtray s for baccy and finds himself dimps. I have spoke to my parents and they have their head firmly in the sand, they know what he is but theres nothing they can do. NothingI can do either he Iis 35, single and has not worked for over 3 yrs. Its frustrating, disappointing and disgusting all at the same time.
We live in an affluent tourist town and it seems my brother is part of an underclass who think bin dipping and dimp hunting are normal. His ex gf used to get all her clothes from bags left outside charity shops. Ffs It was so much easier havi g zero contact.

[usualsuspect]

The sheer amount of wasted food in this country is as fucking disgrace.

[TobyLerone]

I'd rather see people using 'waste' food.

YABU.

[diddl]

I think that it's more of a "fkin" disgrace that he stole & pawned your jewellery tbh.

[Serenitysutton]

I understand why you're so upset, it must be get hard to see your brother like that. But he's addicted to drugs and you can't apply you standards to him. His life is shit enough tbh, I doubt raiding a bin even registers. I hope one day he will get the help he needs.

[AndBingoWasHisNameOh]

I can get why you're horrified. However compared to his drug use and stealing, taking food that has been thrown away out of a bin is the least of his issues.

[chosenone]

Yes I see what you mean in terms of waste and need and freeganism. However this is someone who chooses to spend his cash on drugs, he injects amphetamine and has a weekend off his head, comes down and is skint. Picking other people's fag ends up to re use is disgusting.
I prefer having nothing to do with him, out of sight out of mind etc but my parents have been v distressed, I took him to court last year when he stole of me. But yes at least he is stealing....yet. To be honest when his payments go monthly I will be surprised if he lives much longer! A months pay on drugs up his arm would finish him for good. Maybe that is what the government are hoping for.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

What's dimp hunting?

I think getting good food out of bins isn't nearly the disgrace that the fact that the food is there in the first place is. (holy hell that's a bad sentence, sorry)

The problem is ofc that he's using drugs and can't afford to feed himself.

Main issue with freeganism is that people don't always leave the bins in decent order when they're done, so shops start locking them up or doing other things to discourage people.

[diddl]

Even if has been thrown away-is it theft?

My bin is on my property & in theory at any point before it is emptied I could decide that I want something back out of it!

[chosenone]

No I am not prissy or pius or up myself. But I do belive that addiction is the problem yes. His addiction has torn are family apart and I see no happy ending. It is hard to love and support and addict you know, by their ature they are self pitying and manipulate or worse incoherent mumbling messes.

[chosenone]

No I have spent years upset and yes I still am. However it is embarrassing to see your brother like that, people comment about himto me. He looks weird, big hollow eyes and a slack jaw, when people talk about him I am beyond sad but Iits still embarrassing too.

[chosenone]

Btw ....dimp hunting is usually done in the dark, fag ends on floors ashtray s outside pubs and houses etc

[HumphreyCobbler]

Honestly OP, if I wanted to let of some steam I wouldn't post in AIBU.

I see that it is upsetting to see your brother rifling through bins for his meals, and that it represents a life thrown away and a family left in turmoil. What a terrible waste of a life. I am not surprised it sometimes makes you angry with him too. I just can't imagine really.

[LessMissAbs]

YANBU. I think anyone would be pretty devastated if their 35 year old's brother's life consisted of feeding himself from bin leftovers (as opposed to having a job and his own money).

Yes, isn't "bin-dipping" wonderful and great for the environment, but would you seriously be happy if this is what your close relative had to do to survive? Or would you like to live like this yourself, if you think its so wonderful?

[imour]

rather he bin dipped than stole from some ones house if he was my brother , i would try and get help for my brother than just slate him on here ,you just seem bothered that you are related to him not that hes got problems or why , god help you if you ever get into any sort of trouble one day , what goes around and all that .

[aldiwhore]

There's two (or more) issues here:

The bin dipping, not something I'd do unless desparate but I have a few eco friends who've done this at one time or other, mostly they were NOT addicts, but disgusted with the amount of waste generated by supermarkets... there's was a fair point, but I was never going to join them.

Addiction causes everyone pain and YANBU to feel angry at your brother. My own brother's behaviour used to make me rage, because I knew it was due to his various addictions and NOT HIM, and I found it hard to listen to his shit when he tried to explain why he did it, always skirting around the truth that actually, the way he behaved was because he'd never afford to actually live normally AND feed his addiction.

I raged.

It also broke my heart.

It's a horrible situation to be in and there is nothing you can do but wait on the side lines until your brothe is ready to help himself. Then, all of a sudden you must cast aside all that angst that's been building and be supportive and positive when all you really want to do is throttle the thoughtless bastard! And it is crucial that you cast your own feelings aside when the time comes.

My brother is happy, clean, working and fishing these days. We have a good relationship. I have forgiven him, and myself. It's a crazy life.

YANBU to feel the way you do. I went through a period of time of HATING people who wore petuli oil!! All of them! I didn't require a reason, but it was because his girlfriend who was his dealer's ex (the ex paid child maintainence via drugs... you get the picture) soaked herself in it. A lot of the rage is irrational. But it's all understandable.

Therefore YANBU. I sincerely hope you one day get past the rage and can be happy, I clung on to my rage for a long long time because the alternative was gut wrenching heart break and sorrow. x

[seriouscakeeater]

Op I can understand your frustration. I think its the bigger picture your upset with also and I think so other posters can see that too.

When people have an addiction it wraps its fingers round them until all dignity has gone out of the window and family's ultimately pay the price too.

You obviously still care about your brother that's why you still have these emotions.

Alas you cant do anything about it as he doesn't seem ready to want to get better.

[seriouscakeeater]

aldiwhore good post

[chosenone]

Thankyou.
Some of you clearly have experience of this and aldiwhore thankyou for your story. You have hit the nail on the head. Imour belive me I have tried to help it has been over ten years on and off. He has had a couple of drugs councillors and went in the army for a bit. I think our relationship changed when he robbed my jewellery, wedding and engagement rings from exDH. He denied it, helped look for them and only admitted it when my dad got involved. THAT is probably the issue. I will try and bury it for my parents sake.

[Footface]

Hi op, I often think that the addicts family are forgotten about, and are put in such difficult situations.

I do feel for you. I have a relative who is an addict. It's hard to watch them tear the family apart, and the anxiety and fear the rest of the family feel. Particularly when it's long term and different rehabs have been tried.

The ripple affect is massive. I think on situation like this you just have to detach from the person, but support your parents.

[pointythings]

I agree with the poster who said that you need to separate the two things. YANBU to find your brother's addiction and the behaviour it causes distressing, and you have a right to feel angry at him, especially for not seeking help and for stealing from family.

I'd try to put the taking discarded food from supermarkets out of my mind though, it really doesn't harm anyone and like many on here I resent how much perfectly good food is tossed every single day.