What do you think, feel, and do when you see an addicted person?

October 24, 2020 by Joshua
in Awareness, Nonjudgment, Perception

I see more people in my neighborhood, especially my neighborhood park—Washington Square Park—addicted to I don’t know what.

My whole life, I’ve never been far from seeing addiction. I don’t think I’ve known anyone uncontrollably addicted. Lately, in my daily picking up litter from the northwest corner of Washington Square Park, regulars there have started conversations with me. Our longest conversation lasted about thirty to forty-five minutes. One guy made a point to point out how many people there are at the end of their lines and that you can’t imagine being there without having experienced.

I don’t know where the relationships will lead, if anywhere.

What do you think when you see or talk to someone addicted to, say, heroin or crack? I don’t know what drug they do. I only see them buying, selling, and sometimes smoking. I posted pictures of the syringes I’ve seen and here are a couple more images I took of them, less than a hundred yards from a playground for kids:

What words do you think when you see a person addicted to drugs? Do you ask yourself questions? Do you wonder how they got there? What forces did they face? What does the world look like to them? How do they feel about their future? How do they see you?

What emotions do you feel? Compassion? Empathy? Sorrow? Curiosity?

How do you respond? Do you walk past? Do you walk away? Do you try to help?

I have no answers. I’m curious what others think, feel, and do.

Doof

In another area of life, since I’ve chosen to avoid packaging and therefore nearly all doof, I’ve become more aware of American’s widespread indulgence in doof. According to Livestrong, “The average American having a BMI of 26.5 is overweight and needs to implement dietary changes and exercise to drop down to a healthy weight range.” The CDC reports “Percent of adults aged 20 and over with overweight, including obesity: 71.6% (2015-2016).” NBC reports “About 40 percent of U.S. adults are obese.” Here’s one of the usual pictures I post when writing about obesity.

Enjoy Coca-cola!

Here’s another.

male breasts

These reports suggest addiction to doof among something like a hundred million Americans. Do the bodies pictured look like the results of addiction? Far more doof detritus litters the ground of Washington Square Park than drug paraphernalia. I don’t know which refined habit-forming product category deprives people of more years of their lives.

Do you respond differently to someone addicted to something legal?

What words do you think when you see a person addicted to salt, sugar, fat, and convenience—that is, doof? Do you ask yourself questions? Do you wonder how they got there? What forces did they face? What does the world look like to them? How do they feel about their future? How do they see you?

What emotions do you feel? Compassion? Empathy? Sorrow? Curiosity?

How do you respond? Do you walk past? Do you walk away? Do you try to help?

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