DRUGS.....A PERSONAL THING

[Gunnerhibby]

It's a subject that has never been raised, to the best of my knowledge, on the COWSHED, let alone the HIBEES BOUNCE.
When I say DRUGS I'm talking about the hard stuff, H, Smack,Heroine, whatever you want to call it.
The shit that has done most damage to countless people/families.

I'm talking about the things that happen when, years later you meet someone who you once remembered as "a friend", you would now ignore/walk past, fail to recognise or recognise but not talk to.

This such scenario happened to me tonite, and I'm now having a conflict playing through my mind of -WHY-.

I put myself in the catagory of "a good guy " someone who can get on with most people irrespective of their colour, religion, even their footballing choices, if that is even relevent, but tonight I went against most things that I hold relevent to what I think is classed as being civil.

Tonight,I attended a wedding reception of a very good friend of mine, and I came across a guy I had not met, socially, in a number of years. In fact the guy was in my class at school and we stayed in the same scheme as each other. I had seen him in the passing, over a long period of time(years), and had seen him deteriorate into the "junkie" lifestyle that he chose/fell into.
I had never really spoke to him, but, tonight we were put in a situation where we could'nt really not speak to each other and I chose to ignore the guy because of his "junkie" tendences.
Now, in normal circumstances, I would have de-cried anybody for doing such a thing,but now I'm in a state of mind where one part of me is saying "fair enough, he's a junkie, so what". The other part of me is not so clinical, that's saying "hey , he used to be a mate,what the fcuk are you up tae".
But I walked away.

Please dont get me wrong I'm not looking for any kind of absolution or sympathy, that I either done right or wrong, I think when the alcohol has dispersed, I will make my own mind up on that.

What I want to know is, has anyone else went through this sort of conflict of interest/friendship and how they handled it.
Not only that, does anyone have thoughts/opinions of mates/friends who have went on a similar path.

Having lived in Muirhouse since the late60's/early 70's, which has been ravaged by drugs for more than twenty years, it would be interesting to get some feedback from anyone who has had this kind of conflict/situation



GUNNERHIBBY

[Greenman]

Drugs addiction is a terrible affliction althought you may not have sympathy for those who self induce the drugged state, It is hard not to have some sympathy.

My cousin was aged nineteen when he died of a herion overdose a few years back. Before he was introduced to drugs by some eejit in a boozer he was a nice well mannered and clever young guy, after a short period of herion taking he turned into a drug crazed lunatic who stole from his mother, he broke into my mothers house when she was away on holiday to steal money for drugs, there were days when he never knew who or where he was, near the end I met him in a pub with his drug taking cronies and never spoke to him he died soon after, to this day I still wish I had spoken to him or tried to help by taking him away from these bastards peddling drugs.

[chellie07]

i work with children in care and have to deal with the families which many are drug addicts....have seen how these young children have to learn to cope with it and the harm it bring on these children....very often having to be the grown up to their mums or dads... very sad

[Vini1875]

Maybe the best thing you can do is offer some help, the reasons people get messed up with drugs are many and not always simple.
The best thing I know in Scotland -
Narcotics Anonymous
(East Coast) 07071-223-441
(West Coast) 07071-248-710

If you know someone passing on a phone number is not a lot, especially if they are a hibby, they might get back to watching the boys in green.

[LutherBlisset]

I left home when I was 17 for college. Just before I came home that summer 2 mates died through drug use in the space of a few weeks. What got me is that no one else seemed to learn any lessons from this. One was found outside Leith polis station, collapsed in a car. The two who were with him legged it. Not even a phone call for help or even hang about a distance to see how it turned out. Lost alot of mates during this time.

Five years later got friendly with someone who was a herion addict. Got to admit I was one of these folks who reckon the kids should have been taken into care. she changed my mind though, the kids were well looked after physically and mentally. I am no adovcating herion use as a strategy for motherhood, but she was / is a better mother than alot of people I know.

Hows that for waffle. Easy answer is, there is no answer to what is right or wrong. Everyboody is different.

[chellie07]

yes what you said jason is right....some families do cope with the drugs and bringing up their children....not all stay addicts and i admirer them as this can't be easy to do....bringing children up is a hard enough without drug addiction


cheers

[Bartok]

I think most of us know of someone whose life was lost or ruined by drug addiction. Heroin has taken the lives of two of my school and university pals and several of the pupils I have taught over the last eight years.

Gunner has pointed to a difficulty we may all have at some time; how to regard those who have fallen foul. In my experience, nobody (or at least very few) set out to get addicted, but are unaware of the addicted power of Heroin. We had an addict round at the school last year to talk to the kids and try and tell them of his experiences and the great hardships he had been through. The guy's seriousness was clear, but it was just as clear to me that some of the kids regarded him as "cool"; some came to talk to him at the end of his speech and the admiration in them caused him to become angry. He was desperate to communicate how unhappy he was through taking drugs but couldn't get through.

So I don't know if we can blame people for becoming junkies or not. In the first instance it is a choice, a mistake that some people make. I don't know if it is simply "moral correctness" and criticism of their choice to take drugs that makes me feel uneasy in an addict's company however. In all honesty, it might also be my awareness that an addict has different priorities and cannot really be trusted. Either way, it is a damn shame.

[Bouncy Babe]

Originally posted by "Roddy"



In my opinion we should not descriminate between different types of drugs, ranging from alcohol, to speed, to heroin and crack.

Excellent point, people seem to forget that alcohol and tobacco are drugs too and every bit as harmful when abused.

About a third of road traffic accidents involving alcohol are the fault of drivers......the rest are drunken pedestrians & etc. Surely alcohol kills and injures more people annually than class A drugs ?

[LutherBlisset]

What I want to know is, has anyone else went through this sort of conflict of interest/friendship and how they handled it.
Not only that, does anyone have thoughts/opinions of mates/friends who have went on a similar path.

Getting back to Gunners original point, someone once told me that a philosophy to live your life by is "Treat others as you wanted treated"

Totally agree with this. When I meet a junkie, I always borrow money off them with nae intention of paying it back, bore their arse off with drug stories and nip round and do their house when they are out. Always making sure to take a jimmy riddle on their favourite chair.

[gun ainm]

Originally posted by "LondonHibby"

Oi Highlander get it right it's CHRIS ROBINSON not ROBERTSON - we Robertson's make Jam - capaiche

Kev - Jam

Robinson - Robertson whats the difference?

eh sorry kev never meant to insult Chris

[Bartok]

Jason wrote : "Treat others as you wanted treated"



Bartok : Spot on, my philosophy encapsulated. BTW, who told you those words of wisdom? Wisnae Jesus was it?

[moathibby]

All drugs should be legalised imo

[Gunnerhibby]

All drugs should be legalised imo

Fuxxake, glad ye took yer time tae think aboot that response

[Loco]

I fucking hate drug dealers IMO they should all be shot.

I have seen people i know completely out of it yes you may feel like shit ignoring them but have you ever tried helping them??Some people just cant be helped or don't want to be helped IMO.

[Moodz]

I think your reaction to him is different now you are a parent to what it may have been had you met him previous to having kids.

I worked as a support worker and most of the folk I worked with were either junkies or alcoholics. I didn't question there lifestyle, I worked to an agreed support plan with them.

The majority were bad bastards, thieves, liars, violent, totally selfish and ruled by their addiction.
That wasn't an issue for me. I had a job to do and that was to try and take an element of the chaos out of their lives and do the best for them. Be it getting them benefits they probably didn't deserve, 'scripts that they would only use to supplement their drug use or whatever.

The majority of the time I was pishin against the wind but occasionally I would get a result.

Then my first daughter was born. Now I'm by no means saying this was the only reason my feelings changed, I'd been doing the job 8yrs and things were starting to take their toll. But you start to think differently. You look at folk and dread the thought of your kid being part of that lifestyle.

And it could happen to anyone, I had a girl die of an OD who was in my wifes year at Heriots. A beautiful intelligent girl who's boyfriend was a junkie kant. She was off the junk while he was in jail, yet she died within a week of him getting out.

I'm waffling now, but basically Gunner I can totally appreciate the way you feel and can see myself being the same should the situation arise in the future.

[ZemmamasBarnet]

I could have fallen into that crowd - where I used to stay in Livingston, a lot of the kids that lived in the doors and streets near me were a little bit dodgy and I was mates with some of them.

I took something once, dunno what it was then and I still don't - Difference is, I never went near this stuff again and these guys did; slowly but surely, I drifted away from them.

They got more and more into whatever they were doing and while I wouldn't say these guys were full blown junkies (at least I don't think so) they are complete shells of the guys they were - One of them I doubt could hold a conversation that losted more than 5 words. I'm not being unkind, but he just has that airy, doesn't quite have a grasp of the world around him quality about him.

I wouldn't say I avoid these guys but you're talking about 8 years since we last spoke. I'm not bothered by it, our paths went in different directions a long time ago.

[Gunnerhibby]

I think your reaction to him is different now you are a parent to what it may have been had you met him previous to having kids.

I worked as a support worker and most of the folk I worked with were either junkies or alcoholics. I didn't question there lifestyle, I worked to an agreed support plan with them.

The majority were bad bastards, thieves, liars, violent, totally selfish and ruled by their addiction.
That wasn't an issue for me. I had a job to do and that was to try and take an element of the chaos out of their lives and do the best for them. Be it getting them benefits they probably didn't deserve, 'scripts that they would only use to supplement their drug use or whatever.

The majority of the time I was pishin against the wind but occasionally I would get a result.

Then my first daughter was born. Now I'm by no means saying this was the only reason my feelings changed, I'd been doing the job 8yrs and things were starting to take their toll. But you start to think differently. You look at folk and dread the thought of your kid being part of that lifestyle.

And it could happen to anyone, I had a girl die of an OD who was in my wifes year at Heriots. A beautiful intelligent girl who's boyfriend was a junkie kant. She was off the junk while he was in jail, yet she died within a week of him getting out.

I'm waffling now, but basically Gunner I can totally appreciate the way you feel and can see myself being the same should the situation arise in the future.

Cheers M, I appreciate what you say and it certainly makes you view these things somewhat different to the way you would actually react at the time.

Since the original post I made in this thread 6 years ago the guy I referred to is now dead, from drugs, but thanks to Moathibby, it has certainly given me something to think about.

[Moodz]

Never looked at the date of the OP!

Yer heeds probably no still buzzin then!

[Gunnerhibby]

Never looked at the date of the OP!

Yer heeds probably no still buzzin then!

naw, no really

[ZemmamasBarnet]

Never looked at the date of the OP!

Yer heeds probably no still buzzin then!

I tell you, that confuses the fuck out of me.

Who digs these golden oldies out and resurrects them???

I've seen loads recently!

[Gunnerhibby]

I tell you, that confuses the fuck out of me.

Who digs these golden oldies out and resurrects them???

I've seen loads recently!

Moathibby

wtf??

[Moodz]

naw, no really

Dunno why I bother...



Ach well...may be relevant to someone.

[ZemmamasBarnet]

Moathibby

wtf??

I see that now...

...but looking through six years worth of posts, or just searching "drugs" on the bounce search bar?

Weird!

[Moodz]

I tell you, that confuses the fuck out of me.

Who digs these golden oldies out and resurrects them???

I've seen loads recently!

Quite fancy my chances on the who's gonna win World Cup 2006 thread!

[Gunnerhibby]

Dunno why I bother...



Ach well...may be relevant to someone.

Nah, honestly, I appreciate what ye said, its just that 6 years doon the line, the guy died about a year after I posted that, and if I regret anything its that I never spoke to him before he died. As I said before, at one time he was a friend so that kinda thing ye dinnae forget.

Could've done without it being brought back 6 years later tho'.

[Moodz]

Nah, honestly, I appreciate what ye said, its just that 6 years doon the line, the guy died about a year after I posted that, and if I regret anything its that I never spoke to him before he died. As I said before, at one time he was a friend so that kinda thing ye dinnae forget.

Could've done without it being brought back 6 years later tho'.

It's funny, I've only kept in touch with folk fi school I wanted to. And they are few and far between. Basically I wouldn't go to a school reunion if it was on in my kitchen.

You would probably only have passed pleasantries then gone back to your table n said "seen the state of that kant!".

Other priorities bud...life moves on.

[blue toon hibby]

I tell you, that confuses the fuck out of me.

Who digs these golden oldies out and resurrects them???

I've seen loads recently!

I was about to say "welcome back" to Bouncy Babe until I noticed the date.

As for Moathibby's idea of legalising all drugs . . . FFS
There is more than enough heartache, violence, prostitution, disease and death brought about by misuse of drugs already. IMHO legalising it would only attract the more sensible and less-susceptible to dabble in them. If Moathibby is serious, he should read about the Dnipro orphanages, roll the clock forward and picture it in every neighbourhood.

[Bartok]

I miss Bouncy Babe

Apart from the cricket threads

[1875]

I miss Bouncy Babe

Apart from the cricket threads

I see her on the odd occasion at Easter Road, I'll say hello for you.

I agree about the cricket threads though.

[Green Sleeves]

Fuxxake, glad ye took yer time tae think aboot that response

Sometimes the bounce is bad for yer health. Oh ma poor sides.

[gun ainm]

I miss Bouncy Babe

Apart from the cricket threads

and Lutherblisset & Londonhibby? whatever happend to them?

[The__Proclaimer]

and Lutherblisset & Londonhibby? whatever happend to them?

YouTube - Whatever happened to the likely lads?.


BIG G

[Bouncy Babe]

I see her on the odd occasion at Easter Road, I'll say hello for you.

I agree about the cricket threads though.

aw naw! and I was going to tell you all about my trip to the Cheltenham Cricket Festival followed by the first Scotland v England ODI at Stockbridge.

Hi guys!! Hope you're all well.

[Jamie]

Hi guys!! Hope you're all well.

long time no see,hope yer doing well

[SKII]

aw naw! and I was going to tell you all about my trip to the Cheltenham Cricket Festival followed by the first Scotland v England ODI at Stockbridge.

Hi guys!! Hope you're all well.

Hello Missus.

Welcome back you old googly poster

[BunnahabhainXXV]

All drugs should be legalised imo

Fine as long as the suppliers will pay for the health care and social impacts - that should put them out of the reach of most anyway.

[Bouncy Babe]

long time no see,hope yer doing well

yes indeedy ta - doing away ......

[TommyPreston]

Fine as long as the suppliers will pay for the health care and social impacts - that should put them out of the reach of most anyway.

How much does society pay for drink and nicotine addiction in the end? Government controled drugs would bring in a massive windfall tax style payment every year.

[Bartok]

aw naw! and I was going to tell you all about my trip to the Cheltenham Cricket Festival followed by the first Scotland v England ODI at Stockbridge.

Hi guys!! Hope you're all well.

Do tell us all about the cricket, as I recall there was quite a bit of interest in those threads.

There are times when I feel I could be converted myself.

[BunnahabhainXXV]

How much does society pay for drink and nicotine addiction in the end? Government controled drugs would bring in a massive windfall tax style payment every year.

you calling for more tax on fags and booze, then?