@tryptakid I'll have a more detailed response when I get back home this morning. Regarding the money being "invested" into addiction resources... they might as well just burn the fucking money.
I try not to be a pompous asshole, but it's hard. It's a day to day process of mindfulness for know-it-alls like myself. However, I think the people who need to have serious input in these matters are people like you, myself and others who have knowledge and experience.
For instance, most doctors I talk to regarding Restless Legs/Akathisia during withdrawal actually consider it something along the lines of unconscious fidgeting. We all know that this Akathisia is one of the most horrific, torturous experiences we have ever endured... the doctors think it's twitching. There are serious gaps in the knowledge that could be so easily filled in.
I'd say ~80%-85% of doctors I've ever spoken to, including doctors
in the field of addiction/psychiatry have no idea what the Kindling Effect is. A cornerstone of the addict's experience in chronic dependency is not ever discussed and is rarely, rarely understood, even more rarely known by its actual name as stated above. It's such an in your face, obvious phenomenon that is practically never discussed. Doctors with experience in writing prescriptions for Opioids for individuals not addicted/dependent, they are only familiar with the initial phase of dependence/withdrawal that often takes weeks or months to manifest. This leads to a frequent admonishment of addicts for getting re-addicted in a matter of days. They don't put these pieces together.
We all know the world of medicine/psychiatry are not interested in the opinions of drug addicts whatsoever. Everything we have to say is bullshit. If we could have an honest discourse, combining our "street knowledge" with the more formal aspects of medicine, we could do so much good.
I was in education for a long time, though I now work in the field of social work. I primarily have managed homeless shelters here in my town and done work for the syringe exchange and other Harm Reduction stuff.
Other staff who work with me at the shelters, almost all of whom have no history of addiction, are often flabbergasted by how I am able to communicate with addicts. We speak the language, we know the behavior, it makes sense to us... the motivations of people. Situations that could have escalated into fairly extreme violence can be diffused instantly simply by offering the person a cigarette (most of these folks are utterly destitute and picking up dog ends to resmoke is an entrenched practice).
While my colleagues are consulting their college educations and textbooks for how to diffuse what seems like such an incredibly complex situation. Meanwhile, I know that offering this person a substance, even as mild as a cigarette, that is enough to calm them down and take them out of that moment.
I am seriously concerned at this point for our future as Harm Reduction workers. As the financial situation worsens in Western Civilization and elsewhere, I fear all it will take is for a Republican candidate to be elected for the shit to absolutely hit the fan for those in active addiction. Things are so bad right now. There are very few resources... and we allegedly have a leader who cares about these things. Imagine what this is gonna look like if conservatives come to power. It will be a fucking bloodbath.