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Would you help out an addict on the street?

Pauliedragon

I was in the middle of the city today and I saw a bloke stumbling/falling all over the floor. A lady was trying to help him up but he was all over the place. I helped her out to move him to the nearest steps so he could sit down and gather himself. Long story short I noticed everybody walked past the poor bloke with no intention of helping him. Are we that far gone as a society that we leave people lying on the ground with no help? Would you stop and help or just walk past?

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Captain Red Beard

When someone is that out of it, it's hard to gauge how they might react.

DellyBelly

Wud definitely help someone if they were injured or a person was struggling with something heavy but when a person injects that poison or gets themselves pi55ed then I've zero sympathy

Pauliedragon

Captain Red Beard wrote: »

When someone is that out of it, it's hard to gauge how they might react.

Very true. I just felt sorry for the poor bloke. He was a mess.

bee06

No, I wouldn’t. As someone else said, I’d be worried how he/she might react.

Donald Trump

Unfortunately the only solution might be juveniles in China/Japan/Korea/India etc

the purple tin

Fair play for helping op but when someone is that drunk it can easily go the other way, as soon as you start talking to them they can turn belligirent and get violent. That has happened to me before.

BuboBubo

No, I'd cross the street to avoid them. I'm not in a position to help them anyway, what could I do? Give them money for more drugs?

get a slap? Get vomited on? Stabbed with a needle?

Nope, not a chance, avoid, avoid, avoid!

Beechwoodspark

Yep I’d help in such a situation. I’ve rang for ambulance on occasion as someone was in a really bad way. Total stranger btw

stevek93

I had a friend once at at bus stop who took a epileptic seizure everyone thought he overdosed on drugs he was lying on ground shaking and whole bus stop ignored him..

Donald Trump

stevek93 wrote: »

I had a friend once at at bus stop who took a epileptic seizure everyone thought he overdosed on drugs he was lying on ground shaking and whole bus stop ignored him..

You had a friend once at a bus stop?

Did you not get their contact details? Could have made a longer term friend

Working class heroes

DellyBelly wrote: »

Wud definitely help someone if they were injured or a person was struggling with something heavy but when a person injects that poison or gets themselves pi55ed then I've zero sympathy

Ah yes, the luxury of ignorance.

bee06

stevek93 wrote: »

I had a friend once at at bus stop who took a epileptic seizure everyone thought he overdosed on drugs he was lying on ground shaking and whole bus stop ignored him..

That’s pretty sh*tty. In that situation I’d be ringing 999 and trying to help.

myshirt

I hear you op, it's a terrible indictment of us. Most people feel helpless however. It's a heavy burden to press on each and all people going by. You are looking on at quite complex issues and it's hard to know what to do beyond ring for help.

There was a chap on the junction of North Earl Street and O'Connell street a few months ago (no more than 27-28) who had pissed himself, was emaciated, and partially comotose. People filed past. It was terrible. But I was talking to another chap who was tapping for change and he had said someone tried to help him before and had got sliced across the stomach for their troubles.

Serious and significant problems right on our streets, what can the average Joe Soap do?

freshpopcorn

It would really depend on the situation and where I was but I do understand why people don't step in and help people especially in cities!

ginandtonicsky

There are so many smack zombies in Dublin that I'd probably not even notice tbh.

Donald Trump

freshpopcorn wrote: »

It would really depend on the situation and where I was but I don understand why people don't step in and help people especially in cities!

A lot of people are allergic to being stabbed by a junkie

Donald Trump

Get him a job on RTE

They might still have whatever scheme that skinny heroin addict* Tubridy got in on

*May not be an actual junkie

Pauliedragon

stevek93 wrote: »

I had a friend once at at bus stop who took a epileptic seizure everyone thought he overdosed on drugs he was lying on ground shaking and whole bus stop ignored him..

It's funny you mention that, I've been diagnosed with epilepsy myself. Seizures are no fun and the first thing my neurologist said to me was people will treat you like some degenerate if they see you having one. Lucky for me when I had a seizure on the street I was next door to a hospital.

Foweva Awone

The thing to bear in mind is that, in the scenario you're describing, the state that person is in is (most likely) exactly what they were expecting/hoping to achieve. I've many friends in recovery from addiction to heroin and other drugs, and to be honest if they saw someone on the street in that kind of state, they'd often remark something along the lines of "That's good gear, wonder where he got it."

I mean, they'd feel compassion and empathy too of course, but you don't smoke/inject heroin to get just a little bit high, or to take the edge off reality just a small bit ... you're hoping to get as stoned as possible, as cheaply as possible. From what you've described, the person achieved that.

I myself am also in recovery (alcohol was my drug of choice) and I do feel an urge to reach out to those on the streets who are still suffering from addiction; however I'm unlikely to engage with anyone who's obviously under the influence. I'd be far more likely to have a chat with someone out begging in the middle of the day if they're sober and somewhat clear-headed; at least then (if they've any interest in the resources available to them) they're more likely to retain whatever information I'm giving them.

Actually I'm often more likely to share some of my own story with them - I'm someone who's lost more than most through my addiction, but (through years of hard work and treatment) I've turned things around in my life. It can help people to hear that. And sometimes, the best way you can help someone is just to be that connection to the rest of the human race - to look at them and talk with them and interact with them on a normal, personal level. When you're on the streets and/or in addiction, you're often either ignored or abused, it's hard not to start viewing yourself as dirt, when that's the way almost everyone else is treating you.

So yeah, I've no problem going out of my way to help those in addiction, just not at the time when they're affected/under the influence - far more beneficial to try to reach out to them when they're sober.

ginandtonicsky

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Actually I'm often more likely to share some of my own story with them - I'm someone who's lost more than most through my addiction, but (through years of hard work and treatment) I've turned things around in my life. It can help people to hear that.

Alcoholism is no laughing matter. Absolute fair play to you and best wishes in your continued recovery.

corner of hells

Yes , through work I've dealt with quite a few addicts overdosing , just one died.

There's quite a difference between an addict who's stopped breathing and one who is potentially aggressive .

It's takes a moment to check someone's pulse, breathing and put them in a recovery position.

368100

There used to be a woman who inhaled aerosols under the columns at BOI college green...
I saw her twice or 3 times rolling around on the pavement completely out of it.....one of the most disturbing sights ive ever seen.
Everybody walked past and avoided......so did I, not many would be equipped to handle something like that, and youre putting yourself at risk for being good samaritan......a risk too far for me.

gctest50

corner of hells wrote: »

...........

It's takes a moment to check someone's pulse, breathing and put them in a recovery position.

and another moment to catch hepatitis

mrsbeebee

ginandtonicsky wrote: »

There are so many smack zombies in Dublin that I'd probably not even notice tbh.

I agree. People who are shocked by this must not see as much of it as us who work in the city centre every day. If I stopped to help every addict I saw between the bus and the office I'd never get to work. Also, if I gave money to everyone asking I'd be broke.

I don't have a heart of stone. I just can't help everyone I see.

I donate to Peter mcverry or other homeless charities instead.

[Deleted User]

Nope. Wouldn't go near them. Seems a grand way to get set up to be sued for something. Never mind, the actual real possibility of physical danger should they decide it's a good opportunity to mug me.

Nope. The world has moved on and helping adult strangers in questionable circumstances is just too damn open to being abused (legally/financially/violently).

Wouldn't hesitate to find the Gardai to intercede though.

mrsbeebee

My husband worked near Merchants Quay for a while and saw horrendous things: an addict spitting in someone's face for no reason, an addict pushing someone in front of a bus that managed to stop thankfully, addicts trying to get into cars stopped in traffic. That last one was a daily occurance.

corner of hells

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Nope. Wouldn't go near them. Seems a grand way to get set up to be sued for something. Never mind, the actual real possibility of physical danger should they decide it's a good opportunity to mug me.

Nope. The world has moved on and helping adult strangers in questionable circumstances is just too damn open to being abused (legally/financially/violently).

Wouldn't hesitate to find the Gardai to intercede though.

Sue you for what ?

corner of hells

mrsbeebee wrote: »

My husband worked near Merchants Quay for a while and saw horrendous things: an addict spitting in someone's face for no reason, an addict pushing someone in front of a bus that managed to stop thankfully, addicts trying to get into cars stopped in traffic. That last one was a daily occurance.

Tough spot , I worked in it for years

KevinCavan

I think people are afraid to get mixed up in the world of junkies, they have very disfuctional lives that unfortunately you won’t change over night. They are in a vicious circle of fighting, robbing, begging, violence, injuries and convictions.In a way if somebody deliberately took powerful horse tranquilizers and passed out on the footpath, is it the general public’s responsibility to look after them? It is different to an old lady accidentally falling and needing help.

Stephen15

Not a hope. 1. I have places to be and better things to do then help junkies 2. I don't want to get HIV, hepatitis or any other such disease associated with junkies 3. I wouldn't want to help someone who is costing me and you the taxpayer money and is a burden to society through social welfare, methadone programs and in many cases crime 4. I wouldn't want to be wasting the time of the ambulance service or hospitals at the expense of genuine people in need who worked for a living and paid their way in life and paid their fair share of taxes 5. I'm not a do gooder

I think I could spot the difference between a junkie who is off their face and someone genuinely in need who I would help such as someone having a seizure or a cardiac arrest.