Man Of Jackistan: Reason and Truth's Time and Place

They Should Understand Addiction, Or At Least Try! Rant #4 ( Opinion ) Originally February 24, 2020 Somebody said that they hate when people don't understand addiction as a disease, or that sometimes, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) such as buprenorphine (usually called by the most famous brand name of it, Suboxone) and methadone. These treatments involve taking a person addicted to opioids and administering Suboxone or methadone to them, in order to quell withdrawal symptoms and craving. Because both are actually just different opioid drugs, it prevents those things from happening. 'Giving drugs to addicts' seems controversial, especially when somebody knows little about those treatments or the science behind it. Below, I have cleaned up the response I gave to my friend: I am so annoyed when people say "I'd never get addicted to that because I have strong willpower" or "I've [drank/done drugs] and I never got addicted." Yes. So cle...

Q&A: "How Intense Is Opioid Withdrawal?" Includes Subjective Opinions Originally composed January 14, 2019 From time to time, I will take and answer questions. Additionally, on occasion, I will also answer questions or write articles by throwing my personal experience into the mix (always labelled as editorials). Question: "How Intense Is Opioid Withdrawal?" Well, it depends. That’s like asking “how much does getting a body part chopped off hurt?” One could lose a finger or a whole limb, and both will really hurt, though one will bring more severe pain than the other. Likewise, with opioid withdrawal, consider it on a spectrum. Somebody who has taken 5 mg of Vicodin (hydrocodone) twice a day for two months will likely experience some symptoms when ceasing to take the drug, though not nearly as many symptoms or to the degree that will be experienced by an I.V. heroin user who has injected $100 of the stuff each day for two years. Regardless of...