Here’s my theory: I was actually thinking about this today at work. 20 years ago or so, drug addicts and alcoholics used to go on disability. Well, you give an addict a check every month and I don’t have to tell you what often happens. It got so bad there was an exposé on 20/20 or one of those shows. People were outraged. So they stopped, but instead slapped mental illness diagnoses on a lot of them so they could get checks. Just my theory.
It would seem that people in red states have fewer mood disorders, with some exceptions.
Seriously, now I have a question:Who knows anything about the PTSD epidemic? I always associated post traumatic stress disorder with soldiers who had been in combat, or others who had had extreme experiences—maybe being held hostage, serious child abuse, being a victim of a violent crime, etc. But now it seems like every other person running around Everett claims to have it. Does anybody know anything about this?
Yes, you are correct. My sister, a druggie, is one of them. But she is also bi-polar, has threatened to kill people, and is border-line schizoid.
So the question remains: do people use marijuana and opiates to self-medicate? Or does the decades-long use of these types of drugs cause a person to mentally degenerate?
Here’s the blunt truth....I lived in Arlington for three years and could observe the whole trend in DC while walking around at various historic sites (the mentally ill hang out at the same sites in DC).
Back in the 1980s....a big segment of the 18-to-25 year old folks (guys and gals) of DC....did cocaine and just about every heavy drug possible. Those who survived...are today around the city. These folks are now 30 years older, and range from 48 to 55 years old.
Basically, they burned out their braincells...can’t think....can’t do much of anything....and just kinda survive as best as they can. A fair number are street folks....who just get by with a blanket or sleeping bag. The various charity groups think that feeding and giving one-night shelter is the best strategy.
The truth is...this group of ten thousand folks need to be institutionalized and tossed out of the city. No one does that because legal eagles will swoop down to defend them and it’d take billions in legal costs to dump some folks into the only place where they fit.
If you want to really see these disabled dimwits....step outside of Union Station and make a one-block circle. There’s one park about half-a-mile from the Library of Congress where most of them hang out all day. If you stand there....you’d swear they were zombies.
What we need is a simple new category for mentally disabled. You can’t collect the check or cash it....unless you enter a government-approved facility, and live within its gates. Then the guy would have to make a decision on his own....avoiding the legal eagles who continually prey upon his stupid position in life, and dump this poor sap where he needs to be.....not on the streets of DC or any major town.