STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA?

06 Mar 2023 8 Comments

by Fairy Qu33n in PEOPLE

If you live there, please tell me if it’s real what we see in this video.

I’m very upset watching people staying in this way. It’s very very sad.

What’s happening there?

8 Comments (+add yours?)

Marlapaige
Mar 06, 2023 @ 13:06:35

I live outside of Philly. I can tell you that is definitely Philly, as I’ve been to many of the locations that appear in the video, although last time I went to these particular locations, it wasn’t like this at all. However, having watched this, at least two situations shown was not what they were trying to show. In Philly, there are some areas where people meet up and just hang out, usually on Saturday and Sunday when they aren’t working. Two of the scenes were just that. The locations they are at tell me that as it is well monitored for drug activity. Since I rarely go to Philly now, I can’t speak to how bad it is now, but I doubt those two areas have changed their drug-free policies.

But that’s what’s happening… drugs. People make poor choices and end up on that path. This is what drug addiction looks like. It’s sad, but true. The other sad fact is that these people CAN financially afford the drugs, but CAN’T afford treatment, and would likely die trying to get clean, depending on the withdrawal symptoms.

In America, the mentality is very much against drug addiction. Not in any helpful way, though. The logic is “just say no” is the only way. If you say “yes” and get hooked, you’re an idiot and have to figure it out without help, unless you have family or friends willing and able to help you. If you are still able to maintain a job, GREAT! Get that insurance to pay for it. If you can’t work because you’re too addicted (like some of those wobbly people in the video), well, it’s a choice you’ve made and must live (or die) with your choices. If you’re lucky enough to be offered help for free, you better take it; if you choose to say no, you will likely never receive the offer again.

I worked in a place, outside of Philly, which helped homeless, drug addicted people, but we were a dual diagnosis location, so most had mental illness too. The only way we could help those that didn’t have insurance was by finding them, and could only get the ok in extreme circumstances. We were a short-term residential location. We had 5 places for people discharged from the hospital, but had 6 beds. The 6th bed could be for someone who literally had nothing at all, but there better be a good reason we found that person and brought them in. In my three years there, we got the ok only four times. In two of the cases, it was the same person because he came back around in his own. All four were dead-of-winter, and we got the ok because they had nothing and the weather was dropping well below freezing. If they started going through any type of withdrawal symptoms, we couldn’t keep them. We were not equipped and it could be triggering for the other five who could afford treatment through their own insurance or government insurance. We took them to the hospital for the hospital to figure it out. Sometimes, the hospital kept them, treated them, and got them on government insurance so they could come back via the proper channels; sometimes, they didn’t.

Either way, as employees we did the best we could with what we had; it wasn’t much. Business and money are king. These people chose this path, they must walk it.

That’s what you’re seeing in that video.

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- Fairy Qu33n
  Mar 14, 2023 @ 20:32:11
  
  I thank you very much for all the things you have told here. Unfortunately the drug problem is here too and they constantly find syringes in the parks where the children play and yet I live in a small town and not in a big city. I believe that sometimes certain bad choices are made in difficult moments in life and leaving these people to themselves creates other problems. I believe the state should create communities to help these people get off drugs. In any case, you are a smart person and you do a lot for others and you have all my respect. 😉🤗
  
  Reply
  - Marlapaige
    Mar 18, 2023 @ 15:39:34
    
    Oh, the cynic in me says the state has created communities to help these people: homeless communities. As far as I know, America has one of the largest homeless communities in the world. Not per capita, but generally all in one place kind of things. There’s a place in California that is actually known for this, it’s a gigantic homeless community. It’s smart, their safety in numbers, and not nearly enough spots to keep warm by yourself, so it makes sense. However, the state has little to nothing to do with it other than let it happen.
    
    We used to have a problem with the syringes in the parks as well. It wasn’t when I was a child, it was pretty nice, but a few years after me, there were syringes everywhere. Then there was this giant push to clean it all up, and for the most part out of sight out of mind. Now, you mostly just see empty beer bottles from high school kids at the park. Down the shore, you still see syringes and horrifyingness in the sand, or at least it was there last time I was, which is several years now, as I hate the beach. It’s a legitimate problem, and the solution is not what we’re doing, but there isn’t much we can do. Drugs have been a peripheral part of my life throughout my life. I’ve worked and drug rehab centers, dual diagnosis centers, had cousins that died from drug use, friends that died from drug use, a brother-in-law that was addicted, but was able to maintain a job and get insurance to pay for him to get clean, and one of my sister’s exes became a drug dealer after they broke up, it’s everywhere. It’s sad, it’s true, it’s real, and mostly it’s ignored.
    
    Thank you. Personally, I don’t think I’ve been particularly smart, or do an overwhelming amount of anything for other people, but I’m also able to see that in reality I do. Most people just wanna ignore it, and the people that suffer because of it. I can’t turn a blind eye. I’m too nosy, and bossy.
    
    Thank you for taking the time to respond 💖
wingsallure
Mar 06, 2023 @ 15:27:51

Sadly it is true. In 2018 the homelessness was severrd but by 2021 it was down 43% from then but last year in 2022 the PIT count showed an increase by 14% from 2018 but reported now homeless families onnthe street. PiT counts do not take.into account people couch surfing or doubling up living with others.

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Giannis Pit
Mar 06, 2023 @ 16:51:31

I think it’s a message against drugs! But it’s really a nightmare, my dear. I have no words.

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- Fairy Qu33n
  Mar 07, 2023 @ 12:55:50
  
  I’m very sad about that.
  
  Reply
thefreeonline
Mar 06, 2023 @ 21:14:19

Reblogged this on The Free.

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leendadll
Mar 07, 2023 @ 02:40:48

While a likely exaggeration via picking only the worst glimpses at the worst time, if you said this was SkidRow in LA, it would be about right.

Of note: Addicts line up for methodone treatments, assistance, and housing – those lines make things look their worst because so many are gathered at the same time. That said, dispursement – and the laws forcing it – are one of many reasons help only gets to a small percentage who need it.

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