Addictions. Marriages. Rent control. Break-ups. Careers. Harry Potter. Children. More addictions. Friends' stupidity. Growing up... the list goes on and on and on.
Playing catch-up with an great friend is one of the best ways to kill an afternoon.
As I sat here trying to find something remotely interesting to write about this week - this is a rather difficult task sometimes - I decided to return a call to one of my closest friends.
We met in grade seven and have worked rather hard at staying in touch after high school. She's one of only two girlfriends from those days I still talk with on a regular basis, but since she's in her last year of nursing, her schedule has been hectic - to say the least. Sadly this has meant we haven't had many opportunities to chat lately.
So, instead of spending my Family Day afternoon finishing my last piece of writing for this week's paper (in my defence I did spend all morning writing) I decided to give myself a little R&R and give her a call.
After I brought her up to speed on my life - didn't take long - and she brought me up to speed on hers - took much longer - we delved into much deeper conversation.
My friend chose to do part of her nursing practicum in the area of addictions. Why, she never really quite knew, but since then she has decided it's an area she wants to explore further as a nurse.
I find this fascinating partially because of where I live. As much as we may not want to admit it, there is a drug problem in Southeast Saskatchewan. Just take a look at the police report from Estevan and see how many people are being busted for possession or trafficking, and it's undeniable.
From speaking with people, I understand this area has always had trouble with drugs due to its location relative to the American border. But, I also understand it's become worse as the black gold began flowing at never before seen rates.
Though it's become worse, as in more and more drugs are flowing into the area, it's relatively affordable for many people and therefore, not viewed in the way it would be viewed in a place where people lived much closer to the poverty line.
But, this should be viewed as a very serious problem. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even 20 years from now, but some day we're going to experience a slow down in the patch with twice the impact of late 2008 and 2009.
As an oil wife, so to speak, I don't want to admit an inevitable slow down anymore than the next person, but you have to assume it will come. And you have to prepare.
I have to wonder how all those people who picked up a little drug habit will manage when the money disappears. What will happen with the cash stops flowing and they're left scraping just to pay rent? (At these astronomically high rates, rent is a topic for another column). What will happen when boredom sets in, and I mean really sets in, and all they want is a little pick-me-up?
In areas where the socio-economic status is much lower than here, people steal, assault and murder. Is this what we have to look forward to?
And please don't think for a second I placing the blame on solely on rig hands or oil field workers. This problem is far-more reaching. When one industry - the oil industry - experiences a boom, other areas are affected, too. More money means more spending. More spending means more business. More money also means more jobs. More jobs means there is a need for additional housing, which in turn creates more jobs and more money. You can see it's an endless circle.
My friend tells me, from what she learned, there is usually a big event in a person's life that leads them to become an addict. Or it may be that the person is just really angry at life. Either way, once they're an addict, it's tough to kick.
While many of those who are enjoying drugs recreationally as money permits may easily give it up when money dries up for some time, there are going to be those who have developed a strong need for drugs - those who have become addicts.
When this happens, what are the communities - and the government - prepared to do to ensure these men and women are offered the help they need. There will be a need for additional addictions funding for rehab programs - is the government going to ensure funding is available?
We also need to look at the way rehab services are offered. Again, from what my friend tells me after working with addicts, the traditional 30-day or 90-day programs will not be good enough for people who have addictions to chemical drugs like cocaine or crack. At 90-days, her patients told her they were just starting to feel better, and then that was it. They were done. Most end up back where they started.
I know there will be people who disagree with me and say we should let them fend for themselves because they "chose" to become an addict, but if we ignore the problem, it will creep into other areas of our lives as people begin committing crimes to feed the addiction.
Then what?
We need to be proactive. That's what.
