Dialogue with Sane forum Forumites

@Mazarita If you were interested in experimental arts then that is stuff we would love to hear about ... in a general way ... you dont need to tell us anything that would compromise your identity ... I just believe it is so important to focus on our wide range of traits rather than what is seen to be pathological.

Many people have both helped and harmed me there are few clearly positive only relationships ...

@Appleblossom Thanks for your interest in my creative pursuits. I am concerned about anonymity but can answer in general ways. What I was doing creatively was not highly conceptual. With media, there have been very short impressionistic personal pieces, short narratives, voice over pieces and more. I've been involved in media on and off since I was about 22. Then there was also music in loungerooms, very basic and humble, some busking in Sydney, and an exploration of electronic music. I've always liked small scale, often home technologies.

@PeppiPatty Thanks, Bella

I think he was genuinely concerned about a whole host of issues around addiction and non stigmatising ... broadening the concept of addiction exposing his own frailty rather than pretending he was better than his patients. He also had a tough road that he came from ... I am familiar with his cultural attachment to classical music and how it can be seen as something beyond reproach .. but if it is in excess or more important things are not attended to because of "love of music" then that is a problem.

I am not sure what I think of the safe injecting rooms ... but I like the Hungry Ghost idea too .. and his understanding of the childhood adversity events and general socioeconomic issues.

I did a course called "Desire and Discourse" a long time ago and it still informs the way I think.

Just looked up about Peter Cohen from the Netherlands and the Portugal policy on drugs ... all stuff we can learn from.

I like Cohen's approach to the drug probloem as a "social construction" of western culture and based on "prejudice and ideology".

I only came across these big words at uni after I had stopped using ... but it has been the attitudes in the community since that has really saddened me ... the only person who supported that I had quit using was my old GP ... after an abusive experience from a former GP in that clinic ... not one nice comment in 20 years ... that sucks ....pardon if I am regressing and going all teenagery ... I didnt do it for the accolades but the bigotry I have experienced has really worried me ... idiotic American concept a "war on drugs" the only good comment I received was from a lovely lady who said that I gave her hope that her grand daughter would be able to kick it.

@Appleblossom I've had some bad experiences with health practitioners too. It's been more in the mainstream medical field than the mental health field. You mentioned somewhere tonight about relationships always involving positives and negatives. I think this is true. Perhaps one positive is the years of experience of these things to help us navigate better future paths?