Current Affairs 🏚️ Homelessness

[Worried2Death]

You’ve raised another interesting discussion, perhaps for another day - pharmaceutical medicine like antidepressants

Does it really help or does it pull you further down the rabbit hole.

Tbh they're more likely to pull you out of a rabbit hole/thought disorder/psychotic delusion.

Next year's still our year tho

 

[Pop Dukez]

We probably all know what it is, call it black dog, or the meaningless of a cold godless universe or whatever, we all have our ways of dealing with it, drugs, alcohol, God or antidepressants. The homeless population seem to have fallen through the cracks and haven't found their personal way of coping, I don't know what the answers are for them except going back to institutionalisation to keep them out of sight.

Yup self medicating is fruitless, it masks the real work one must do to break free from mental afflictions. Most people have some sort of affliction…..The Black Dog is a bitch and very real, the worst thing you can tell someone that is suffering severe psychological breakdowns is “harden up” My go to now is prayer with intent on sport mode, meditation, diet, exercise, connection, getting outside, sun on your face, breath work, cold showers and doing esteemable things and being of service to others. It’s a lot but it’s that or drown in darkness.

 

[Beastmode]

Tbh they're more likely to pull you out of a rabbit hole/thought disorder/psychotic delusion.

Next year's still our year tho

I took antidepressants about 15 years ago. Messed with my head. A spiral of emotions. Was given it waaay too easily. Took it for ~6 months. Gave it up when I met this girl who ended up my wife… I know some are not as lucky as me in finding a non-pill solution

 

[Worried2Death]

Yup self medicating is fruitless, it masks the real work one must do to break free from mental afflictions. Most people have some sort of affliction…..The Black Dog is a bitch and very real, the worst thing you can tell someone that is suffering severe psychological breakdowns is “harden up” My go to now is prayer with intent on sport mode, meditation, diet, exercise, connection, getting outside, sun on your face, breath work, cold showers and doing esteemable things and being of service to others. It’s a lot but it’s that or drown in darkness.

You've found your way out, good to hear bro. Long may it work, for at least the next 30/40 years or however long you live, everything's temporary ultimately isn't it, that's about all we know for sure.

 

[Lets Eat (YeahNah)]

I've been there too bro, no idea how I came out of it really, and it's always there under the surface tbh. Probably all a matter of luck and pure chance, and good people trying their best to help.

Respect brother
It takes strength to keep them demons down below

 

[Worried2Death]

I took antidepressants about 15 years ago. Messed with my head. A spiral of emotions. Was given it waaay too easily. Took it for ~6 months. Gave it up when I met this girl who ended up my wife… I know some are not as lucky as me in finding a non-pill solution

All different kinds of meds, tried prozac once, fuckn awful experience, there's a huge hit and miss factor across the spectrum of illnesses and chemistry.

I have a latent genetic propensity to depression, went to Westport cemetary years ago with my mum, saw the graves of 6 or 7 ancestors who all died suddenly at the age of 26/27 over a couple of generations, all male, no mention of why or how. Mum said it's the skeleton in the family closet, wasn't talked about in those days but they all died at their own hand when bipolar reaches a certain point of rapid cycling. So pretty sure its genetic and the only answer I've found is meds combined with psychological therapy. Again, doesn't work for everyone clearly going by the kiwi suicide stats.

 

[Pop Dukez]

I took antidepressants about 15 years ago. Messed with my head. A spiral of emotions. Was given it waaay too easily. Took it for ~6 months. Gave it up when I met this girl who ended up my wife… I know some are not as lucky as me in finding a non-pill solution

I’ve been on them all, it was terrible…..made me worse.

I’m single but I know there’s something about the love of a good woman (connection) they are healers by nature so your one lucky man but I need to get rid of some baggage before I head down that route.

I’m too self aware to get into a relationship with the stupid idea of thinking I need a woman to save me.

I’ve gotta heal first.

But hey, if a baddie asked me out……I’d kick myself if I said no - “hey baddie, I’m really flattered but I’m working on myself…..thanks anyway”

 

[Worried2Death]

I’ve been on them all, it was terrible…..made me worse.

I’m single but I know there’s something about the love of a good woman (connection) they are healers by nature so your one lucky man but I need to get rid of some baggage before I head down that route.

I’m too self aware to get into a relationship with the stupid idea of thinking I need a woman to save me.

I’ve gotta heal first.

But hey, if a baddie asked me out……I’d kick myself if I said no - “hey baddie, I’m really flattered but I’m working on myself…..thanks anyway”

Bit of chicken and egg going on there, who's to say you don't save each other. I had a baby daughter who saved me when I was a solo dad, she needed me and I needed her and here we still are.

 

[Pop Dukez]

All different kinds of meds, tried prozac once, fuckn awful experience, there's a huge hit and miss factor across the spectrum of illnesses and chemistry.

I have a latent genetic propensity to depression, went to Westport cemetary years ago with my mum, saw the graves of 6 or 7 ancestors who all died suddenly at the age of 26/27 over a couple of generations, all male, no mention of why or how. Mum said it's the skeleton in the family closet, wasn't talked about in those days but they all died at their own hand when bipolar reaches a certain point of rapid cycling. So pretty sure its genetic and the only answer I've found is meds combined with psychological therapy. Again, doesn't work for everyone clearly going by the kiwi suicide stats.

And it’s in your psyche now, shift your focus…..that doesn’t have to be you.

Us men don’t like reaching out, but it’s a must…..change the narrative, be the one to break the “generational curse”

Now you’ve got more pressure on you but you’ve got broad shoulders….hold it down for your future generations.

You’ve got this bro, don’t fold….never fold.

There’s heaps I’d love to share with you but not here.

 

[Worried2Death]

And it’s in your psyche now, shift your focus…..that doesn’t have to be you.

Us men don’t like reaching out, but it’s a must…..change the narrative, be the one to break the “generational curse”

Now you’ve got more pressure on you but you’ve got broad shoulders….hold it down for your future generations.

You’ve got this bro, don’t fold….never fold.

There’s heaps I’d love to share with you but not here.

I got through it about 20 years ago, I put it down to psychiatry and having a baby who depended on me so I didn't have the option of suicide. But who knows really, plenty parents take their lives too.

 

[Pop Dukez]

Bit of chicken and egg going on there, who's to say you don't save each other. I had a baby daughter who saved me when I was a solo dad, she needed me and I needed her and here we still are.

Valid points bro, and I’m open to that……but I’m just careful, I don’t want to ruin 2 lives ya know.

That’s awesome about your baby girl, my youngest daughter and youngest child gives me a lot of comfort & strength so I completely understand you

 

[Worried2Death]

Valid points bro, and I’m open to that……but I’m just careful, I don’t want to ruin 2 lives ya know.

That's a good point too, I was always adamant about not passing on cursed genes, but life is what happens while you're busy making other plans as the great philosopher John Lennon said.

 

[Pop Dukez]

I got through it about 20 years ago, I put it down to psychiatry and having a baby who depended on me so I didn't have the option of suicide. But who knows really, plenty parents take their lives too.

They do, I just imagine the pain I would leave behind……but I’ve been so bad that nothing mattered, and it was my kids that kept me alive.

 

[sup42]

We were homeless when I was a child, we arrived in South Auckland with nowhere to stay, a local church found us a Tent situation in one of the Church folks back yard.
Solo Mum on the run from a bad situation, six kids, tarpolin on the grass blankets, a lantern at night, Mum reading us stories.


New Zealand has never been a good country in my heart and I do not trust the Govt. Any Govt, nor Govt agencies.

 

[Worried2Death]

Knew a homeless guy in the 90s, Cambodian refugee with ptsd, Khmer Rouge stormed his house and a pack of them raped his 8 yr old daughter in front of him and his wife. She bled to death and his wife starved to death in some camp in the killing fields from what I could make out. Tormented soul hung himself in Victoria Square in Chch. Moral of the story, there isn't one. Seems when we look for meaning in tragedy we're just making it up so we don’t go insane.

 

[sup42]

Knew a homeless guy in the 90s, Cambodian refugee with ptsd, Khmer Rouge stormed his house and a pack of them raped his 8 yr old daughter in front of him and his wife. She bled to death and his wife starved to death in some camp in the killing fields from what I could make out. Tormented soul hung himself in Victoria Square in Chch. Moral of the story, there isn't one. Seems when we look for meaning in tragedy we're just making it up so we don’t go insane.

You have to wonder how we compartmentalize our problems to our first world issues when this is happening to people who are no different to us, they are just in the wrong place at the wrong time with zero choices to escape it.

Can feel pretty helpless trying to help someone who has lived what this chap you knew lived. The pit is so deep, so far down, so dark, It is really hard to even know how to begin.

Kindness. Simple acts of kindness, and with that, someone that tormented might still take their life all the same, but sometimes all we can do is shed a sliver of light on the dark, all be it briefly to find meaning.

 

[Worried2Death]

You have to wonder how we compartmentalize our problems to our first world issues when this is happening to people who are no different to us, they are just in the wrong place at the wrong time with zero choices to escape it.

Can feel pretty helpless trying to help someone who has lived what this chap you knew lived. The pit is so deep, so far down, so dark, It is really hard to even know how to begin.

Kindness. Simple acts of kindness, and with that, someone that tormented might still take their life all the same, but sometimes all we can do is shed a sliver of light on the dark, all be it briefly to find meaning.

You have to wonder how we compartmentalize our problems to our first world issues when this is happening to people who are no different to us, they are just in the wrong place at the wrong time with zero choices to escape it.

Can feel pretty helpless trying to help someone who has lived what this chap you knew lived. The pit is so deep, so far down, so dark, It is really hard to even know how to begin.

Kindness. Simple acts of kindness, and with that, someone that tormented might still take their life all the same, but sometimes all we can do is shed a sliver of light on the dark, all be it briefly to find meaning.

War veterans with PTSD (most of them probably) had the RSA as a place to talk to each about their shared trauma. Not sure there's an equivalent these days for people who aren't vets, there are group therapy sessions and the like for psych patients in the MH system, but I don't know what help there really is for people who don't want to engage with the system.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Sure there’s a homeless problem, there has been as long as I’ve been here on earth.

I lived in Auckland CBD for 10 years off K Rd and moved back into a central suburb November last year so I’ve seen it all and knew and spoke to a lot of them and got to know some of them quite well over a decade..

A list of reasons why homelessness exists:

1) Horrible childhoods full of trauma
2) Inabilty to handle life’s responsibilities of “regular” folk.
3) Addiction - although not all homeless are on drugs & booze but most of them are and the ones that are have serious addictions
4) Freedom of not having to adhere to the restraints of bills/debt/caring for loved ones etc, but it still comes with a price to pay
5) Running away from home/authority with no where else to go, especially the young ones
6) Severe mental illnesses
7) No family and/or shunned
8) Can’t be effed working and no ambition
9) Low self esteem & self pity
10) Feelings of worthlessness & hopelessness
11) To “disappear”
12) FTW & society attitude
13) Broken spirit
14) Subconscious belief that being on the street is all they deserve
15) Non conformity
16) Lost “everything”
17) Pure laziness
18) Kicked out of any home they’ve been in and for some they don’t know how to keep a home so landlords/family give them the boot over and over.
19) In and out of jail and no one wants anything to do with them
20) No money…..surprise surprise
21) No education and unemployable

The list goes on, we’ll never solve homelessness and it’s important to know that there’s a fair chunk of them that want to get off the street (and alot of them do) but don’t know how to and any little roadblock they hit they give up.

Some aren’t actually but present themselves as homeless to garner sympathy in exchange for money/food & or obviously to support their addictions (but like I said not all are on the piss & pipe)

My 10 years in the CBD I saw at least 5 with my own eyes die on the street, countless others passed away and I wondered what happened to them.

A quick story, there was a rotund lady built like a dump truck that usually posted up on K Rd with her “homeless” sign…..she was well fed believe me. I saw her all the time, bad attitude and I stopped giving her money and gave her a pie one day instead and she took it from my hand and threw it on to the road and said “I don’t want that, I want some “f*****g money”……I found out from another person that saw what happened and they told me she had a HNZ flat near by and wasn’t homeless.

I’ve heard some horrific stories from the horses mouth and felt absolutely helpless because I wanted to help them. Many are normal people that just found themselves on skid row but they fell through the cracks.

Homelessness is a spectrum as far as the type of person goes.

Some actually want to be on the street believe it or not and some are desperate to get off the street and you have everyone in between.

There’s no cure all, I stopped giving money out because I realised I was perpetuating the problem….. sounds paradoxical but it’s true.

Some of them pull in $100-200 per day no shit.

It’s a real tricky one & a part of society that we’ll always have.

Most of those things are interrelated.

I have a family member who works in state houses and despite many having no job and more free time than most, a lot are not house proud, like in a mess and all spend their time doing nothing when it’s just time to change their living environment.

This isn’t an attack on those people. I don’t believe they are lazy. They are mentally defeated - lost hope, given up, beaten down, given up trying.

Despite a house and govt income, they have no purpose.

I don’t have the answers but read about the Auckland waterfront Tamaki drive built with the unemployed in the 1930’s where the aim is to give pride in our city and community… would a scheme like that give a purpose in life?

 

[Worried2Death]

Most of those things are interrelated.

I have a family member who works in state houses and despite many having no job and more free time than most, a lot are not house proud, like in a mess and all spend their time doing nothing when it’s just time to change their living environment.

This isn’t an attack on those people. I don’t believe they are lazy. They are mentally defeated - lost hope, given up, beaten down, given up trying.

Despite a house and govt income, they have no purpose.

What's the answer? Can't really invent a purpose for them if they don't believe in it. Bit like a leap of faith in religions.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

What's the answer? Can't really invent a purpose for them if they don't believe in it. Bit like a leap of faith in religions.

I’ve edited my post.

Include them in society. Make them part of it and a contribution that is meaningful.

Give a sense of achievement. It works for me.