hug a social worker

March just happens to be National Social Work awareness month.  And social work just happens to be one my passions.  Back in the 80's I went on a side trip from clinical medicine and started exploring social work in general and hospice in particular.  I helped Lauren write her high school thesis about the hospice philosophy and she later, after trying out nursing, became a BSW at UT Martin.  Her first year was a whirlwind of for-profit mental health and resulted in a quick burnout.  She has now returned to that genre and loves it with a passion.  Making change in people's lives is a huge challenge because of generational issues related to mental health and addiction.  People are homeless and can't help it.  They have mental health issues and cannot get help.  Thank God for charitable agencies that are funded to reach out to these folks.  

Addiction medicine is a whole 'nother animal but is part of the whole scheme of things.  LP went to an event sponsored by the City of Jackson promoting Fentanyl awareness and she said it was packed out.  Fentanyl is the new heroin I hear.  The tragic thing is that so many street drugs are laced with it and users don't realize it.  The opiate addiction has pretty much been crushed by governmental controls on prescriptions to the point that people who really NEED them can't get 'em.  Often they resort to buying on the street which can be deadly.  I was on low dose hydrocodone for about three months following my huge abdominal surgery and, while it helped, I went through the withdrawal process when I no longer had a prescription.  And I survived.  It wasn't fun at all.....chills, night sweats, etc etc.  

I'm proud of all those who do social work either by profession or volunteer efforts.  It takes a village to help with human suffering and turning a blind eye to the needs of others is down right wrong.  To each his own, but it costs nothing to lend a hand to those in need.

Keepin' the faith ^j^