Heroin Scourge Overtakes a ‘Quaint’ Vermont Town

Stephanie Predel is off heroin. But the Bennington, Vt., area, where she lives, is in the throes of an epidemic. BENNINGTON, Vt. — Stephanie Predel, a stick-thin 23-year-old freshly out of jail, said she was off heroin. But she knows precisely where she could get more drugs if she ever wanted them — at the support meetings for addicts. “I can get most of my drugs right at the meeting,” she said. “Drug dealers go because they know they’re going to get business.” She added, “People are going into the bathroom to get high.” Bennington, a pre-Revolutionary town of 17,000 people, presents another face of the heroin epidemic that has swept through Vermont. In January, Gov. Peter Shumlin devoted his entire State of the State address to what he said was a “full-blown heroin crisis” gripping the state. In an interview later, he said that the state’s localities had managed only a patchwork response. Citing Rutland’s antidrug crusade as a hopeful sign, he said that not all areas had felt the same urgency. “Bennington is where Rutland was four years ago,” he said.

Mexicans invasion of the USA , Afghan production exploding after we forbade our forces from damaging poppy fields, heroin chic looking models, and pop culture pushed on our kids.

Your remarks about Mexican invasion and our policy towards Afghan poppy fields is spot-on. However, I disagree with putting too much blame on the other points.

I'm no fan of contemporary pop culture (haven't watched a TV show in years), but you can only blame TV and other media so much for an individual's actions. Case in point: the film Requiem for a Dream, based on Hubert Selby's novel, is a graphic and grim portrayal of how drug addiction ruins people's lives. To anyone of sound mind, watching it would be a "this is what happens..." deterrent. Now, if a bunch of high school or college kids watch it and think it's cool, and that engaging in self-destructive behavior is something to aspire to, whose fault is it? I say it's the fault of the teenagers and their parents, not the movie's.

Some of what you suggest I can no longer do. Some is doable. I went through that heart stuff when I had a nervous breakdown after my mom died of myocardial infarction. I thought something was the matter with my heart so finally had an EKG. Then I lost my father from the same thing plus other complications 14 years later. That's all been a long time ago now.

I never had xanax in a drip but I do think it makes depression worse (I have that whether I'm on anything or not), just that there are degrees of it. I have what is called co-morbidity and had to make a choice. I said I can deal with the depression but not the panic attacks.

I did go off my only psych med for 2 years back in around 2003. I felt kind of like a zombie but kept to my routine and went for a walk almost every day. I couldn't do more that a little over a mile (I'm going to be 73 now). Now well my son committed suicide and i'm messed up for good. I shake so bad I can hardly write checks to pay my bills. My knees are shot. And more. That kind of grief affects your physical health. I don't want to whine about this any more.

I'm supposed to drink Gatorade or one of those drinks. They're heavy to tote home from the store with everything else but I got 2 big ones today. I don't want to go through a laundry list of what all is wrong with me but i'm really surprised I lived this long with what all I've been through. And I keep busy and am sad but try to stay task oriented, the things I can still do.

Thank you for your suggestions.

I didn't spend much time on the internet the last few days (sometimes I need a break from it). I have a dr appt coming up, am not looking forward to it, but can ask about the liquid B. My daughter got me some multi-vitamins; I'll look and see what all is in those.

I got 2 bottles of cod liver oil and then never took it. I don't mind the taste. I was afraid maybe it would intefere with absorbtion of all the many things I have to take.

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