Never tried doing a transcript before but a reblog asked for one and I can't seem to find any myself so here's my attempt (most filled pauses such as "um" and "uh" have been removed for readability).
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Ask id: Rely to user claym4ti0n's comment "i rllyyy wish i could've seen that video please upload again soon" /end ask ID
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Video id: "Hi, my name is Courtney and I'm a harm reduction worker in the South Bronx.
So someone basically asked me what to do when they love somebody in their life who's in active addition.
They don't wanna lose this person, but this person is not ready to get clean yet, and they don't know what to do to help them. And I wanna tell you guys what we do in harm reduction and an individual-centred approach.
So the most important part of harm reduction is meeting people where they're at, and we do a person-centred approach, which our cases for each individual is going to be completely different because each individual experiencing addiction is completely different.
For some people, forced treatment may help them, but it's still a punitive measure and we don't wanna force people into treatment because for a lot of people it ends up being traumatic and you don't get the results they want if they're not ready to get clean and they don't wanna get clean.
And by the way, it's okay for them to not wanna get clean yet or not be ready; they're on their own timeline and their own journey.
So I'm going to make up a hypothetical person so you guys can understand what meeting someone where they're at basically means.
So say I'm working in harm reduction. We have someone new come in and I do an intake. They say that they shoot heroin and fentanyl about eight times a day. They're an IV (intravenous therapy) user, they're houseless, and they're not on any form of M.A.T (medication-assisted treatment) or anything like that in any program.
I can ask them what they wanna gain from coming to the harm reduction center, like 'what is your goal; you obviously came here for an intention.' A lot of times it'll be like clean syringes or fentanyl testing strips, or they wanna like store their syringes and exchange them properly. Something like that.
So we can make a goal for them to start using clean syringes every time they use (drugs), and that is a major goal to achieve! So we set that goal. And say they come back in two weeks and they've been using clean syringes every time they use (drugs). They're still using (drugs), but they're using clean syringes, which is way safer than what they were doing before, and that's an amazing goal and we celebrate them achieving that goal.
We don't shame or stigmatize their use; it's okay. So once they achieve I could be like 'okay, do you wanna, like, achieve another goal? Let's get you on, maybe, maintenance.', M.A.T if they're ready. So they join a methadone program and they're still using (drugs) but they're only using two times a day, now, they're using clean syringes, and they're on maintenance; they're on methadone. So that is a huge achievement! And if they achieve that goal, that is something to be celebrated. Like, that is harm reduction and meeting someone where they're at.
So when this case first came in - think about it - they were using eight times a day, they were using dirty syringes, which is a risk for HIV, hep C (hepatitis C), and infections, and y'know they weren't on maintenance. All this stuff.
Now they're only using two times a day, they're using clean syringes, they're disposing of them properly, and they're on maintenance. That's an amazing achievement in itself, so we celebrate that.
(I'm unsure what this word is) say they're ready to housing because housing is a form of harm reduction. I can get them into a shelter, maybe an apartment, or we can work something out depending on the individual and what they're… you know, accessible, what's accessible to them.
So they go from being houseless to being in a shelter, only using (drugs) two times a day, being on maintenance, and using clean syringes. That in itself is an amazing achievement. So they didn't stop (drug) use, they didn't get totally clean, they're not totally abstinent, but they're, like, way… they're using (drugs) in a way safer way than they were before.
And you might think that's not an achievement, 'oh my god, they can only achieve this much', but to the… anybody else this is a huge achievement, and this is something that should be celebrated!
Then one day, say they're ready to come in, and they're like 'yeah, I wanna get on Suboxone. I want to stop using completely.' or 'I wanna go to detox', then we can help them with that as well.
Like, it all depends on the individual and the person themselves, and meeting them where they're at.
So if someone you love is using (drugs), and you know they're using, and you wanna help them, don't help them in a stigmatized way. Don't stigmatize their drug use, don't shame them, don't force them to get clean. That is basically not helping in any type of way. And I know your intentions are probably good but the outcome is not always good.
So try given them fentanyl testing strips, try giving them access to clean syringes, try hooking them up with harm reduction centers, try anything anything you can. AA and NA, I mean, I'm not big fans of AA or NA but it works for some people. Like, anything you can, but meet the individual where they're at and be prepared for what that individual is ready for and do it on their timeline. That's the most important part.
And I hope this explains it well, I know it's a really long video, I'm sorry. But I'm just trying my best to explain a really complicated matter and like, as short and simple as possible. I hope it helps!"
Courtney reaches to turn off the camera.
The next shot is of a yellow poster with the words 'END THE DRUG WAR' with a bottle of hand sanitizer next to it. Courtney makes a peace sign with the hand in view of the camera.
Text on-screen appears stating 'END THE DR^G WAR!!! save lives!!!! 🖤🖤
The video ends in a TikTok clip with the username "court0o0" displayed on screen.
/end video ID
