tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post8626193310685545285..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: The inhumanity of modern social policyJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-43109797324024905492013-06-03T06:23:48.225+10:002013-06-03T06:23:48.225+10:00LE, you comment got caught in the spam trap! My ap...LE, you comment got caught in the spam trap! My apologies. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-14292204237564975652013-06-01T09:41:09.631+10:002013-06-01T09:41:09.631+10:00It was good, Evan, If we are to bring about change...It was good, Evan, If we are to bring about change. we need to know! Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-41224117566823699462013-06-01T08:05:50.504+10:002013-06-01T08:05:50.504+10:00Thanks for sharing your experience latest anon.
...Thanks for sharing your experience latest anon. <br /><br />Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13355215688351759230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-11810916157512878852013-06-01T04:00:28.957+10:002013-06-01T04:00:28.957+10:00To last anon. Thank you for taking the time to rep...To last anon. Thank you for taking the time to report on your experiences. I am going to take the liberty of bringing it up in full in the main post. It does confirm my concerns. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-83793359458619989512013-06-01T00:05:04.280+10:002013-06-01T00:05:04.280+10:00As a Mental Health Nurse that survived the impleme...As a Mental Health Nurse that survived the implementation of a no smoking policy, I would rate it as one of the most risky 12 months of my life. The stress and tension that was created during this period was incredible. Nurses used to using cigarettes for managing behaviour were at a loss as to intervene during a patients escalating behaviour. We saw an increase in the use of as required medications and there was an increase in the reported assaults against staff. We also had to negotiate harder to get at risk patients to comply with treatment and even to accept admission into hospital. Some medical staff even admitted to being forced to make "poor clinical decisions" with regard to complying with the non smoking policy. <br /><br />As for enforcing the policy, this duty once again, fell to the nursing staff. Other departments, such as security refused to participate and exemplified it by this quote: "If we did that, we wouldn't get time to actually do any work and besides; if we give them an infringement, do you think they would pay it?". Eventually we ended up with a blind eye policy that was even less effective than previously and created for the staff another avenue of vulnerability and manipulation.<br /><br />Another factor that this change produced, was the sudden emergence of staff and patients smoking on the footpaths outside the hospital grounds. This visual reminder was only reinforced with the removal of the smoking bins in the grounds. So, where once a smoker would dispose of their butts correctly, there was a massive rise in the littering of cigarette butts all over the hospital grounds.<br /><br />There ended up being a positive out of all this though, as prisoners were allowed to smoke in prison and refused permission in a psychiatric facility, the numbers of prisoners that we accepted for admission plummeted dramatically!<br /> <br />I have done some further research into the brain and brain function with the understanding that the more that we stress these populations, the worse the health outcomes and the reactive behaviours become. THIS evidence IS demonstrated through all the jurisdictions throughout the world that have implemented a smoking ban in psychiatric facilities.<br /><br />A decision that is considered only by a bureaucrat in a high office who's last clinical contact (if any) was at least 15 years ago?<br />That's gotta and well.<br /><br />Kind of remind me of a beach somewhere in Turkey where the most succesful part of the operation was the retreat.<br /><br />Oh and @Evan, C.S. Lewis wrote it best...<br /><br />"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good<br />of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live<br />under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.<br />The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may<br />at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good<br />will torment us without end for they do so with the approval<br />of their own conscience."<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-18520385082537741362013-05-31T18:55:39.493+10:002013-05-31T18:55:39.493+10:00Hi kvd and DG. I'm not opposed to restrictions...Hi kvd and DG. I'm not opposed to restrictions on smoking in certain circumstances. but when it becomes what is actually punishment I draw the line. I must say that I'm absolutely sick of being told what not to do.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-77795226366143658192013-05-31T00:56:36.175+10:002013-05-31T00:56:36.175+10:00It's as though the Taliban has taken over. Aus...It's as though the Taliban has taken over. Australia is well-practised in the art of self-righteous 'tobacco control'. But this takes the cake. These busybodies have nothing to do better than to add to the misery of such unfortunate people. In any case, smoking is likely to be of relatively small consequence in the life expectancy of psychotics.<br /><br />Incidentally, there is evidence that mental hospitals and jails are close substitutes for one another. Imagine the repercussions were authorities foolhardy enough to ban smoking in jails. <br /><br />As for past comments I identify myself 'Anonymous' but also now reveal myself as 'DG'.<br /><br />P.S. I don't smoke. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-14734512926608684352013-05-30T17:57:00.273+10:002013-05-30T17:57:00.273+10:00Jim
Here's another vote to support all of the...Jim<br /><br />Here's another vote to support all of the above comments. <br /><br />I gave up a few years ago tracking the revenue raised against the dollars actually spent, to assure myself that cig taxes were at least spent on associated health problems. To their credit, most politicians have given up even the pretense that increased taxes are used for the ensuing health costs.<br /><br />But the thing I'm wondering about now is how it might be possible to hold the powers that be to their own rules - a couple of things:<br /><br />1) 'plain packaging' is anything but.<br /><br />2) the statement you quoted from somebody: "There is overwhelming evidence that the health and treatment of people with psychiatric illnesses is significantly worsened if they smoke - and significantly improved if they quit."<br /><br />I'd be interested to see said 'overwhelming evidence'.<br /><br />3) The claims now printed on packets: are they actually supported by scientific studies?<br /><br />Anyway, at least we are now not alone; I now read that Ireland has just adopted our wowser madness.<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-60955588883650495302013-05-30T15:07:41.217+10:002013-05-30T15:07:41.217+10:00I really dislike the self-righteous, Evan. I see t...I really dislike the self-righteous, Evan. I see too much of it!Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-35554563244798222882013-05-30T13:12:46.449+10:002013-05-30T13:12:46.449+10:00The cruelty of the small minded and viciously self...The cruelty of the small minded and viciously self-righteous is awful.<br /><br />I'm not a smoker and never have been.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13355215688351759230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-71241802500073442282013-05-29T23:14:50.857+10:002013-05-29T23:14:50.857+10:00To you all, but how do we stop it! To you all, but how do we stop it! Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-86140220945012590552013-05-29T23:08:18.808+10:002013-05-29T23:08:18.808+10:00Minds have not been applied to this matter. I hav...Minds have not been applied to this matter. I have a close friend whose son is bipolar and schizoid. The young man smokes and if he is not allowed to for whatever reasons, he goes berserk. It took a very sharp psychiatrist to advise the parents to let him continue to smoke. Rummuserhttp://www.rummuser.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-4483859805782663942013-05-29T23:04:20.674+10:002013-05-29T23:04:20.674+10:00In line with your other commenters - THIS is madne...In line with your other commenters - THIS is madness. debbiejkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04330285704641792767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-62149363479788329942013-05-29T21:48:54.868+10:002013-05-29T21:48:54.868+10:00Jim,
I agree with you. I hope the consequences of...Jim, <br />I agree with you. I hope the consequences of this policy are not as bad as we expect.<br />Winton Bateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07383561940886657594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-44722314496383493102013-05-29T21:43:43.675+10:002013-05-29T21:43:43.675+10:00I'm a non-smoking teenager who has had extensi...I'm a non-smoking teenager who has had extensive experience in psych wards and I have to say I completely agree with you. Smoking is not illegal and should not be taken away from patients except in extreme circumstances (if it is an immediate danger to themselves or others ie. deliberate self burning). It is hard enough to stay in voluntary psychiatric care and making it more difficult will only serve to further hurt people who need help. <br />-HAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-74490227495977976852013-05-29T21:37:14.813+10:002013-05-29T21:37:14.813+10:00Totally agree. My understanding is that quitting s...Totally agree. My understanding is that quitting smoking when you are addicted can put you under immense mental pressure even if you are the most mentally healthy of people. It's ridiculous to put mentally ill people under this strain. And I agree with you - it's a stupid one rule fits all approach, with no flexibility as to the context. Grr.<br /><br />(And I am not a smoker - severe asthmatic and have never smoked - generally a supporter of smoke free zones, but not in this instance).Legal Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01096038577529334966noreply@blogger.com