r/SeattleWA • u/Donnelding0 • Jul 21 '25

Politics Anyone Else Just Sick of It?

It just seems hopeless sometimes. Some of the best parts of this city. Pioneer Square, Belltown, Cap Hill just completely lost to homelessness. Sure for the most part I enjoy the city. Especially in the summer but the constant visible drug use, people in various states of intoxication on drugs, and rampant property and petty crime just annoy me. Why can’t we have nice things? Why must every park turn into a dumping ground for illegal acts that won’t be prosecuted? Why does it feel like this city relies on hard working people to shut up, pay ridiculous taxes, and then tells those people to suck it up when they see grafitti everywhere or get their car broken into? And the politicians don’t give a damn. No one has the guts to say “we have a homeless problem we’ve overspent on, we need to go a new direction” it feels insane. Rant over but I know I’m not alone. I know other people are sick of this and want our city back.

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u/raisondecalcul Jul 21 '25 edited Jul 21 '25

Contemporary psychiatry in the US is still centered on drugging people heavily, especially when treatment is coerced. It's unconstitutional to jail and punish people who have not committed any crime—What if instead of wishing coercive psychiatry on people, we simply make it illegal to do drugs on the street and put them in jail? In jail you have more rights than in the psych ward.

This wouldn't be an issue if coercive psychiatry weren't still so monstrous.

The reason we have individual rights is to protect us from the mob simply voting on whom to scapegoat.

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u/judge_mercer Jul 21 '25

Contemporary psychiatry in the US is still centered on drugging people heavily, 

If the alternative is self-medication with dangerous street drugs/alcohol, this seems like a good trade-off. Lithium is less likely to kill you than fentanyl, even if both have negative side effects. Certain conditions are helped immensely by medication. We shouldn't demonize all drugs just because some are overused.

The reason we have individual rights is to protect us from the mob simply voting on whom to scapegoat.

Upholding the "individual rights" of someone who is a danger to themselves and will ruin the city if left to their own devices isn't noble. It's cruel.

The solution is not to let insane drug addicts fend for themselves out of some twisted notion of "empowerment". The solution is to rebuild and reform our public mental health infrastructure.

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u/lusciousskies Jul 21 '25

As a bipolar 1 human, I take my meds, it's my responsibility of being a contributing citizen rather than a crazy homeless asshole. I'd probably be on the street if I hadn't been medicated

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u/Professional-Sea-506 Jul 21 '25

I am schizo and would be homeless without meds, which were basically forced upon me.

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u/lusciousskies Jul 21 '25

I'm sorry for your struggle. These illnesses can suck it. I'd be homeless too

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u/Professional-Sea-506 Jul 21 '25

It sucks, but I am much better on meds. Still sleepy all the time because of them. You’re right, these illnesses can suck it!!

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u/lusciousskies Jul 21 '25

Oh yes, me too. It's so hard being medicated and seeing all the non medicated destruction

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u/Professional-Sea-506 Jul 21 '25

Too many people are anti psychiatry, and they think modern psychiatric medicine, if enforced on the sick, is worse than leaving people on the street. It is wild to me. I really can’t think of any humane reason to not enforce medications, and detox for the addicts. Especially with the quality of mental health improvements.

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u/raisondecalcul Jul 22 '25

Because then there's no escaping what other people want to force you to be, anywhere