Naomi Weisman is a Canadian-Australian and mother of three who loves to ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible.
Warning that this review might be triggering to some people with graphic discussion of drug use and addiction. Here is the link to Never Use Alone.
I have learned to like listening to podcasts while driving long distances. It’s a nice addition to my music playlists. Once in a while, I will play an episode of This American Life. Yesterday, I chose one named The Call (#809). I knew nothing about it and considered turning it off when I discovered the content.
I was born in 1967 and spent my teen years in the 80s. Marijuana was the drug most people in my orbit chose to experiment with, including myself, but that is where most of us drew the line because everything else terrified us. A close relative of mine, however, has a different story.
During the 80s and 90s, the general mindset toward people addicted to drugs was very negative; they were weak, troubled, and criminals. My relative, whom I was very close to growing up, started with marijuana when he was 12. By the time he was 16, he was a daily user and had dropped out of school.
I always comforted myself by thinking that he “only smoked pot,” but that was no longer true when he was in his early 20s. His behavior became erratic and oftentimes socially unacceptable, especially to his parents, causing a rift in the family.
I love this person despite his problems, but I rarely see or speak to him now. I often wonder how he is, especially when the pandemic was in full swing. I think that is why this podcast has hit so close to home.
The Call is set up in 4 acts and is centered around a hotline called Never Use Alone. It follows a nurse named Jessie, a young woman named Kimber, and a paramedic named Steve. The hotline provides a safe environment for someone who is about to “use” alone. In the event that they overdose, at least someone is on the line and can send an ambulance to the person’s address and save their life.
Throughout the podcast, we learn about why Kimber uses drugs, why Steve has become a paramedic, and why he is so empathetic toward those addicted to drugs. Most importantly, we learn why Jessie, who is a nurse and an educator, is so dedicated to the hotline.
I was born and raised in Canada’s largest city and have lived here all my life. As a result of such an urban existence, I have known people with addiction issues, and I see evidence of it every day in my neighborhood. I have even volunteered in shelters and socialized with drug-addicted people while I served them their meals.
But I have a healthy amount of resistance to getting too close. I don’t know if it’s because of my experience with my relative and the pain and suffering his addictions caused him and our family or the societal influences of my generation. Maybe both.
The Call gives the listener the opportunity to shift their point of view. It invites us to see addiction as an illness rather than a character flaw. It shows us a pathway for healing rather than for ostracizing. I have been thinking about this podcast for the last 24 hours, and it has forced me to examine this paradigm shift. I am grateful that I persevered with it and didn’t turn it off. I needed to hear what they had to say.
I would love to hear what you think.
Here is the link to Never Use Alone.
READ MORE > Nomi's Pics, Rambler Cafe Blog.
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