This article explores the psychological hardship frontline healthcare workers are facing due to an overload of suffering and a lack of resources. The human capacity for empathy has its limits, and the Canadian healthcare system is pushing the envelope. Whilst we often fetishize empathy, we must remember that it is human to feel overwhelmed in the face of so much suffering and exhaustion. We need to create ways to talk about losing empathy, to normalise and humanise the experience, and to invite those who have lost touch with it back into the fold. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
