Without help, addicts cannot do it alone
In the debate about the station district and a drug policy that would fail, it is often forgotten that only part of the scene is in the district. East of Frankfurt, for example, is the Eastside, the largest drug counseling center in Europe. David has been there since November 2019. The addicts live, work and reside in the facility. And whoever ends up here hopes they can lead a reasonably normal life again sooner or later.
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In the Eastside, consumers go straight off the street or have their own home. And no matter how different their situations are, they still can’t do it on their own. The topic of consumption is even closed for some people, but they need a reasonable daily structure.
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The Eastside therefore developed a multi-tiered model. This model is individually designed for each individual and is intended to return addicts step by step to skilled work. Employees conduct hiring interviews, ask what skills people have, whether they have drug use under control and what their situation is in order to work. The drug addicts then work on behalf of the employment center in workshops, carpentry, cleaning or gardening. Ultimately, it’s about giving people perspective again.
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David goes through hell in prison
Just like David. He takes care of the cleaning and has his room in the neighboring building. To get out of crack, too, start detoxing early. It will not be easy. He knows what it’s like to have a cold turkey. In the scene they call it Turkey. When David was in prison, he went through hell. “I couldn’t sleep for days, my whole body was shaking, I was sweating, I was nervous, my bones hurt. You can’t do anything. But the worst part is restlessness,” he says.
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“I want to get out of here. There’s a sign in the bar,” he points with a finger in the direction of the bar. “There are the names of the people who died. Two new names have recently been added. I don’t want my name on the license plate.”
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David is on track, says Eastside manager Marion Friers. Over the next few days, David will step back into normal life. He later moved into an assisted living facility in the Gallus district. In his own apartment.
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