We had 50 people in this evening. On the menu this week we had creamy vegetable soup, a meat and vegetable chilli, jacket potatoes, a green salad, fresh tomato salad and potato salad with fruit crumble and custard to finish. All the food went and everyone who came in enjoyed the chilli, we were careful not to make it too spicy, to fit every pallet.
One of our clients came in very drunk tonight, hearing voices and shouting. There was a bit on tension in the room as this behaviour unsettles people and causes people to feel uncomfortable. When a situation like this happens, the volunteers step up and do what they do best. One of our wonderful volunteers Sue who is a Community Police Officer by day sat with this distress individual and calmed him down. When a person is hearing voices, it is very upsetting.
Hallucinations are when someone sees, hears tastes or smells or feels things that don’t exist outside their mind. Hallucinations are usually common in people with schizophrenia and are usually experienced as hearing voices.
Hallucinations can be frightening, but there’s usually an identifiable cause. For example, they can occur as a result of:
- taking illegal drugs or alcohol
- Schizophrenia or similar mental illness
- a progressive neurological condition, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease
- Loss of vision caused by a condition such as macular degeneration – this is known as Charles Bonnet Syndrome
Many intoxicating substances can lead to psychosis, which is a mental illness condition characterised by disruptions to a person’s thinking and perceptions of the world. Often, psychosis is referred to as a break with reality because changes in perception lead to hallucinations, delusions, persistent thoughts, emotional changes, and drastic changes in behavior. The person typically struggles to understand the difference between reality and hallucination.
Often, psychosis induced by intoxication on powerful drugs is temporary; unfortunately, in some instances, induced psychosis can persist and may become permanent. While many people understand that alcohol can lead to behavioural and big mood changes. Few understand how serious acute intoxication or chronic alcohol abuse can be.
What Is Alcohol-Induced Psychotic Disorder?
Hallucinations, delusions, or persistent thoughts caused by alcohol abuse fall under the umbrella of alcohol-induced psychotic disorder (AIPD). However, there are three basic forms of this kind of psychosis: from acute intoxication or alcohol poisoning, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and chronic, long-term alcohol use disorder. Symptoms typically begin while, or shortly after, the person consumes a lot of alcohol.
Usually, AIPD in a secondary psychosis caused by a different condition than primary psychoses like schizophrenia. This is because the condition is induced by something – in this case, a toxin like alcohol – outside of the individual rather than being caused by brain structures that are organic, or pre-existing. Although AIPD is rare, rates of psychosis are higher among people struggling with alcohol dependence or addiction.
A person suffering with this psychosis can become very upset as often they are aware that they are hearing voices and get shout at them to tell them to go away. This is often very loud and can cause issues with other people who assume the shouting is directed at them. We have to monitor these situation to ensure everyone is safe and happy. The volunteers will act as a team to ensure every building Incident is reduced and stopped if possible, contained and controlled.
Some weeks we can have many separate incidents or situations to deal with at the same time. The sessions can be full on and keep the volunteers on their toes. This week it was a little bit like that.
Supporting The Local Rough Sleeping Community: Through Storms & Support Needed
Now Christmas is over the interest for many has changed from charitable giving to holidays and sale shopping. The weather has been shocking over the last few weeks with two storms and cold weather. Please remember that homeless and vulnerable people struggle everyday throughout the year.
Every weekend we have our Saturday Soup Session in the Wharf. This weekend it was slightly more challenging due to Storm Dennis. Regardless we fed 10 people hot soup, bread rolls, a wonderful freshly cooked pasta dish cooked by Colline from Colline’s Kitchen, Pot Noodles and snacks. The hot food was massively appreciated. The wind was terrible but luckily, we did not have rain for the hour and a half we were out. Thank you to Tom and Cath for braving this horrible weather to do the session and get food to people who need it.
We have put some rough sleepers in b&bs to give them respite from Storm Ciara and now Storm Dennis. Once someone is wet it is very difficult to get warm and dry.
This time of year, the obvious weather issues cause homeless people huge discomfort and stress. Other people struggle to pay for gas and electricity bills. Newbury Soup Kitchen have had to help a few single parent families with their gas and electricity bills recently so they can cook for their children or give their child a warm bath at the end of the day.
Donations through our Just Giving page, our Good Exchange page and the donation links on Facebook are a quick easy way to donate money. Cheques can be made to Newbury Soup Kitchen and sent to c/c The Salvation Army hall, 8 Northcroft Lane, Newbury RG14 1BU. Have donations of money give us the capability to help people at the coal face and make immediate decisions if necessary, to help vulnerable people.
GIFT AID FORMS are attached here.
Thank you for all the support that we receive. We cannot do anything without the donations that come in.
Our Amazon Wishlist is updated regularly and covers all budgets. Please have a look as we require these items to help the people who come to us for help. Thank you.