“Agony in the Valley”: A Short Lecture for the University in Huancayo, Peru

“Agony in the Valley”: A Short Lecture (in Huancay0, Peru)) at the University))

Introduction: Hello Ladies, Gentlemen, University Staff, Professors, and Adelmo Huamani (Senior Member of the Journalists College), Rector…?

I’m very happy to be here, in Huancayo, the Mantaro Valley, which I fell in love with, right after I was brought here by my wife (five years ago). I’m a retired licensed Psycholgo… and have written a number of books on the Mantaro Valley, and in the area of Alcoholism, and drugs. I had worked in the area of dual disorders for many years, hospitals, clinics, prisons, etc. When I say dual, I mean clients with depression or some other disorder, mixed with drugs or alcohol. But my love has always been Poetry, which in a way is a psychological tranquilizer or pill, it calms me, like water from a river.

Body of Lecture: I have recently given to some officials, a report I did on the awareness of abuse of Alcoholism and Drugs in the Mantaro Valley, along with translating my first of three books on the same subject into Spanish, hopefully, I can find someone to publish it, which I’d give the rights to any royalties away, should it help those in alcoholic clinics; the English Version was published in the US, in 2002, and was number 8, at Amazon.com for Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

But the brief point I want to make, now is what I wrote in the Report, I named, “Agony in the Valley.” It is just an awareness report, nothing else. (or so it was meant to be)

But here are some main points I want to make in the report (which says it better):

1) There is a problem of Alcoholism, and abuse in the valley, as well as drug abuse. We all know this, so it is nothing new. And it will not go away simply by wishful thinking.
2) Alcohol is a depressant, again nothing new (among other things)) and depression often leads into suicide)), we can see that in the usage of it with the old folks, the youth, at the many fiestas, the many accidents, deaths, it’s all in the report, and it’s all true—alcoholism is deadly. It does not make for a pretty life. It numbs us after a few drinks, it changes our attitude, moods, and we do things we would normally never think of doing soberly. It wrecks families, causes divorces.
3) Some people have told me, professionals, “It’s a custom around here to drink,” that may be so, or it simply may be an excuse to continue with abuse (for that is what I’m really implying—abuse vs. proper usage of the substance). Sometimes we forget our children mimic us, and many get caught in the everlasting cycle of addiction. Some folks in the valley are poor examples for their children, and neighbors. If we cannot show by example, then who will? I do not drink, smoke or gamble, and there is a good reason for it, it cost a lot of money, you die young and you waste a lot of time. This is what I am trying to say in the report…we are dealing with a dangerous substance.
4) Often times many users end up robbing to support their habits, thus it becomes a social problem, like it or not. It also robs from the family funds, and taxes the tax payer: with court charges, and jail time, and free food, hospitalization, and so forth.

Note: in the report, I supply some Statistics and Data; therefore I need not go over them again, the main point being—there is a problem in Huancayo, and the Mantaro Valley, and we all know this. I give at the end of the report some ideas on how perhaps an interested group or individual might go about finding ways to help these people with such problems. Prevention and Education being the two main areas, that is, trying to stop a situation before it becomes a problem.
In conclusion: I want to thank you all for coming to this event, taking your time out to do so, and although I could talk all day on the subject, the main points have been expressed. And so I leave you with a thank you, and God be with you.