Speak Out 3/25/18

Opioid survivors

The Opioid crisis is something we all need to be aware of in our community. Its a very addictive drug that has caused many, many deaths and addictions to it in many forms. Since so many people are becoming more and more aware of it its being broadcasted all over the news and papers everywhere. This is good to get people to understand the importance of the problem, letting people know just how bad this problem is in our community, however the way its being done can be doing some damage as well. For example, a person that has been on a treatment program for months for the opioids addiction that they have struggled with for a long time is getting the help they need. Until pictures of the actual drugs and needles and powders are put in their face over and over and over again. Its one thing for a person who has never been addicted to this stuff to look at these pictures and be disgusted and think "how could anyone.." but when your the person who has been there and understands exactly what those pictures mean its drastic to them. It starts playing old memories back in their minds immediately and the struggle is real to them just by a simple picture. Its one thing to say the word opioid but the pictures are too much for them to deal with, especially when its on the TV multiple times a day. So lets keep taking steps forward with helping people understand this problem but lets not create more of a problem for the ones that are trying to get help with the addiction. Talk to some of them that are really trying and being successful with their treatments and find out from them how it effects them. We talk about how the drugs affect their lives and their families lives, but the pictures and stories are affecting them as well.