Are you part of the Opioid Crisis? My family is.

[Anonymous]

You would never know it. The media makes it sound like the Opioid Crisis is just heroin overdoses and doctors writing too many prescriptions.

But the Opioid Crisis is everywhere, is families, including upper class, middle class families, your friends, families like me. Professional, "high level" Ivy league elite, living in nice houses in suburbia.
My husband has been in treatment for three months for addiction to prescription opioids. He lost his job because of it -- a professional position.
This isn't something just happening in flyover country to people with bad teeth.
It's happening on your block, to your neighbors, to your friends.

And it can happen to anyone.

[Anonymous]

You have my sympathy. I agree addiction can happen to anyone.

I’m a bit frustrated that our government and society can move now with haste and compassion to reform our legal and health systems when crack ravaged my community for years and all we got was militarized policing and mandatory sentencing laws.

[Anonymous]

I am glad he is getting treatment, and hope you are doing okay.

I recently had a bad injury, and they prescribed all kinds of opiods. I refused to fill the prescriptions. I have been inpatient for alcohol, and have seen people of all ages, SES, etc. struggling through opioid detox. It looked gruesome, and it takes a toil on your body for a long time.

My thoughts are with you and others, and thanks for shining yet another light on this problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have my sympathy. I agree addiction can happen to anyone.

I’m a bit frustrated that our government and society can move now with haste and compassion to reform our legal and health systems when crack ravaged my community for years and all we got was militarized policing and mandatory sentencing laws.

But they are not. No actual $$$$ is being put toward this. Just words. OP. And I agree with you about crack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have my sympathy. I agree addiction can happen to anyone.

I’m a bit frustrated that our government and society can move now with haste and compassion to reform our legal and health systems when crack ravaged my community for years and all we got was militarized policing and mandatory sentencing laws.

Can I also add, this isn't a "white" problem, although my post makes the point that rich white people can suffer from it too. My husband's treatment group is filled with people of all races.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have my sympathy. I agree addiction can happen to anyone.

I’m a bit frustrated that our government and society can move now with haste and compassion to reform our legal and health systems when crack ravaged my community for years and all we got was militarized policing and mandatory sentencing laws.

But they are not. No actual $$$$ is being put toward this. Just words. OP. And I agree with you about crack.

States and counties have put a lot of money into the opioid crisis. I used to work in public health and my brothers are in law enforcement. Many more resources diverted at the local levels than with crack.

[Anonymous]

Sending you love, op. I hope your husband can heal.

[Anonymous]

Yes. My stepdaughter is 23 and a heroin addict. Grew up middle class with 2 fed employee parents. Been to rehab twice, didn't stick. Now dealing as well. Been a stripper, probably a prostitute. Arrested 5 times, including for possession of high quantities, and still no jail time...the courts are just flooded with people like her. She doesn't want to get well yet. Won't admit how bad she is. We fear the call every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My stepdaughter is 23 and a heroin addict. Grew up middle class with 2 fed employee parents. Been to rehab twice, didn't stick. Now dealing as well. Been a stripper, probably a prostitute. Arrested 5 times, including for possession of high quantities, and still no jail time...the courts are just flooded with people like her. She doesn't want to get well yet. Won't admit how bad she is. We fear the call every day.

She likely has untreated mental illness since adolescence. After my cousin was treated finally for bipolar, she has been clean, sober, law-abiding for a decade. Earned her kids back from foster care and has held down a job.

[Anonymous]

My mom was killed in a head on collision 3 years ago. Other driver walked away and blood test detected heroin in his system. Six months later my step-brother overdosed on heroin. I had a 6 month old when my mom was killed. It was a shitty year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You would never know it. The media makes it sound like the Opioid Crisis is just heroin overdoses and doctors writing too many prescriptions.

But the Opioid Crisis is everywhere, is families, including upper class, middle class families, your friends, families like me. Professional, "high level" Ivy league elite, living in nice houses in suburbia.
My husband has been in treatment for three months for addiction to prescription opioids. He lost his job because of it -- a professional position.
This isn't something just happening in flyover country to people with bad teeth.
It's happening on your block, to your neighbors, to your friends.

And it can happen to anyone.

I'm so sorry this is happening to your family. Sending you all the strength to overcome this terrible addiction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have my sympathy. I agree addiction can happen to anyone.

I’m a bit frustrated that our government and society can move now with haste and compassion to reform our legal and health systems when crack ravaged my community for years and all we got was militarized policing and mandatory sentencing laws.

But they are not. No actual $$$$ is being put toward this. Just words. OP. And I agree with you about crack.

States and counties have put a lot of money into the opioid crisis. I used to work in public health and my brothers are in law enforcement. Many more resources diverted at the local levels than with crack.

And many more than for meth. As a general matter, neither crack nor meth have the ability to kill almost instantly like heroin often can and neither has medicinal value.

Tired of the false analogies between crack and heroin. The correct analogy for crack is meth, not heroin.

[Anonymous]

No Trump fan, but think he's doing the right thing with focus on this. Now Congress needs to appropriate more money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom was killed in a head on collision 3 years ago. Other driver walked away and blood test detected heroin in his system. Six months later my step-brother overdosed on heroin. I had a 6 month old when my mom was killed. It was a shitty year.

I'm so sorry this happened to you.

[Anonymous]

Someone posted this the other day, but I think anyone who is interested in the current crisis should read this. Big Pharma is part of the problem. What is Trump going to do about that?

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/30/the-family-that-built-an-empire-of-pain