Neil Presley Cox
  • Home
  • About Neil
  • Writing
    • Blog
    • Comments
  • Hope Lines Book
  • Speaking
  • Toolbox
  • Contact
  • Recovery Art

OXY

11/9/2017

2 Comments

 
OXY
          By now, most people know about the crisis. Heroin is resurgent and more popular than ever before. In every community, it is shattering lives and sowing grief. Experts call it the opiate epidemic. Do you have someone in your life addicted to heroin?
        America blinked and the unthinkable happened. Heroin became demystified, even okay to millions of young people. It is no longer the big city street junkie drug. How did we get to this point and what can anyone do about it?
          For so many people, the addiction started with less powerful substances. “Partying” with alcohol and marijuana. Prescription narcotics became easy to obtain. Drugs like Hydrocodone, Oxycodone and Morphine created a fast and smooth high, especially when the pills were crushed and snorted or smoked. The fact that doctors prescribed these substances made them a little more acceptable. A seal of approval of sorts.
            Moving from narcotic pills to heroin was not as big a jump as non-addicts might think. Heroin is a cheaper, faster and stronger version of the same high. Once someone becomes addicted to opiates, being away from them is torture. If heroin can be obtained, so much the better to keep the pain away.
             You might be surprised to find out who is using heroin these days. It might be your neighbor or your financial adviser. It might even be your pharmacist. It is truly an epidemic now.
         For teenagers, rebellion used to consist of secretly smoking some marijuana. It was cool, illegal and mysterious to sober people. Today, marijuana is legal in many places and, increasingly, accepted by society. Smoking pot does not have the same counter-culture cool effect. Has legalizing marijuana helped make heroin the current choice for rebellious youth? And has moving marijuana a notch towards acceptance made other drugs seem a bit less dangerous and terrible?
          When an impressionable person sees a friend using heroin and raving about how great it is, the resistance and fear of the drug gets whittled down. What one person can do, another can do.
         Opiates are highly addictive. Once addicted to heroin, a person’s life becomes a deep and dark trap, a mine tunnel.
         There is hope for addicts. All that is needed to make a beginning is willingness to change and a pinch of inner honesty. Many people have recovered and are living happy, productive lives without heroin. Some of these people have written about their journey. A lot of addicts with good recovery are willing to lend a hand to those who are still suffering. Hospitalization is often needed at the beginning of any recovery, because addicts become dope-sick without the drug. Please remember always that there are many people who care.
          I would love to hear from you. Send me a comment!   
2 Comments
Amber Brotnov
11/13/2017 09:55:50 pm

Thanks for writing this Neil. My sister died from a heroin overdose a year ago. I never even knew she was using. She left behind 2 great kids. Such a waste of a beautiful life.

Reply
Rease Phillips
12/2/2017 09:11:01 am

Great job Neil,
I know what its like to loose family members and friends to drugs and alcohol. I grew up in and environment of alcohol abuse. Thankfully I was one who chose a different path unfortunately my sister did not and I think about her and wish she were here. It will take Informed and caring people like you who have made a commitment to do what ever it takes to help our communities deal with this overwhelming social problem. It’s not hard to find people in our communities who have suffered with addiction problems but it is hard to find the people like you who want to help. Please keep up the good work!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Addiction & Hope
    Anxiety
    Busy
    Dabbing
    Help For The Hurting
    Helping The Mentally Ill
    Kids Violent Video Games
    Outside Looking In
    Oxy
    Parenting Plan
    Responsible
    Stand Down
    Wall Climbing
    Your Anchors?

    Subscribe to Newsletter
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About Neil
  • Writing
    • Blog
    • Comments
  • Hope Lines Book
  • Speaking
  • Toolbox
  • Contact
  • Recovery Art