“Opioids can lull people who use them into a false sense of security at first. But the drugs can quickly begin to rewire their brains, stripping them of other sources of pleasure and making it increasingly difficult to cope with the trials of everyday life while sober. By the time some people realize they are dependent, they may already be deep in the throes of addiction, a dark pit from which it is incredibly hard to climb out.”
While some people who die of accidental drug overdose are just beginning to experiment with drugs, or use occasionally, most overdose deaths are associated with escalating drug abuse and addiction. Concurrent alcohol abuse is also common.
As you may be all too aware, people of all ages, backgrounds, and socioeconomic levels are affected by addiction. Addiction is a recognized disease in which the pleasure centers of the brain get taken over by the need for the drug. Addicts cannot fully control their behavior, though many of them try and succeed for periods of time.
In the United States today, the majority of drug-overdose deaths involve an opioid, such as prescription painkillers, fentanyl, or heroin. More than ten million Americans misuse opioids each year, and well over 100 die every day from overdose. That’s more people than die of traffic fatalities. In fact, opioid use and overdose trends have grown so devastating that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has labeled the problem an epidemic.
What all of this means is that you are not alone. Millions upon millions of families and friends have lost a loved one to drug use. This doesn’t make the death of the unique person you cared about any less tragic, but it does mean that there are probably resources in your community specifically designed to help you. What’s more, some of your friends and neighbors have likely lived through a similar experience. You need not walk alone. Befriending others who understand what it’s like to have loved and lost someone precious to drugs is often one of the best ways to find your way back to hope and healing.