heroin epidemic

I take addicts to get their methadone at work. The amount of people going to these clinics is ridiculous. Full parking lot everyday, people from all over the city good and bad areas. The treatment drugs are actually worse than the heroin. At least the courts are looking at this as a medical problem rather than a crime problem. Addicts get rehab charged to insurance ( yeah Pharmaceutical companies are more than "double dipping" this "crisis" big time) sending people to rehab instead of jail is a start.

Akron is high on the list for ODs. The OD's are coming specifically from the fentanyl, which is primarily imported from China via mail order. You can order the stuff online with little to no regulation.

The mail order drugs can get curbed but this whole thing is a fight against an instinctual need to feel happy/euphoria. In a fight between cultural values vs instict what's really going to stand the test of time?

I want to thank everyone for the thoughts and concern. I need to give a huge thankyou to ChrisD, he and I have been neighbors since we were kids, he is my closest "brother", he has gone above and beyond for me.

MNDSM, I will share the autopsy report.

spitfirebill wrote:

Tom_Spangler wrote: I just saw this linked on Reddit. Apparently a big reason for heroin's comeback is/was the defeat of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Talk about unintended consequences.

Yea it's a bit ironic isn't ita. Added to the fact that we have actually not tried to curtail growing poppies. They have to have some source of income.

Except it wasn't an unintended consequence.

jere wrote: Addicts get rehab charged to insurance ( yeah Pharmaceutical companies are more than "double dipping" this "crisis" big time)

A Scanner Darkly...

This is a big part of the tragedy of the drug epidemic, shattered lives beyond the addict. You are in my thoughts braden, peace.

Back in the early '90s I was having anxiety attacks. I went to see a doctor and he prescribed a medicine that worked. What I didn't know it that was "moderately addictive" and that once my body was used to it, the lack of it would cause panic attacks far worse than any I had ever experienced.

I'd always prided myself on being independent drug-free and never addicted to anything. But 7-8 months later, this stuff completely owned me. I was developing a tolerence. I started needing more & more of it to prevent the panic attacks. The attacks were pretty awful and could last a day or more. Running out of this drug became the biggest fear in my life. The cure was way worse the disease.

I finally went to a different doctor and begged for his help getting off this stuff.

I can't imagine how hard to deal with a "very addictive" drug like heroin would be.

Actually, Lux, if the drug for the anxiety was a benzodiazapine (xanax, valium, ativan, etc.,) it is more addictive than heroin. And, stopping it cold is life threatening, unlike stopping heroine cold. That is, it can kill you to stop taking the BZD. Stop taking heroin and you might feel like you are dying, but you aren't.

Brandon, I'm sorry you had to go through this. Hang in there. Vent. "Talk" with your car buddies in the hive.

I'm really sorry, I can't imagine how awful this must be.

In reply to pilotbraden:

I am sorry for your loss. Having it come at you out of the blue like that must make you wonder if there were signs you missed or something you could've done differently that would have prevented it. I would tell you to not try to spend time going down that road. What is done is done and I suspect the addiction would've done its work one way or the other, so don't focus on the things you could of done, said or noticed differently - it's not your fault. Try instead to remember the good times and the love you had for each other and choose to focus on those as best you cam.

I feel shattered, crushed, alone and it seems to get worse as the shock wears off and reality that i have truly lost Carrie is setting in. I try not to go down the if i only road but it is hard not to. I realize that I am fortunate to have had her love and to have loved her. I miss her so damn much.

We are here for you friend. One foot in front of the other for now.

pilotbraden wrote: I feel shattered, crushed, alone and it seems to get worse as the shock wears off and reality that i have truly lost Carrie is setting in. I try not to go down the if i only road but it is hard not to. I realize that I am fortunate to have had her love and to have loved her. I miss her so damn much.

You Are Not Alone,my son has slipped down the heroin hole once again. Please understand I don't mean to sound flippant but some days the dragon wins despite what the Knight does If you want to vent PM me I will give you a phone number