THE TRUE FACE OF OPIOID CRISIS IS ORDINARY PEOPLE
Misconceptions about addicts get in the way of helping them, Sandra Lindner writes.
A few days ago, there was a clip on CTV News about the opioid crisis. There was a voice-over detailing the dramatic rise in numbers of opioid deaths. During the voice-over, a gratuitous clip was displayed for about half a second showing what the public likes to perceive is the face of addiction. Nothing can be further from the truth! The true faces are young people, the kid next door, the young couple across the street, even some elderly. Portraying opioid users as only homeless people may create pity in those watching the news, but I believe the investigative media should work vigorously to debunk this misconception.
MY DAUGHTER AND THE TRUE FACE OF OPIOID USERS
I am the mother of a beautiful, high-functioning young woman that died of a heroin overdose on July 29. She was only 41 and, as many of us are, a middle-class woman who contributed a lot to society. She was a mother, a wife, a sister, a friend to many, an aunt, and a daughter. She mattered.
She suffered from severe, debilitating migraines in her teens and these continued for the rest of her life. Opioid medication was the only thing that helped her cope with these migraines. The medical profession cut her off from using these high-quality and monitored opioids in their crusade to stop people from using them. Her pain did not magically disappear. Subsequently, like others I know, she had to turn to the black market.
THE SHAME IN ADDICTION
When I see the pictures of young people in the obits and there is no cause of death mentioned, I assume it was yet another overdose. When I placed my daughter's obit in The Sherwood Park News, I mentioned the cause of death. I am not ashamed of her nor anyone else that has gotten tangled in the web of addictions. I want to wake up the complacent majority and shine a light on her terrible end.
The mantle of shame and guilt surrounding this topic needs to be addressed and redirected. The shame belongs to those profiting from the pain of others. The fault lies with the medical profession, the pushers, the manufacturers. Various government agencies provide telephone numbers for facilities that can help. She, her husband, and we as her parents found out they are essentially useless.
Ask yourself why it ist Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Gambling Anonymous. The names imply these are subjects to be embarrassed about. There are other groups like Diabetes Awareness, Heart Health and so on. No stigmas there. Becoming an addict is always by accident. No one facing this battle ever thought it would evolve into what it had. That is the stark reality.
DETOX OPTIONS
Once an addict decides to detox, they need that help now, not six months down the road. Detox facilities are also very humiliating and highly stigmatized and are not an option for people like my daughter, who needed to take care of her family. I have learned they also do not provide long-term support once people leave a detox facility.
The shame belongs to those profiting from the pain of others.
WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP
Perhaps there are other family members wanting to share the pictures of these victims. Perhaps there are loved ones that will share their stories. More people have to learn what is really happening out there, in the communities. These young people are dying at a far greater rate than those of COVID, but it seems COVID is a more palatable subject to deal with.
The reality of this crisis needs to be brought out of the shadows. The public needs to know, understand, and fight hard to address the problem and demand action from our governments.