The opioid epidemic has hit close to home, our 29 year-old niece almost died!

originally posted by: Edumakated
Part of me is sympathetic and the other part of me just dgaf anymore. Some people are going to make stupid decisions with their lives. I just don't get how anyone uses that stuff knowing what it does to you. It isn't like they don't know the results...

No one tries or wants to become an addict, and in the case of some of this stuff it doesn't take much. Some pain pills for migraines every now and then, turns into a several pill per day addiction, and eventually into something worse when the doctors cut them off. Wisdom tooth surgery, and the pain pills that come with it make addicts all the time. Some people just want to try a drug once to experience it, and don't realize that one hit is going to create a lifetime habit.

How much literature is there over smoking? We still have people who become nicotine addicts over a single cigarette.

I knew a guy a few years ago. Not really on track to go anywhere in life, but he was making an honest living in construction. He had an at work injury where he pulled a muscle in his back. Went to the doctor and was given pain pills. He started off taking one every couple days. Then he said the pain was getting worse, he was feeling it more intensely, and it spread to other parts of his body. So he would take more pills to numb the pain. In the span of 6 months he was full blown addicted and buying pills off the street because the doctors wouldn't give him enough. In his case, his girlfriend finally put her foot down and refused to let him see their kids. That was the moment that he got motivated to get clean. I lost contact with the guy over the years, but the last I heard of him he was staying clean. The last time I saw him he was talking about how once he got off the pills, all the pain went away on it's own. I think that what he was getting at, was he was so addicted that his brain was conditioned to create pain signals, just to get him to take more pills. When the pills stopped, so did the fake pain that was causing him to take more.

I wonder how true that is for other addicts.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
LOL. I don't claim to have all the answers to fix this hideous epidemic. All my ideas to fix this problem has stemmed from the frustration and anxiety I've seen her parents experience on a daily basis. I appreciate you sharing your experience because it only confirms what my niece and the rest of her family have been going through.

I can somewhat understand the frustration. Both of my step sisters really got into drugs as teenagers. One was a mediocre student and loved to party, so she got caught. My dad and my step mom did everything they could think of. They took away her car, she didn't have a room on her door so there was no privacy to get high, her room was searched daily. Eventually, they found her hiding spot and found some needles and whatever drug she was injecting.

As a last ditch effort (this was her sophomore year of high school) they sent her to a private school in the middle of nowhere. No cell phones, no letters (that weren't screened), and no ability to leave campus. It was effectively a more education oriented prison. It actually straightened her out, she lost contact with all of her old drug contacts and got out of the lifestyle. She still gets high a lot now that she's in her 30's and can do whatever she wants, but she doesn't do any harder drugs.

My other step sister stayed with the hard stuff, but she never became an addict. And the parents never caught her because she went about it smarter. I don't know if she still does, but she likes to get high too so it wouldn't surprise me.

This won't work in your situation since your niece is an adult, but if you're looking for something you can do. I would look to sabotage her existing relationships. Breaking contact with people helps addicts get and stay clean. When people associate with their old drug buddies, they're either conditioned to shoot up, or peer pressure happens. She needs a different crowd of people to get involved with.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
My solutions are a result of this hopeless situation these addicts find themselves in and the torment they put their families through. Everyone here seems to agree that there is an extremely low success rate to rehabilitate these addicts. So if rehabilitation doesn't have anything close to a positive success rate, do we continue to allow dealers to make these drugs accessible to addicts? Attacking the source and the distribution of these drugs with extreme consequences is the only solution I feel would put us on a path to eliminate this problem affecting many families.

There's two classes of dealers of opioids. There's the doctors writing prescriptions for them, and there's the users who deal on the side to fund their habit.

I'm still not sure which one you want to kill. You seem to see addicts as victims, but are you really advocating the death penalty for doctors?

Also, something I urge you to look into before answering that question is prescription drug abuse in general. It goes deep. A couple years ago I wrote a long research paper (30 pages?) on prescription abuse on college campuses. You may not be aware of this, but there's a huge market for pills in the halls of academia. Something like 20% of college students these days take Adderall during their classes in order to focus more and study. More take anti anxiety drugs. And the list goes on, pain pills are high up there too of course.

Perhaps the real problem is more broad than opioids, and it's only a symptom of a larger problem, which is that we're giving out too many meds as a society?

originally posted by: WeRpeons

The best advice i can give you is get her away from the area fast and cut her ties with her user friends for as long as possible and see if that works

a reply to: stonerwilliam

The only problem with that is her parents can't force anything on her because she's a 29 year-old adult. The police told her parents they can't force her to do anything even though she's still living under their roof and can't hold a job. Some people told her parents to kick her out of the house and let her fend for herself. It's kind of difficult to do when you love and care about the welfare of your daughter. Who knows, if they actually did that, she may turn to crime to support her addiction and live off the streets and become a worst addict than she already is.

It's a bad situation. She's needs to recognize her problem and seek help to kick the addiction. Really, forcing her to get help doesn't necessarily mean she won't crave getting a fix. Which goes against my own idea of forcing addicts to get help.

Her mind may change when she, and she alone, has to deal with the real world consequences of her actions regardless of what those consequences could be. Including jails, institutions and death. Those are the only things that may - and just may - begin to change her thinking.

I know her parents are afraid for her safety - but are enabling her to kill herself slowly.

a reply to: Aazadan

One crazy method and i mean crazy - have done this to someone as a last resort , Is say to them Heroin is for kids want to try something adult .

Then fill a syringe with say vodka and get them to inject it , ten minutes later they are unconscious and will come to many hours later not wanting to try another hit of that

a reply to: WeRpeons

-They also said they didn't hang around kids who were taking drugs. Which probably had a much bigger affect.

I live in a small town and have done for the last 3 years or so.

There is a large drug culture here and generally kids go one of 2 ways.

The kids they hang around are of major importance, so because there is little to do, kids turn to drugs or to sport. AS a parent your best bet is to guide those kids to sport .

I think some families are genetically inclined to succumb to addiction. My wife and I are not drinkers, and I and my wife personally don't like the taste of beer. It seems like families who have alcoholism in the family tree have siblings who are more prone to addiction. This is true with my nieces family. They have a history of alcohol addiction. Their son who is also an addict, has also become an alcoholic.

I'm not so sure that is a genetic thing, more like cause and effect.

I really wish I had actual advice I could offer that would make a difference for you and your family .

originally posted by: InhaleExhale

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: FyreByrd

The fear has to come from inside them, has to be their decision.

The only problem is the addiction is stronger than the fear of losing their life. Case in point - my niece. Two minutes from losing her life yet she still has no concern heading down the path of drug addiction. I know my ideas on this seem extreme, but I honestly haven't heard many successful recovery stories.

There is a deeper issue,

a self esteem issue which is closely tied to to the self destructive nature.

A possible solution to look for is to try raise the persons self esteem but to do so without dealing with substance abuse and focusing on those issues.

Raise a persons self esteem, help them change their perception by raising their self esteem will give them a slightly different outlook where they might see a reason to live.

Then the realization by the addict becomes less closed and more clear that are causing not just issues to themselves but to many around them.

There is merit in this but do remember two things - by the time most people begin to see the support of substances to feel okay the damage is done. Basic self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect, ect are learned and interalized in early childhoold - age seven and below.

Most of the long term 20+ years sober people still struggle with this issues on a 'daily' basis.

The second is that substance abuse causes brain damage to the areas of the brain that are responsible for the higher executive functions like motivation, decision making and so forth. The brain is highly plastic and does repair or reroute but only over a long period of consistent practice of new behaviors on a daily basis for the remainder of life.

Few will commit to any such discipline. A lot stay clean but are miserable and, hence, return to the 'easy fix' for the discomfort of life.

originally posted by: FyreByrd
There is merit in this but do remember two things - by the time most people begin to see the support of substances to feel okay the damage is done. Basic self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect, ect are learned and interalized in early childhoold - age seven and below.

It's amazing I'm sober then. I have no self esteem, self confidence, or self respect. Literally zero.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

The kids they hang around are of major importance, so because there is little to do, kids turn to drugs or to sport. AS a parent your best bet is to guide those kids to sport .

I so agree.

I have always warned the parents I know, that they have to resign themselves to the fact that they are going to have to decide on how and when they want to spend their money on their children.

They are either going to have to pay to keep their children out of trouble, or they are going to have to pay to get their children out of trouble.

My girls did dance. It was the wisest investment I ever made. They were good at it so they had classes 5 days a week, throw in performances, and church, and they were just too busy to get into trouble. Plus we were a tight knit company, I knew every member of every family in the company, and they knew all of mine, so we were able to keep a very close eye on the children without having to be helicopter parents.

Sports, dance, any hobby that keeps them busy and engaged in a healthy positive way, keeps them out of trouble, builds their self esteem, and builds healthy friendships.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Sports, dance, any hobby that keeps them busy and engaged in a healthy positive way, keeps them out of trouble, builds their self esteem, and builds healthy friendships.

Love your work, the world needs more parents that think like you.

originally posted by: Aazadan

originally posted by: FyreByrd
There is merit in this but do remember two things - by the time most people begin to see the support of substances to feel okay the damage is done. Basic self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect, ect are learned and interalized in early childhoold - age seven and below.

It's amazing I'm sober then. I have no self esteem, self confidence, or self respect. Literally zero.

and you do validate my point that even those with long term sobriety struggle with those very issues on a daily basis.

Yes it is amazing that any addict is sober (at least in the physical sense).

a reply to: WeRpeons

Powerful story.

Thank you for sharing. That is all I can say.

I won't forget it.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: Azureblue

The drug problem exists because someone wants it to.

I agree. We have a lot of problems in the U.S. and the world because of this. It makes me angry to think innocent people are being used for some evil agenda. I'm sure it won't happen in my lifetime, but I wait for the day when people around the world rise-up and say enough is enough!

your right about that

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

The kids they hang around are of major importance, so because there is little to do, kids turn to drugs or to sport. AS a parent your best bet is to guide those kids to sport .

Oh, that's definitely the key to keep your kids out of trouble, and at the same time keep them trim and healthy. My wife and I got our son and daughter involved in sports at the early age of 5 & 6. Video games have made today's kids lazy, unhealthy and over weight. It's a shame because sports helped kids to become socially interactive, taught them how to work as a team and it encouraged confidence, responsibility and drive. Video games, computers and Cell phones have really isolated children today. They don't have as much face to face social interaction which has caused many of them to become mean and engaged in bullying.

One thing I really regret not doing when raising our children was starting them out early with weekly house chores! What a mistake that was. Our kids grew up cleaning their rooms, but that was about it. Most kids in our generation grew up being responsible for mowing the lawn, doing the dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning the garage etc... Some parents like me didn't realize how important those chores instilled responsibility, cleaning up after themselves, and instilled good work ethics.

a reply to: WeRpeons






From what I have been reading the chores also give kids a sense of belonging as well as responsibility, its a win win for all involved. I might make a chore list next time I make up a rewards chart .

With the sports, I saw it with my own eyes on the weekend, it was Saturday morning, the boy and I were out riding out bikes, as we were heading to the local oval to watch the footy, we passed a group of lads, that had a case of beer and I'm betting a bag of weed, they were sneaking off into the bush giggling and I though "you lot should be at sports right now" once they start down that path there is little one can do to steer them away.

This wreeks of propaganda. I've no doubt she is beautiful, but what bearing does that have on the facts of the story? Otherwise it reads like a Nancy Grace article full of feigned excitement.

a reply to: MamaJ

This thread hits home for me. My experiences with family and friends with Opioids is scary and numerous. It doesn't matter what class you are in. This has been a deliberate act on so many levels.

This is one of the reasons I created this thread. I felt people needed to know how wide spread this epidemic has become. So many posters here have relayed their own experiences dealing with family members who are addicts. In a way it helps to know other people are experiencing the same constant lying, mood swings, stealing and manipulations common to addicts. It may help unaware parents identify someone in their family who may have a possible addiction problem.

Unfortunately, the responses confirms there's not much hope for these addicts. There's no magic cure, and rehabilitation seems like it has an extremely low success rate. Relapses are common.

a reply to: hombero

Propaganda? Not by a long shot. I wish it was just propaganda. This thread was a wake-up call to how wide spread this epidemic has become. I don't know how old you are, but I hope you never have to experience a loved one or someone in your family being addicted to drugs. It's a daily battle of anxiety and concern for the life of the addict.

The reason I mentioned she was beautiful because many addicts have low-self esteem which causes them to turn to drugs. It's why I was so surprised my niece got involved so heavily into drugs. Most people have a hard time relating to people who were rich, beautiful and had everything going for them and than one day die from an overdose because they were addicted to drugs. Most people like myself who are just average middle-class people can't relate how these people would risk their lives doing drugs when they're sitting on top of the world. Why turn to drugs to get high, when you can buy anything or vacation anywhere in the world at the drop of a hat?

Whitney Houston comes to mind. In my opinion, she had the most beautiful voice of any singer. She was also beautiful, yet she threw her God given gifts all down the drain. All for drugs, what a waste.

originally posted by: WeRpeonsMost people like myself who are just average middle-class people can't relate how these people would risk their lives doing drugs when they're sitting on top of the world. Why turn to drugs to get high, when you can buy anything or vacation anywhere in the world at the drop of a hat?

Beautiful people are well known for experiencing isolation. Believe it or not, a lot of people simply won't come up to them, and out of some that do, it's due to physical attraction with nothing deeper. 8's, 9's, and 10's tend to be very lonely, it makes it easy to turn to drugs.

a reply to: WeRpeons

i deal with serious pain and that led me to discover Gods gift of a plant called kratom. so much more effective than any pain med. Its notorious for getting drug addicts off hardcore stuff and replacing it with a much safer alternative. It would be beyond useful to anyone with drug or pain issues, but unfortunately the government tried to ban it and demonize it with nonsense lies and luckily the ban failed so far although it is banned in a few states. Its been a life saver for chronic pain and I really recommend it to anyone with such issues.

Anyone with any real experience with kratom knows its safe and effective. Not a cure-all but it really helped me.