Heroin addiction has become an epidemic in the United States and unfortunately shows no signs of slowing down.

While there are many options for addiction treatment, heroin remains one of the most difficult substances to overcome. This is because the drug is extremely physiologically and psychologically addictive. People who have become addicted to heroin don’t take it to feel good; they take it to avoid being horribly sick.

Drug overdoses are common throughout the world, and America is no exception.

In fact, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than in any other year on record, and the numbers continue to climb. Most people who start experimenting with drugs and alcohol do not expect to end up as a statistic. Opioid deaths accounted for at least 61% of all overdose deaths when the study was done in 2014. This number includes fatalities from both prescription painkillers and heroin.

When a person is lost to a heroin overdose, what happens to the loved ones who are left to grieve?

Family members, especially parents, feel immense guilt for not being able to save their loved one. They typically feel like they should have been able to do more. In addition, there is a stigma around drug addiction that can lead families to feel isolated and misunderstood. When a child or an adult dies from cancer or a tragic car accident, people tend to reach out and show support to family members of the deceased. When someone dies from addiction, the reaction is often the opposite–people stay away. But drug addiction can happen to anyone. The addicted person is not a “bad” person, and their parents are not “bad” parents. The stigma surrounding addiction is one of the most harmful effects on a family.

As the disease of addiction continues to affect the lives of so many people of every race, economic status, and religion, people are developing a better, more compassionate understanding of addiction and those who suffer from it.

No one can truly understand and support a family suffering from addiction like another family suffering from addiction. Thanks to the internet and social media outlets, avenues of peer support are wide-reaching and available to all who are dealing with heroin overdose effects and so much more.

If you or someone you love needs help overcoming addiction, please contact us anytime at (337) 379.7700.

References:
Drug overdose deaths hit record numbers in 2014. (2015, December 18). Retrieved August, 2016.
Overdose Death Rates. (2015, December 10). Retrieved August, 2016.

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