Addiction in America

Today I got two updates about family members. Two of which are younger than me and in recovery. One was picked up off the streets and accepted to go into detox, which will then transition to a rehab. This individual is also a parent of two young children. 

The other is away finishing rehab and transitioning to a sober living center. I won't go into detail for their respect, and I also don't know all the details. 

So, why am I sharing this? Because we all know someone. We all know someone who is an active addict or in active recovery. We all know someone who lost their life to drugs or alcohol.

I lost my brother to a heroin overdose. 

After hearing these updates today, it had me thinking about my brother and all the people I know affected by addiction. 

How did we all get here? That is a loaded question. But I think there are many factors. Trauma- current and/or childhood trauma, environment, genetics, mental health- which that goes deep too. We are starting to crack into mental health more as a society but for a long time, it wasn't so openly discussed. We are more of a "pull up your bootstraps and suck it up" group here. Access to drugs- big pharma role in all of this, the potency of drugs is also always changing. Greed- profit supersedes lives here (see big pharma reference above).  And then there is the stigma. Yet so many of us are battling addiction. We need more access to care, more affordable care for everyone; not just those with quality health insurance. 

But the biggest thought on my mind I needed to share was that no one wants this life or chooses it. Why would someone want to wake up feeling sick and needing a substance to feel better day in and day out? No one wakes up and decides, today I am going to become an addict. 

And the second thought is something said to me 12 years ago or so. I was working at a NPO, and we serviced clients who were HIV/AIDS positive. The gentleman said to me, "I never judge anyone for anything because you never know when you are going to be on the other side of the table."

And that statement has stuck with me forever now. Our society needs to stop judging so much. We need to stop judging and start helping, supporting each other. And keep talking about it. Hiding addiction isn't helping combat it. It's not something anyone wants to celebrate either but let's all start with being open, honest and leave the judgements elsewhere. 

Because, like my wise coworker said, you never know when you are going to be on the other side of the table. 

Hug your loved ones and call your siblings if you have any! I would love to hear my brothers voice and laugh.