You’d be amazed if you only knew how many ideas and different thoughts that I’ve had about what to write for this first entry yet it literally has taken me months to finally sit down and just do it! In the back of my mind there was something stopping me and for what has felt like forever, I hadn’t quite been able to put my finger on it. Today, I realized what that ‘something’ has been… fear. For the longest time, I’ve been concerned about whether what I write will be considered good enough, enjoyable to the audience, if it will be criticized or mocked, and more. There are so many things that run through your head when fear is driving the way you think and how you react. This is relative to so many things in life and something huge when it comes to addiction medicine, seeking treatment and the recovery process in general. According to the Office of National Drug Control, 20.8 million people in the United States suffer from some form of a substance use disorder yet 89% remain untreated. Only 11% of Americans are receiving treatment. Not only is it a fact that the number of deaths per year due to drug overdoses is higher than those caused by motor vehicle accidents, but the scale of this problem has escalated to a level that cannot be ignored. We see the shocking facts; we know about the ‘opioid epidemic’. At the same time, our culture is to blame for the stigmas that exist and are placed on those who need our help. Nevertheless, cultural stigma remains to be the number one reason why individuals who need treatment do not seek such. This too must change. As a community, we must be responsible and help eliminate the obstacle of fear. With this eliminated for ourselves and others, individuals suffering from addiction can find recovery from a chronic disease that is not only treatable but most importantly, curable. >>> We see the shocking facts; we know about the ‘opioid epidemic’.
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