by DrSheilaHereNow » Sat Aug 20, 2016 4:26 pm
HI: I understand your devastation. I have gone to three funerals for Heroin Addicts-- all in their 20's. Perhaps I can help you understand where it starts. It starts with using any drug before 21 years of age. Generally, with this generation the gateway drug is Pot. Parents allow their high school kids to smoke because "it is better than drinking." Fact is, they are encouraging their kids to get used to a mind altering substance. The other problem with any drug with teens is that there is no peer pressure against it. Just those who use and those who are straight-edge. Heroin is rarely the first drug tried. Generally it is a gradual increase, for a better and better high.
I have read that the first time use of Heroin is a high unlike any other. And, from that day forward, the user seeks that one time experience. Ultimately, they can't stop. Generally, they overdose after Rehab. Many leave Rehab already looking to score. They use the same amount of heroin that they had been using before getting clean. Their bodies can't handle it.
So, there are two places to focus your energy: prevention or remission. Many schools need to institute programs in the baby grades to help impressionable kids to understand that they should not use drugs.
High school is too late.
The other place is educating parents. Any parent whose child is using, the child of an addict, or living with an addict should be in Al-Ateen and Al Anon.
Seek the help of organizations that specialize in Drug Awareness and see what they have to offer.
I wish you peace.
Sheila