Drug usage and individuals overdosing is not something that is uncommon anymore. More and more individuals are choosing the drugs over what other people would consider their biggest blessings on this Earth. Mothers are choosing the high over their children, lovers are choosing it over their relationships, and hardworking employees are choosing it over their jobs. Before we know it, those individuals who are choosing the "high life" are our parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, close friends, and even former lovers. Drugs is something that is such a common thing, almost everyone knows someone who is a victim of this dangerous addiction.
When we first started hearing about more and more drug overdoses happening, I had the very common opinion, of just "let them all die." I was a firm believer that if they were dumb enough to take the drugs then they did not deserve to be here anymore. "Let them overdose and die, and do the whole wide world and this state and city a favor," is what I would commonly say. Up until the spring of my sophomore year of college, did that opinion change. My sophomore year of college I had this professor who insisted we did this policy project on how to fix the drug epidemic in West Virginia. Little did I know that what I thought was the dumbest idea, would soon be something that hit very close to home almost two years ago. Now when I hear someone say the exact same thing I was saying almost two years ago, I get enraged with anger at it. It so easy to hate the victims of addiction instead of hating the drug.
That research project taught me many things, but mostly the reality of how drug use and addiction is a mental disease. It took many things to open my eyes to this reality. I am very fortunate to know and get to talk to the very humble Jan Rader about this subject. Jan is the Deputy Chief at the Huntington Fire Department, a nurse at Cabell Huntington Hospital, a former paramedic, and she is on the Huntington Mayor's Office of Drug Control Policy team, and is on the treatment team for the Cabell County Drug Court. She is my go-to girl when I want to know about the Huntington drug problem because it is something she sees all the time working on fire department for Huntington. Being a volunteer firefighter and EMS employee myself, it is not something that is uncommon anymore, even in the little town I work in. Between that project and my experience as an EMS employee, it has really opened up my eyes to seeing just how precious life is, and importance of not judging these individuals that struggle with addiction. We do not know each individual's past and what made them decide to turn to drugs. We do not know why people do it, and we do not know why they keep doing it instead of just getting help for their problem. I was also very fortunate to get to tag along with Jan to drug court. That was when my eyes were opened about who these addicts are. These individuals are fighting hard to overcome their addictions, people. The last thing they need when trying to get clean, is judgment.
The most frequent argument I hear now, is "they should only get one chance to be given Narcan, and if they relapse again then fate needs to step in". This is wrong for many, many reasons. Jan said it better than anyone so far about why this idea is completely insane. When talking to her about it, she said "It is wrong morally and its wrong economically." I did not know, until talking to her, that roughly one young person has the possibility to generate one million dollars for this country in their lifetime. Therefore, when we "just let them die", we are hurting this state's economy even more. I would like to think that when my fellow firefighters and EMS employees administer that Narcan and save a life, they are making a difference in that person and giving that individual one more chance to get clean and make a difference in the world for the better.
We saw about three weeks ago, how 28 individuals overdosed to a bad dose of heroin. Of those 28, one was my cousin. A girl I grew up with, had Easter Eggs hunts with, and would play with at family reunions. A girl that me, and my younger cousins use to look up to. My cousin has two little girls too. For people that do not know anyone with an addiction problem, congrats to you, you are one of the lucky ones. Because it destroys families and relationships, and replaces it with trust issues and constant worrying. The fact of the matter is, everyone is addicted to something, whether it be heroin, pills, cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, sex, gambling, food, even shopping addictions, we all have something we just can't live without. Who are we to determine which addictions are less frowned upon then others when they all cause harm? I can not express this enough, we need to stop hating and judging these individuals with an addiction. It does not help anyone when we use such harsh words.
Does it hurt to know these addicts choose their high over the well being of their kids? Yes. It is very painful to watch them let drugs consume their life and put it before the people that love them the most. Addiction is a mental disease, period. It messes with your judgment and all you can think about is your next high. Does it hurt to know the person you love more than anything and dedicate your entire life to chose the high over you? Yes, it hurts like hell. It is the worst feeling in the world. It messes with your outlook on life, and leaves you wondering what you could have done better to make them not chose the high over you. It destroys you mentally. Sometimes it is easier to love these people from a distance, rather than up close. Addiction hurts more than just the person addicted, it hurts their loved ones as well. And saying these terrible things like, "just let them die", well put yourself in that family member's position. If that was someone you loved laying on the floor barely breathing and border line to death, I can guarantee you would not just want them to die then. I can not express enough, how we need to start loving and being kind to one another, rather than hating and judging.
Huntington, West Virginia has a serious problem. One that is getting us nowhere by hating, judging, and complaining about it. We can not arrest our way out of it either, that clearly is not working. Stop bashing the Naloxone programs, and get certified. Save a life. Give someone the chance to get their life together, and make a difference. There is plenty to do, to help fix this problem flooding Huntington. Judgment and hate is not one.
