hopeful4

It was about H abuse and what it is doing to families and the best way to handle it, etc. It was a very good piece, however, I did not feel it put any focus on the families that have to deal with this horrible disease.

I watched this because it seems I know more and more people in my relatively small town with children abusing H and it scares me so badly. I am trying to stay educated.

Thoughts?

Kindeyes

I didn't see it but it would have been interesting. Heroin has become such an epidemic. It's cheaper than pills. So many people are starting with prescription meds for a legitimate medical purpose but they begin to abuse it....the cost gets out of hand.....so they switch to a less expensive alternative. Heroin.

I've had to be on pain meds occasionally for legitimate purposes in the past but I don't like them because they cause constipation. I'd almost rather be in pain than be constipated. Lol. But the thing that bothers me is when people at work, knowing that I have the meds, pipe up with "aren't you going to share?" Makes my hair stand on end. I just smile....but to myself I'm saying...."nope and I'm disposing of any I don't use."

People seem to want to play with fire....not realizing that they'll get burned and cause serious injury to those close to them.

I'll check on demand to see if they have it or they might have it on her website.

Thanks for the info.

Hugs
ke

Anna

I watched it and thought it was very good. And, I also thought it put emphasis on the family of the woman who was recovering. Her sister was there and talked about how she took over care of the two young children, how she visited her sister in jail every week for six months and how she was nervous at the outset of her sister's recovery. But, she said she gained confidence in her sister as time went by.

I also thought Russell Brand's interview with Oprah was great. He is very articulate and is able to express himself so well.

MLJ88

I wish I would have seen it. In the town me and my husband grew up- Heroine has become an epidemic there. When we were teens it was almost un heard of, but as we got older- it was taking over the teens in the town. I never in a million years thought that my tiny farm town would become a place for heroine use- I always felt so safe there as a kid (everyone knew everyone) I loved it there. It just goes to show that addiction and drugs can and will strike anywhere.

I don't live in that little town anymore, but I have friends that still do. So I hear about people that I grew up with winding up in jail from heroine. It really makes me sad.

BlueChair

I wish I had seen it too. Thats sad about the town you grew up in MLJ88. I know drugs are everywhere now, but when I think of farming towns its the idea like you said of their being wholesome, safe, a place where your immune from things that go on in the big cities.

Vale

Very good story last week (FRI?) in the NYT about heroin hitting a small town
(Bennington) in VT. Front page NYT / above the fold. The governor of VT devoted
his entire state of the state speech to this topic (unheard of!)

Perhaps it's time for the U.S. to wake up and face up to uncomfortable
facts that cannot be quashed with more prisons, SWAT cops, or F-35s?

MLJ88

Something needs to be done when drugs are landing in the hands of children and those children dying. In my town about 4 years ago- an entire car of 16 year olds crashed down a dirt road, it was going so fast that it went up in flames when it hit the tree. All four teens died. Later they found out that the driver was a heavy heroine user (at 16!). They couldn't prove that he was high at the time bc of how burnt the bodies are, but it's assumed. It rocked our small town when these kids died. But in the last 4 years- nothing has been done about the drugs besides arrests- my town is going down hill. It's messed up when our kids can't even be safe on a farm.

LoveMeNow

What about in their own homes, in their own bedrooms, in the addicted parents car, in the care of that parent. It's all so sad.

I wanted other people to clean up the mess, but I was so unwilling to clean up my own!!

hopeful4

There is a girl of 14 who just got kicked out of my DD's school. She does H w/her father. It is disgusting. And to top it off she is bipolar. It is so sad, she does not stand a chance. Likely they will both end up dead. Her mother is already dead. It is so very sad.

I wish I knew the answers but I really don't. Someone recently said, it may have been in the Oprah interview, not sure, that doing H is like God kissing you on the cheek, that it feels that good and you never ever want to stop.

It is awful. I am glad more public awareness is happening, especially showing these people who just look like your regular kids. So many parents think if their kids are in sports and making good grades they cannot be doing drugs. It's just not true. So if anything, at least awareness is being raised, although I am not sure one knows what to do about it once they do find out. I guess it depends on how far gone a person is.

Canary6

"Someone recently said, it may have been in the Oprah interview, not sure, that doing H is like God kissing you on the cheek, that it feels that good and you never ever want to stop."

I think that is true. I read something similar in my attempt to understand my sister's use. But it's really the devil disguised as love. And then I think the user gets his /her first relief from the pain of not knowing love. Love is what I think our society needs to learn about, how to "love our children well..." or maybe more songs. Thanks to all of you for caring so much.

cynical one

The show was on OWN again tonight. I'm not an Oprah fan for the most part, but she actually did quite a good job talking with the addicts and/or the families.

One thing I found interesting is that some of the addicts including Russell Brandt who had many years of experience being addicted brought up the "hole in the soul" or "spiritual deficit" part of addiction. But, since that is not a "scientifically proven" aspect, I'm sure some people will discount that.

Kindeyes

If love could cure addiction, none of us would be here. I assure you that my son was, and still is, loved very much. And he knows this.

bookreader

My AS recently told me that no one starts on H, they start with pills. And like someone said earlier they go to H because it is less expensive. But my question is why did you need pills to start with? In all the drama of addiction, I don't think my AS, me , his legal and medical caregivers, anyone has been able to really address the 'why' of his addiction.
There are many kids who drink and smoke pot, but who do not go on to pills and H.
B.

hopeful4

There is a study I read years ago (I cannot remember who was the author, sorry). Anyways, it talked about how basically you have until your kids are 10 years old that the immediate family, (siblings, parents), are the biggest influence. After that it becomes your peers in most instances. I believe this is why some kids expirement with H and not others.

There is a another girl at DD's school who is also 14. She has always been a nice girl but is not supervised enough. Recently she has fallen into the wrong crowd. It is so sad, she very very quickly started doing drugs and very quickly went from pot to other drugs. I know this b/c another kids who is her friend told me all about it. I am sure eventually she will try H b/c she is hanging out with people who do major drugs.

I guess I am just trying to show my input as to why this happens in some and not others. If you have someone telling you something is so good it is like God kissing your cheek, and you are not educated as to just how much this can destroy your life, you may would try it too.

I expose my children on a regular basis to people at Celebrate Recovery who are going through the mess drugs have created in their lives. I also try to expose them to interviews like the Oprah one so they can see just what happens.

I pray for recovery for everyone all the time, it is so sad once you see someone in it's grips.

needingabreak

I did not see the show but heard about it. I am not a huge Oprah fan either but glad she took this subject on a sit needs to be addressed and much more so. It seems not many care or want to hear about it unless it has actually affected them. I share many posts from The Herren Project on my Facebook and only 2 people ever "like" it. No one seems to care or wants to bother reading. It really is telling. There has been a bit more coverage due to the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman but in general people do not want to know or want to be educated. Hopeful, I am shocked that DCYF has not gotten involved with this 14 yr old who does drugs with her father! Why have the counselors at the school not notified anyone? We as adults need to step in and help children and give them a chance for help and a chance for recovery. My God how sick is that?
In our town there were over 56 deaths due to drug overdose as of 2 weeks ago since January 1st. What is that number going to be by December 31st? How many deaths will it take for people to start taking notice and care? You hear them say "oh that is so sad" and then they move on with their life. Very disheartening.

Lily1918

there was a time I would have said "yes! it is!"

now I say it's like the devil pretending to be god and tricking you into selling your soul.