“The Times’s analysis calculated that 59,000 to 65,000 people died of overdoses in 2016, with a harder, but likely inaccurate, number of 62,497. In comparison, more than 58,200 US troops died in the Vietnam War between 1955 and 1975, and more than 4,500 have died so far in the Iraq War since 2003 — which adds up to more than 62,700.“
https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/policy-and-politics/2017/7/7/15925488/opioid-epidemic-
9 Truths About Drug Addicts
1. Addicts are human beings.
I know it’s common belief that addicts are less than that, but I can guarantee they’re more human than you could ever imagine.
2. Addicts know what they’re doing to their bodies.
They do not need to be preached at about what damage they’re causing on their bodies. They know.
3. Addicts can’t just stop.
Expecting them to stop is like expecting a hungry person to not eat a steak meal you put in front of them.
4. Addicts would give you the shirt off their back.
Again, I know it’s common belief that addicts are selfish, but if you were cold they would give you their shirt.
5. Addicts love harder than non-addicts.
They love fiercely because at some point in their life they felt unloved and even though their life may be in shambles they don’t want anyone feeling the way they did at that time in their life.
6. Addicts didn’t “choose” their lifestyle.
Addiction is an illness. So just like a person with cancer didn’t choose to have cancer, an addict didn’t choose to be an addict.
7. Addicts feel worthless, non-addicts don’t need to contribute to making them feel more worthless.
It’s easy for a non-addict to look away instead of be encouraging to an addict. It seems so easy to say negative things about them or to them. Imagine what you could say to them with the same breath but be encouraging instead.
8. Addicts don’t use to “party”.
Addicts most generally use because that’s their coping mechanism. Just like some people decide to eat or sleep to cope.
9. Addicts belong to someone.
An addict is someone’s child, someone’s parent, someone’s sibling, someone’s friend or someone’s spouse.
Addicts have a hard time letting people in. They are embarrassed to let others see them. They think they are undeserving of love. Don’t dismiss them. Don’t belittle them. Love them. Encourage them. Listen to them.
