Thoughts on the drug that has become one of America's number one killers
While asked to write three facts off the top of my head about the current opioid crisis in my marketing class, I'll admit, I couldn't think of much. I knew that, one, it was prescribed for pain and, two, by the looks of it, a “killer drug”. Until reading a quick article and feeling a little embarrassed for being so misinformed, I was shocked and curious.
I’ve always been an advocate against drug use, while I have never (fortunately) been personally affected by it, it is something I am passionate about. This class topic reminded me of a time when I was in middle school and entered an art contest where I was asked to create a billboard design that would encourage people to stop smoking. I dove into that contest head first, created multiple designs and later won the contest. I’m not sure why I was so inclined to encourage others to not smoke at the age of 13, but it is something i’ve been curious about ever since. What creates an addictive personality? What creates the urge to start drug use? Is peer pressure the one to blame? Why have I not been inclined to smoke when its around me 24-7?
I have recently been frustrated by the amount of Juuls I see being used around me everyday. The same thing that is advertised to help stop smoking cigarettes has encouraged some of my friends to start smoking cigarettes in order to wean themselves off of Juuling. After reading up on the opioid addiction crisis, I got a little more insight into what an addiction entails, but on an entirely new level.
So lets say one day you get really hurt, easy, happens all the time. You’ve never thought that one day you could ever be addicted to anything, you’re confident and strong willed. Then the doctor prescribes you pain killers that takes away all that pain, and more. You have just been prescribed opioids by a licensed professional. You may not know the side effects, the risk, or care to learn, you just know that you feel better. The doctor keeps in touch with you and makes sure that you’re being responsible, but before you know it, you’re healed and yet, still taking the opioids.
Some are able to keep track of their usage during the recovery process and can recognize dependance and withdrawal signs. Some quickly get trapped in an addiction they never asked for. Taking the last of their extra prescribed opioid pills and later searching off the market for one more high. Not knowing that off the market opioids may be laced with fentanyl that can become fatal. These kind of drugs result in a rewiring of your brain, a dump of extra happy chemicals that its not used to. Once those endorphins aren’t as heavily supplied as their were in the first opioid high, its a feeling that victims of the drug will be searching for forever. Its a kind of endgame where the only way out is painful, taxing and may take months if not years to be back to yourself. This process requires rehab and medical supervision. What about the people who don’t have access to those kind of resources? Or the ones who don’t have a support system behind them? What about the ones who don’t even realize what is happening before its too late?
I have so many questions about the workings of addiction and recovery. Its a traumatic piece of news to hear about, but I am anxious to research and hopefully come up with a campaign strategy to inform and prevent at least one person about the dangers of opioid addiction.
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