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We're FED UP!
Washington DC
On October 1st, I attended the FED UP Rally with about 700 other people, and was privileged to speak in a line up of parents, physicians, elected officials, recovering addicts, and others. All are activists in the opioid abuse epidemic, including Senator Chuck Shumer, who reminded us of a piece of scripture:
"It's very easy to curse the darkness, but it takes great strength and courage and fortitude to light a candle; to take the darkness away so that other people will not suffer as you will always suffer because of the hole in your heart that never heals."
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Re-Classification:
What it means to the fight against RX drug abuse:
Failure. Death. Addiction. That's what the FDA has come to stand for in my mind. So I can only hope that their latest movement towards re-categorizing oxycodone as a schedule II drug (in 2014) sticks and actually happens, and that it has the effect on the diversion of prescription drugs into the recreational market.
Read more on my blog.
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Here is another holiday. I'm so fortunate to have my living, breathing son in recovery. Why do I stay in this role of activism? My son is "better" now. I could, feasibly, move on. Speaking at events and at meetings (like a recent Naranon meeting attended by twice the usual number of attendees), I see all the people in all the different levels of recovery, and it invigorates me to do more. Are the people who can do something about it hearing our cry for help? Every 24 minutes, someone dies from a prescription drug overdose. This is an epidemic. We need doctors to quit over prescribing, we need better regulation, we need parents and patients to know the risks, we need to change the way we're dealing with this (or not dealing with it!). Thank you so much for subscribing to this newsletter. Please share it with your friends and help educate others about this epidemic. And if you know of a group who could benefit from hearing my message, please, don't hesitate to contact me and we'll set something up.
Best regards as we enter a new year,
Bradley V. DeHaven
brad@rxdrugaddict.com
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"If you love your kids, you're going to push them for the truth." ~ Brittany
My Afflicted by Addiction guest, Brittany Horigan, is 28 years old, 2 1/2 years clean. When she was at the height of her opioid drug abuse (from about age 22-25), "My family couldn't believe a word that came out of my mouth, but they were helpless and didn't know how to help me."
We talked about signs and symptoms. We talked about what treatment worked for her. But best of all, she was so cheerful and upbeat through the entire interview. She's another one who made it through and has a lot of valuable information for parents who may be witnessing their young adult start to experiment with drugs. Visit Voice America to hear the entire show, or read more about it on my blog.
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Brandon Update
We are blessed to be able to say "Merry Christmas" and mean it. Brandon's hanging in there, ready to move into a new year with his family and friends.
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Be responsible about your pain management.
Lock up your meds!
Don't let the neighborhood get their illegal prescription drugs from you unwittingly.
If you have a house cleaner, a baby sitter, a teenager, dinner parties, anyone at all in your house and you take prescription meds, lock them up!
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And please, forward this to your friends and others who you think would get something from it. Thanks! |
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