Whether you realize it or not, your life is being adversely affected by the presence of an opiate addiction problem in your community. You may not feel it or see what’s going on, but just the same, something is going on that could have a profound effect on you and or your family.
How do we know there is an opiate addiction problem in your community? Since we don’t know where our readers live, of course, we don’t know for sure if there is an opiate addiction problem in your community. However, we feel safe in laying the premise based on the fact most communities in the U.S. have been under siege by the nation’s current opiate abuse epidemic. Assuming our presumption is correct, we must ask are you and the people in your community doing anything to combat this problem? To be clear, apathy is a great friend of addiction. Addiction enjoys the opportunity to flourish because people in the community don’t feel compelled to fight the problem.
That is generally what happens until addiction starts hitting closer to community members’ homes. That’s the point when community members wake up and say, “Hey, we need to do something about this opiate addiction problem that is damaging the lives of the people in our community.” Unfortunately, the community’s opiate addiction problem is likely already running out of control.
For a moment, lets lay out some of the problems a community could encounter because of rampant opiate abuse among its residents:
- A rise in crime rates due to the influx of opiates into the community
- Fiscal issues due to the need to fund addiction treatment and education programs
- Loss of community productivity due the effects of opiates on addiction sufferers
- Degradation of the community environment because of the aforementioned issues
Let’s say you are aware there is a problem in your community. It might not be clear what a solitary individual such as yourself can do to help the community. Below, we have some suggestions. Also, we encourage you to remember this. A snowball starts with a single flake. As more snow joins in the ice mass, it gets bigger and bigger. The point is it only takes one person to start the ball rolling.
How Can You Reach Out if Your Community Is Affected by Opiate Addictions?
It’s the source of your desire to help with the community’s opiate addiction problem that will dictate what you are willing and able to do. If you are a recovering opiate addict, you have a voice you should use. If you lost a family member due to an opiate overdose, you have a powerful voice and a story to tell. Use your voice and tell the story wherever and whenever you can. If faith is important within your community, your involvement with church groups could help others to join.
As a collective body of religious proponents, you have the ability to discuss opiate abuse within the congregation. Like the words of your religious faith, you can use the pulpit to tell people about the dangers associated with any form of substance abuse. You can also talk about the power faith has to heal people who have addiction issues. As a parent, you have an obligation to educate your kids about drugs and alcohol. If you tell a good story to your kids, they will share that story with their friends. Their friends will then share the story with more friends. Before you know it, you have the snowball effect we mentioned above. Finally and as an individual, you can be one of the ones to set an example for others to see.
If you have an addiction issue, show people they can summon the power to quit and ask for help. If you don’t have a substance abuse issue, don’t abuse drugs. Don’t support your local drug dealers. Don’t sit by and wait for others to do something when doing something has already crossed your mind. If you or someone you know or love has an opiate addiction issue, someone has a need for treatment. That is something we are willing to offer to anyone who has the courage to pick up the phone and call us at 833-364-0736. While treating our clients, we teach the concept of paying it forward. If you can arrest your addiction issues, you can get twice the satisfaction by stepping up and helping others find the elusive road to recovery.