A new study released this week says that it happens every 14 minutes.  My first experience it was in 8th grade.  It happened again to a friend’s daughter when I was 26.  The number has doubled in the past decade leading the Center’s for Disease Control to label it an “epidemic”.    “It” is the number of people that have died from prescription pill overdoes and in 2007 was 37,485.

For the first time ever, more people have died from prescription drug overdoses than have died from car crashes.  Think about that.    And the study indicates that more people are dying from overdosing on narcotic and sedative pain pills than on cocaine and heroin combined.  These are statistics that should be of concern to everyone because addiction cuts across racial, religious, geographic, economic and cultural lines.

Frequently I get calls from people wondering what to do about addicted loved ones.  Often they have tried begging, yelling and praying to get their loved ones clean and sober.  Yet the problem still exists.  The primary recovery texts indicates that left untreated, addiction leads to, “…jails, institutions and death.”  The statistics seem to support this.  While every situation is different, it is important to take action.

It is easy to blame the doctors who prescribe and the pharmacists to fill the prescriptions.  It’s convenient to be angry with the dealers who sell the pills on the corner, job site or lunch room.  True some become addicted after prolonged exposure following an accident or injury.  But all who are addicted are due an opportunity to find recovery from addiction.

If you don’t know where to turn, you are welcome to call us at 877/752-8811.  We will listen to your situation and offer suggestions that may well prevent your loved one from becoming a statistic.  People are dying from addiction.  We stand willing to help people recover.

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