The Epidemic of Youth Drug Addiction to Heroin

In Our FaceShe tied the make shift tourniquet on her arm, a burnt empty spoon rested on her lap,and I watched her pierce her skin with the needle. She is no older than sixteen, white, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a heroin addict. I wanted to scream, Please dont do this. I know she wouldnt have listen.Drug addiction to heroin with our youth is rapidly growing and the fatality of death is frightening. The ages of addiction is from as young as ten to the age of twenty. A ten year old who should be playing video games, Netflix and Chilling, skateboarding, playing sports and going to the mall and instead they are looking for their next fix seems unreal.

The Crisis of Youth AddictionIt is a harsh reality that the adolescent walking in the mall or sitting on the couch may use drugs. In Buffalo, N.Y the Erie County medical examiners said, there are a total of at least ten deaths a week because of Heroin overdose. Some youths begin with the gateway drug of using marijuana, graduate to pills, and then the hard stuff such. We live in a time where teenagers are dealing with a lot of trauma and using drugs as a way of escaping and becoming numb. A rehabilitation service such asHorizon Health serviceshas a waiting list for 62 bed unit can expand to over 100 people on the waiting list. Those numbers are frightening to hear when you are seeking help for your child. Then there is the issue of insurances not covering the medical costs for rehab and the prescription drug Subaxone. Many of these denials violate state and federal laws requiring equal treatment for addiction and other mental health illnesses, according to the families of those who are addicted.( Buffalo news).Coming off the bus in my neighborhood I can often find a young person nodding off, behind a house shooting up, or snorting the brown substance. The fact that they are sharing needles and the reality of contracting a HIV. I grew up around family members, neighbors, saw overdoses. What about the mothers and fathers who grew up in suburbs, never encounter a person addicted to drugs? Those are the ones in need of education, understanding that a teenager addicted to drugs is outside of the person they once were. They are not in control of their addiction and behaviors. They are in the fight of their lives and the battlegrounds are spreading to suburban and rural neighborhood s. Addiction is a family disease, and though only one person is using an entire family suffers. Nothing is more painful than watching the person you love refusing to seek help. I wrote this because what I saw today and if I can help one parent, one leader, and the world see that we must work collectively to eradicate drugs flooding our communities. Drug addiction isnt just a one person problem it is an entire nations situation.

Where Do We Go from Here?Know the signs of addiction to HeroinParaphernaliaBurnt spoonsTiny baggiesTan or whitish powdery residueDark, sticky residueSmall glass pipesSyringesRubber tubingAppearance:Tiny pupilsSleepy eyesTendency to nod offSlow breathingFlushed skinRunny noseActions:VomitingScratchingSlurred speechComplaints of constipationComplaints of nauseaNeglect of groomingFailure to eatCovering arms with long sleeves(Resource from:http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-heroin-use.html)Know the BarriersThe first barrier is withdrawal symptomsDenial and refusal of helpLack of Resources, transportation in suburbs, and rural neighborhoodNo insurance/ Denial of ServicesFearShameYou cant defeat Opiate addiction without a professional help!Residential treatmentPrayerCounseling for Drugs and Mental HealthUnderstand this process does not happen overnightMedications to help with withdrawalsSeek counsel and support groups for yourselfLook for local agencies that train you Opioid Overdose PreventionCDC States funding Opioid Overdose PreventionNumbers to Contact to Seek Support and Information On TreatmentCall 1800662-HELP (4357) or visit theonline treatment locators.8003904056If you are located in Buffalo, NY24 Hour Crisis HotlineBuffalo and Erie County716834313124 Hour Addiction HotlineBuffalo and Erie County7168317007