In the early 20th century, heroin went from being legal to requiring a prescription. Why wasn’t heroin illegal right off the bat?
Because it was marketed as a completely safe, non-addictive substitute for morphine. In fact, it’s still used today in hospitals under the name “diamorphine”.
If you’ve had surgery, chances are good you’ve been shot up with it.
For some equally interesting, yet serious and scary addiction facts, keep reading.
Serious Addiction Facts
1) Most Users Aren’t Addicts
If that isn’t scary, we don’t know what is. If it were true, anyone who has been to the hospital for surgery would be an addict. So, what is the variable that takes a recreational drug user and turns them into an addict?
The answer is usually unhappiness. For some reason, these people need to escape. They need relief from their misery.
So, they turn to drugs. Why?
Because of friends, family, co-workers and management and everyone else. The stress and pressures of everyday life, the social disconnect, and several other factors come into play.
Pointing at others as the cause of their misgivings is common among addicts, as they search for someone to blame.
But it can’t be denied that Americans, especially in the 21st century, have become disconnected from one another. We keep our noses in smartphones and desktops. We lose touch with our friends and family.
We’re all lonely souls and most of the time we don’t even realize it.
2) Legal Drugs are the Problem
Most opioids aren’t illegal. They’re just controlled by the government in the form of prescription pain medication.
In fact, most of the heroin users got hooked on prescription painkillers long before a needle ever touched their arm.
Marijuana has long been called a “gateway drug” and been blamed for numerous terrible things that happen in this country. The sad fact is that legal drugs, like painkillers, tobacco, and alcohol, are the real gateway drugs and are doing far more damage than marijuana.
3) The Numbers Don’t Look Good
Only 1 in 10 people who are struggling with addiction receive any kind of treatment. There are several reasons for this.
Some are embarrassed. Some don’t think they have a problem. Others think because they have a prescription, they either can’t be addicted or they’ll stop using when the prescription runs out.
The saddest fact of all is half a trillion dollars in taxpayer money is spent on drugs every year, but only 2% goes toward prevention and treatment.
4) The Knowledge Isn’t There
Young people believe that heroin is bad. They also believe that prescription meds are ok.
They often think it’s perfectly fine to dip into a medicine cabinet or lie about ailments in order to get these drugs.
Not only that, adults do not fully understand how these drugs work. They are not for chronic pain. They are for short-term pain relief.
5) Anything Can Be Addictive
Gambling can become an addiction. So, can sex and drugs and a host of other vices.
The cure can also be addictive. Yoga, meditation, and the like are often used as a substitute. People think that replacing a healthy addiction with an unhealthy one is ok. It isn’t.
Too much of anything is a bad thing. We need to treat the addiction itself and moderation and balance are key components to that.
Those are two words addicts aren’t familiar with. Moderation and balance. At the Drug Rehab Center here in the Northern Georgia area, we’ll teach you the art of living a life of both.
Get Help for Drug & Alcohol Addiction in Cumming, GA
While some of these addiction facts might not seem more interesting than scary, they are real and they can make the problem worse.
At the Carter Center here in Cumming, GA, we believe in helping individuals as individuals. We have a plethora of holistic treatments available to suit every type of personality and addiction. If you’re in the Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Duluth, or surrounding areas and you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, please, reach out and contact us today.
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