By ROCKY SHANEHSAZ
Guest Columnist
When you think of drug addiction, what immediately comes to mind? Do you conjure up images of a homeless person curled up in the dirty corner of a vacant house with a heroin needle stuck in his arm? How about a meth-head selling her body to get money for the next fix?
While these scenarios do occur on a daily basis in our Indiana communities, they are not the only faces of drug addiction. This deadly disease affects people of every age, race, gender and socioeconomic group. Your co-worker, your child, a long-time friend, or even your family doctor may be dealing with their own personal struggle when it comes to substance abuse.
As a business owner and employer in Hamilton County, I’ve come to recognize the signs of drug addiction, and I have provided mentorship to people who battle every day to maintain their sobriety. I know how difficult it can be for some of these folks to find their way back and I admire their courage to keep fighting.
Take for instance, Jessica. She broke her back in a car accident and her doctor prescribed Vicodin and Norco to treat the pain. She became addicted to these drugs and began doctor-shopping when her previous doctor refused to give her anymore. Those actions ultimately led to Jessica’s arrest on prescription fraud charges, followed by jail time, drug court and work release.
When Jessica graduated from drug court and work release, she had no place to live or money to find a place to live. By giving her a job, helping her find a home and keeping her accountable through daily mentoring, Jessica came to realize that she was just numbing her pain with drugs and she needed to address a much deeper emotional issue. She’s no longer addicted to opioids, but knows she’ll struggle for the rest of her life to keep the drugs at bay.
I also helped to mentor Stephanie, who told me she began drinking alcohol “for fun” at age 13 and became an alcoholic by the time she had her first child at age 18. Raised by an alcoholic mother who kicked her out of the house “every time she felt like it,” Stephanie told me she drank to escape the chaos of her life and numb the pain of rejection and loneliness.
Stephanie told me she was too messed up after drinking every night to get up and go to a real job, so she began dealing marijuana to make ends meet. The drinking, however, continued and resulted in Stephanie nearly being beaten to death by a “friend” with mental health issues and eventually getting arrested three times for driving while intoxicated.
Facing a habitual offender charge and the possibility of spending 16 years in the Department of Corrections, Stephanie was accepted into Hamilton County’s drug court, where she continues to work on her recovery and live a life of sobriety.
These are only two examples of how prescription opioids, heroin, meth, alcohol and other drugs can forever ruin or alter a person’s life. Did you know the percentage of people ages 12 or older reporting illicit drug dependence or abuse in 2017 is higher in Hamilton County than it is across the entire state and nationwide? According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Hamilton County reported 3.09 percent of residents had a daily drug dependence (Indiana, 2.98 percent; U.S., 2.7 percent) and 5.08 percent reported daily prescription abuse (Indiana, 4.98 percent; U.S., 4.31 percent).
These numbers not only translate into ruined lives, but also large amounts of money lost in Hamilton County due to decreased workplace productivity, increased healthcare costs and more criminal justice-related expenses. Hamilton County residents need a long-term solution to stop this growing drug epidemic from continuing to seep into and infect our communities.
I recently proposed a good, long-term solution for drug and alcohol addiction to the Hamilton County Council and Hamilton County Commissioners. This plan involves various leaders throughout the community, and I hope to collaborate with as many people as possible to gain constructive feedback and create the best plan possible.
We need to let go of the “not in my backyard” mentality when it comes to doing something to stop this growing drug epidemic. IT’S ALREADY IN OUR BACKYARDS, DOWN THE STREET AND AROUND THE CORNER. Don’t you think it’s time we all step up and work together to address the problem?
If you want to get involved, please email me at manager@hopeandrecoverycenters.org to see how you can help.