The many deaths of addiction.
John Doe, age 26, born on 3/16/94, died alone on 11/15/19. He was not surrounded by family or friends. He died in agony and pain. He struggled until the end to be the person that others wanted him to be, what society told him he had to be, and in the end, he determined that he could never be that person. He did not leave a note, who would read it anyway? To him, no one cared. He was all alone.
Although I have changed the name, the information is real. Another person lost. By now, I should be desensitized to it but the truth is that it never gets easier; it gets harder. It always gets harder. Every one of these deaths is preventable and every death stabs you in the chest with the realization that we, as a society, failed the person lost. This weight is especially difficult for those of us that have been able to find a way to treat or stop our substance use. Many of us find our way to service or social work after we treat our substance abuse, and this can send us to reach out for those still using or keep us close to the front lines with those who need our help the most.
As I pitched this piece to Beth Weise, she shared her personal experience with the love and loss caused by addiction. She shared with me, during my time in treatment, my cousin also entered into treatment. We became close, as happens with people who use and have used substances, you relate to each…
