Heroin abuse strikes hard at family life. Whether it is watching your son, daughter or spouse struggle with this lethal addiction or participating in the Heroin family business; it takes its toll. The stigma of this disease has caused many families to hide behind shaky smiles and locked doors rather than expose their Heroin abuse habit to neighbors and friends. It's a course of action that too often has proved deadly. Keeping Heroin use a secret shrouds the disease in mystery. It pulls and tears until it unravels the fabric of family life. In too many cases,loved ones enable the Heroin abuserather than confront it head on.
Like many cities across the nation, New Brunswick has had its fair share of struggles with this alluring substance. For one New Brunswick family, it was a thriving Heroin business rather than Heroin abuse that turned family life into multiple prison sentences. An investigation into a well-established Heroin operation resulted in the arrest of six members of a local family who are now facing stiff penalties for the distribution of Heroin in the surrounding areas. In fact, the head of the family may be facing a life sentence. In another report, a single mother was caught selling Heroin in the presence of her infant. For these offenses, she will not only serve time but possibly lose custody of her baby.
Heroin has experienced resurgence as a result of the prescription drug epidemic that swept many people into full blown addiction. The National Criminal Justice Reference Service estimates that over 600,000 people in the United States are currently in addiction to Heroin. These people all belong to some type of family unit that will ultimately be impacted by this drug.
Sadly, media coverage about, multiple overdose deaths among celebrities and young adults has not made a dent in the number of people still seeking the Heroin experience. According to a national survey on drug abusethere has actually been an increase of Heroinbetween 2011 and 2012. Approximately 300,000 more Americans over the age of 11 have used Heroin.
Although the effect of Heroin addiction is multi-faceted, there are two primary roles that play out in families; the watcher and the user. Sometimes it is hard to tell which is worst. Watching your loved one lose their life to Heroin abuse or suffering the consequences of abuse as the user. The drug has rightfully gained a reputation as a home wrecker. Unlike the slow insidious nature of other chemical substances like marijuana or alcohol abuse, the journey into Heroin addiction is surprisingly short. Once addiction sets in, the risk of overdose becomes the most worrisome threat.
Dealing with a drug overdose death is one of the most horrifying experiences families have to face. But the path that leads to the fatality is no picnic either. As Heroin drug abuse is increasing, it is also exacting a steep emotional, physical and financial cost that lead to broken relationships, devastating health issues and the interruption of a normal family life for thousands of children.
Early intervention is the way to intercept Heroin's deadly grip. There are recovery programs that can help addicts to overcome addiction and live normal productive lives. Avoid the tragic consequences of Heroin abuse by seeking help for yourself or your loved ones today.