Over the last few days I have seen several posts on Facebook about Narcan (naloxone HCl) and the misunderstanding by so many on what this drug really is. The common theme of these posts appears to be the outrage some feel when they think that Narcan is free when chemotherapy is not. I’d like to clear this matter up, but I’d also like to explain to anyone who is under this misguided belief how horrible addiction is while you are watching someone you love suffer.
NARCAN IS NOT FREE. Just like other drugs this drug is often purchased under insurance coverage and typically there is a co-pay. Furthermore the organizations that do give Narcan away have paid for it through donations and grants. They have spent numerous man-hours raising the funds to purchase this life-saving drug. No different than any other organization that raises funds for other diseases.
My suggestion is, rather than continue to do harm to a community of people who have already been harmed enough go out there and raise funds for the medications and treatments you feel are “worthy.” Your negative posts have done nothing for those other diseases. Dedicate your free time advocating like I have and then maybe you’ll see change! At the very least people may start looking at you like a decent human being again!
NARCAN IS NOT A TREATMENT FOR ADDICTION. Narcan is a lifesaving medication that is administered to save a life. It does not treat the disease of addiction. It is no different than any other medications First Responders and EMT’s use to save a life. For example if a person is suffering from what First-Responders believe is a heart attack they may give them oxygen or glyceryl trinitrate, and if someone is overdosing they give them Narcan. These wonderful souls are in the business to save lives, not stand by and watch someone die regardless of the disease that person is battling. Thank God for that.
In a perfect world healthcare would be free. At the very least prescriptions and treatment for all diseases would be affordable. But we do not live in a perfect world. From where I am sitting we live in a very unforgiving and often ugly world. A world where people cast judgement and spread hate. A world where someone struggling with a devastating disease such as addiction is forced into silence and shamed for being sick.
TO THE PEOPLE WHO SAY SUCH HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM ADDICTION:
Do you even know what your awful posts do to those who either struggle with addiction or what it does to the family members that love them? No, I’m assuming you don’t, because maybe if you did you would STOP!
YOU SEE I AM THE PARENT OF A CHILD WHO SUFFERED WITH THE DISEASE OF ADDICTION.
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Weak minded people get addicted to drugs, I have had lots of painful operation on me since my car wreak, I am not hooked on Dope! I was even on Deloaded, Morphine, Percaset, (all spelled wrong I am sure), I was on some of the hardest pain killers, and I weaned off of them. You just got to believe in God, and he will help you kick the habit.
ReplyDeleteYou're an idiot...
DeleteSuccess rate of treatment is 5%. Success rate without treatment is 5%. I'm sorry for your child, but the decision to become addicted was theirs. The decision to recover is theirs. I, too, have family members who suffer from addiction. It sucks, but labeling them as victims doesn't help. Empower them instead as salvation lies within, and only from within.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I've been saying this on this site for a long time. Help those who WANT to help themselves, not Obama zombies who WANT hand outs.
ReplyDeleteSo are Epi Pens which are life saving at the same cost?? No!!!
ReplyDeleteHow about epi-pens?
ReplyDeleteAddiction is a choice not a disease. Even when prescribed by a Dr you have the choice whether to take it or not. You also know that drugs can be addicting and you know when you do it, it is wrong and harmful to you, again your bad choice. There are lots if help available to these people, BUT they choose not to get help. Is it a bitch yes, but you are choosing to continue on the path instead of choosing help. The idea if narcan being so widely available is a crutch to the addict. Also trying to sugar coat and having a pity party for them enables then. Quit with the feel good crap, tell it like it is. Start making better choices.
ReplyDeleteEveryone in the medical and first responder fields that I have talked to say that Narcan does not help at all. Someone who needs to be saved by using narcan will only be dead in a week because their amount of Opiate needed to get high just keeps going up
ReplyDeleteI beg to differ. EMT'S used Narcan on my son back in January of 2016. Scared the living hell out of him. He's not gone back. So in my opinion it was worth it. It's not your child until it is.
DeleteI'm a nurse....very knowledgeable about addiction..and Narcan definitely saves lives. And it is a blessing! Not certain where you got your information.
DeleteGod certainly was stingy when handing out brains around here. Never seen so many people with so little to contribute to a conversation.
ReplyDeleteAddiction is not a "choice". Most Heroin addicts started with prescription pain meds. Many addicts legitimately had pain. They became addicted to the meds. At some point they no longer can get the pills. They turn to Heroin. No one would "chose" to be an addict. You folks that have no empathy truly just don't have a clue. Just be grateful it didn't happen to you.
ReplyDeleteIt is a CHOICE to not reach out for help or seek second medical opinions when you KNOW you are well outside the physical recovery window and still seek out the meds. When your doctor says no more pills, and you still can't function, it's your CHOICE on which fork in the road you will take. For many, it becomes an addiction to the "feeling" the drug provides, or the feelings it buffers, not the pain relief it was intended to provide.
DeleteI almost feel a bit sorry for addicts but I really feel sorry for the victims of crime perpetrated by addicts.
ReplyDelete2:42 Like what?
ReplyDeleteThefts, burglaries, dui accidents to name a few.
DeleteGee.. I dont know ..3:19.... burglery .. robbery... muggings... murders ...assaults... abuse... need more than that???? Cause there are more
ReplyDeleteYou will never ris society of any stigma until the stigma of mental health is addressed and how the mental health and addiction problem go hand in hand
ReplyDeleteIt's called "Natural Selection", the weak minded, feeble minded, lazy losers die, it is Gods way of weeding out the bad people leaving more room for the good people.
ReplyDeleteWe need to quit wasting good money on these losers that are going to die anyway. A $4000 shot to save their life, and a few weeks later their dead anyway. Give that money to the good people for doing good things.
Such small minds. No respect for education, science or the medical field. It is much clearer why this area is deteriorating and has little hope of ever being a vibrant community.
ReplyDeleteCancer is a disease. Addiction is a choice!
ReplyDelete