What is Overdose Awareness Day? (And why do we observe it?)
Written by: Adam Freilich
Edited by: Stephanie Martinez
If you are out in public on August 31st and you see someone wearing a silver badge, purple lanyard, or purple wristband, then chances are that person has lost a loved one due to a drug overdose. Now on August 31st, every year Overdose Awareness Day is being observed. Because of the growing epidemic of overdoes in the United States and all over the world, many people decided it was time to inform more people about this problem.
One thing that addicts have in common is that they never think it can happen to them. No one starts using drugs and believes that they are going to become addicted. No one wants to be an addict. It is easy to judge others, but when you look at the facts – the “others” are not so different from us. According to statistics, 40,000 Americans die every year from overdoses. That’s over 3,000 a month, which equals out to 750 deaths a week. We could break it down even more, but you get the idea.
Addiction doesn’t just target people from lower income backgrounds, nor does it care what your skin color is. According to some studies 80% of people from upper middle-class families reported drinking alcohol, when compared with 50% of those from lower class families. The Center for Disease Control also reported that heroin use in suburban areas has gone up 45%.
So, the question is if overdosing is such an epidemic, then why isn’t there more done about it? While it’s true there are plenty of resources to help those with a drug problem, such as 12-step meetings, drug rehabilitation, and drug counseling, there is not nearly enough government support to address the epidemic. If you’re lucky, insurance pays for a certain number of days of rehabilitation but “after-care” is not even covered at all. That’s a whole other topic. But the truth is a lot of overdoses are from prescription medications. Since 1999, over 200,000 people have died from opioids that were prescribed by a doctor. According to the CDC in 2012, 259,000,000 opioid prescriptions were written, and everyday 46 people die from a prescription overdose. Once the individual becomes addicted to prescription medications, they either look for ways to manipulate their doctor into giving them more, or they start looking for illegal drugs on the streets. The overdose deaths involving heroin has risen from 1,960 in 1999 to 15,482 in 2017. These numbers are staggering. We know there is no “quick fix” to address this crisis but we know there is a solution and that we hope to be a part of that solution.
Addicts aren’t bad people who need to start being good – they don’t suffer from a moral deficiency. They are sick people trying to get well. They are your brothers, sister, mothers, fathers, husbands and wives. They are us.
Overdose Awareness Day is for those who have lost someone due to an overdose, those battling addiction, and those who simply want to raise awareness and to end the stigma associated with addiction. Overdose Awareness Day is for everyone, because addiction does not discriminate. If you want more information, please go to www.overdoseday.com.
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