There is a pandemic raging across America. No, it is not the coronavirus.
It has been around much longer and claims the lives of more than 100,000 Americans every year. No vaccine can protect you from it, and though it is not even in the same category as COVID-19, its effects can be as devastating.
I am speaking, of course, about substance abuse.
Substance abuse is not a new problem in the U.S., but it is definitely getting worse. In recent years, drug overdoses and deaths have reached record highs, due in part to the over-prescription of opioids. Unfortunately, those dealing with substance addiction have been treated as criminals instead of people who need treatment for a disorder they often cannot control.
My friend Joshua’s story is an example of how devastating substance abuse can be.
When I met him I could tell he was a young man full of potential, but meth addiction had taken its toll on him. Intense use can cause brain damage, and Joshua was no exception. Before coming to us he had been homeless and caught in a 14-month long methamphetamine-induced psychosis. Meth had severely impaired his ability to function.
“The only time I was able to get any peace was when I was asleep,” Joshua told us. “It took getting arrested for me to finally agree to seek help.”