On September 7th, 2018, it was announced that 26-year old rapper and artist Mac Miller had died due to a supposed drug overdose. The rappers relationship with drugs was not unknown. Having periods of sobriety in his life, he often spoke of sobriety, struggles with addiction, and the struggles of maintaining recovery in his life. After sometime sober, Mac Miller found himself in a cycle of relapse earlier in 2018. Though a cause of death has not officially been named, it is widely recognized that there was in fact a drug overdose involved.
The truth is that drug overdoses are happening all day long, every single day, all around the world. Addiction is a thriving epidemic across the globe claiming lives as it grows. When a celebrity passes due to an overdose, as so many have in the last few years, the story of addiction and overdose is brought into our home and our personal lives. Whether we have family in recovery or not, currently struggling with addiction or not, the loss of a human life to overdose hits us all on a personal level. One of our own was living in a tremendous amount of pain, causing themselves even more pain by attempting to cope with drugs and/or alcohol, then lost their lives in a way which could have been entirely prevented. Overdose is heartbreaking and we must discuss it with our families.
With the opioid epidemic, we have learned that dangerous, potentially fatal drugs are easier to access than ever. Young adults especially can buy drugs through social media platforms, not just on the streets. Heroin, prescription painkillers, benzodiazepines, and synthetic stimulants purchased on the streets are not safe. In 2016 we were introduced to Fentanyl as it became apparent in street drugs. The synthetic opioid is up to 100 times more powerful than morphine and can cause an instantaneous overdose. A simple “party favor” or a seemingly innocent pill off the street can lead to immediate and irreversible death.
Addiction is always a looming threat of experimenting with or abusing drugs and alcohol. Today, the conversation we have with our families has to include overdose, the risks of overdose, the signs of overdose, and how to help someone who has overdosed. We’ll discuss these important topics in our next blog.
Hired Power offers recovery services designed to make your family’s journey through the recovery process as seamless as possible. Our dynamic team of experienced recovery professionals strive to bring their personal passion and professional expertise to your every need and concern. Ultimately, our goal is to help you bring recovery home and focus on where healing matters most: family. For information on our services, call us today: 714-559-3919