Opioid misuse doesn’t start with an overdose. It starts with peer pressure, a doctor’s prescription, or as a coping mechanism. But when someone we love starts going to opioids as a solution, what do we do to help them?
Katie Morrow was one of those people. With her parents divorced, and her isolating from her mother so as not to worry her, Morrow found a solution in high school to cope with her feelings – drugs. After all her overdoses, she felt as if, ‘’Nobody trusted me. Nobody wanted me around”, she told CNN in 2021.
So how do you support someone who you may think is misusing opioids? If someone you know is regularly taking opioids, even when not needed, or consistently asking for medicine, that can be a tell-tale sign. According to Mayo Clinic, other symptoms can include severe mood-swings, isolation and weight loss.
If you have confirmed opioid misuse, it’s important to take your next steps.
First, make sure to be there for your friend or loved one. Regardless of the reason they are taking opioids, the last thing they need is the same feeling Katie experienced – judgment and distrust. Negative reactions to vulnerability often push people to close themselves off from not just you but others as well, and that significantly impairs their journey to healing.
Offer them a safe space and encourage them to seek professional support.
It can be difficult to encourage a friend to talk to an adult. Whether it be a counselor or a parent, the fear of reprimand and consequences might deter your friend or loved one from seeking out help, and that can often lead to a greater decline in recovery.
However, this is why online resources, such as the 988 Suicide Hotline and the SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4537). These are both anonymous resources, so you can assure your friend they do not have to fear any negative consequences, but rather they can take one step closer to healing.
The most important thing to remember, though, is that your presence in someone’s hardships speaks volume to them, and creates all the difference in their journey.
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
