Heroin(e), the latest Netflix documentary, reports that Huntington, West Virginia is the overdose capital of The United States, with its fatality rate at 10 times the nationwide average enduring as many as 26 deaths in a solitary day.
Chronicling Disaster in the Mountain State
Heroin(e) is a convincing documentary and observes the life of Fire Chief, Jan Rader. She typically monitors an average of five to seven overdose fatalities a day. But why? Rader describes West Virginia as a blue-collar state with a reality that laborers become injured, endure pain and then get addicted to opioids. When they’re not able to acquire painkillers, they resort to heroin or other possibly fatal drugs, such as fentanyl which is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine.
In 2015, the opioid predicament cost Cabel County where Huntington is found roughly $100 million dollars. The documentary continues to expose the total opioid price tag on the U.S. is a shocking $78.5 billion annually.
Seeking Other Methods to Combat the States Fatality Rate
The documentary demonstrates how all three women listed below have created various techniques to deal with this perilous issue. Here’s a look into their initiatives:
The Fire Chief
Rader personally provides Naloxone used to negate the effects of an overdose to fire departments. She also teaches team members on its’ management in emergency scenarios. She explains, “I don’t care if I have to save somebody fifty times … That’s fifty chances to get them into long-term recovery.”
The Judge
Patricia Keller developed an Adult Drug Court in Cabel County a problem-solving treatment court. Its objective is to help individuals conquer substance abuse challenges which could’ve inevitably led them to commit crimes. Her aim is to help strengthen an individual’s lifestyle and the experiences of their families. Consequently, the program talks of transforming men and women into successful citizens which, subsequently, enhances public safety. The program has become so effective that the West Virginia Supreme Court wheeled it out to other counties throughout the state.
The Missionary
The third woman, Necia Freeman, helps supply meals, housing, and direction for sex laborers. The Netflix documentary observes her voyages through the city, recording her kindness and empathy towards these desperate women as she attempts to direct them towards rehabilitation.
Kindness is the Vital Component
In addition to providing awareness into the very real challenge America is facing with the opioid crisis, this documentary uncovers the gripping effects of a softer, sympathetic, and more tolerant technique to dealing with men and women who experience chemical addiction.
Instead of locking them away or allowing them to die, these women show that, each day, individuals become dependent on drugs and we must treat them with compassion and love. Therefore, the people dealing with a substance abuse challenge can acknowledge they’re not insignificant, they do deserve to live, and they have the right to obtain proper addiction treatment and assistance.
Do you have your own story to tell about heroin or opiate addiction? We want to hear from you! Share your viewpoints in the comments below. And if you or a loved one is suffering from addiction, don’t wait till it’s too late. Call Northlake Recovery’s toll-free addiction hotline at (561)-770-6616.
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