The epidemic of drugs is common elsewhere in the US. According to UN, there are about a minimum of 190,000 drug-related deaths due to an overdose of opioids and other illicit drugs. Since 2014, there has been a dramatic rise in the numbers of drug problems in the US. In a day, there are about ten drug-related deaths, mostly are overdosage of opioids. Florida isn’t exempted from the list of drug-related deaths.
Last year, New York Times reported that there are an estimated 59,000 drug overdose deaths.
This number is the largest jump in US history and is predicted to worsen by 2017. The culprit of these drug abuses is heroin, opioid, and fentanyl. Although, this hasn’t reached out to some other state yet it’s an alarming number.
Now, the question is this, how did we end up like this? Before we get to the bottom, we start from the top. First, we need to understand what drug addiction is.
According to experts, addiction is a chronic disease that affects the reward structure of the brain. It’s caused by neurochemical reactions prompted by the introduction of specific substances and behaviors. Addiction impairs a person’s judgment, physiological independence, and emotional well-being.
Why do many people resort to drugs in the first place?
There are several reasons why people take drugs, and that is not about curiosity. Here are some of the reasons why:
- To fit in
- To escape or relax
- To relieve boredom
- To look like a grown up
- To rebel
- To experiment
- To escape from depression
People take on drugs for either leisure or an escape from trauma. Apparently, several of the reason is poverty and domestic abuse. Certain individuals use and abuse drugs because it impairs our neurological parts. The more you take drugs, the higher the dosage count is in the latter days.
Why can’t they just quit using and abusing drugs?
Well, they could stop of course, but it won’t be an easy thing to do. Remember, drugs feed out the reward structure of our brain. It creates oxytocin and endorphins. These chemicals are responsible for happiness and bliss. Once they stop using and abusing drugs, their bodies which are accustomed from being in ‘high’ state, go rock bottom. It’s like asking your man to stop playing games on his console.
How do you address the issue on the increasing number of deaths due to drug abuse?
Prevention is better than cure. This saying might sound a little way more scratched, but it might be the only way. If you have a friend, a loved one, or even just an ordinary person at your school or work who uses drugs illicitly and abusively, report it immediately. Seek help from professionals and let them live a sober life.
Be that person’s support system when they need it the most. A sober life with a great community support is better than a hellish life under the state of drug addiction.
Cities of Florida
- Alachua
- Alford
- Altamonte Springs
- Altha
- Anna Maria
- Apalachicola
- Apopka
- Arcadia
- Archer
- Astatula
- Atlantic Beach
- Atlantis
- Auburndale
- Aventura
- Avon Park
- Baldwin
- Bartow
- Bascom
- Bay Harbor Islands
- Bay Lake
- Bell
- Belle Glade
- Belle Isle
- Belleair
- Belleair Beach
- Belleair Bluffs
- Belleair Shore
- Belleview
- Beverly Beach
- Blountstown
- Boca Raton
- Bonifay
- Bonita Springs
- Bowling Green
- Boynton Beach
- Bradenton
- Bradenton Beach
- Branford
- Briny Breezes
- Bristol
- Bronson
- Brooker
- Brooksville
- Bunnell
- Bushnell
- Callahan
- Callaway
- Campbellton
- Cape Canaveral
- Cape Coral
- Carrabelle
- Caryville
- Casselberry
- Cedar Key
- Center Hill
- Century
- Chattahoochee
- Chiefland
- Chipley
- Cinco Bayou
- Clearwater
- Clermont
- Clewiston
- Cloud Lake
- Cocoa
- Cocoa Beach
- Coconut Creek
- Coleman
- Cooper City
- Coral Gables
- Coral Springs
- Cottondale
- Crescent City
- Crestview
- Cross City
- Crystal River
- Cutler Bay
- Dade City
- Dania Beach
- Davenport
- Davie
- Daytona Beach
- Daytona Beach Shores
- DeBary
- Deerfield Beach
- DeFuniak Springs
- Deland
- Delray Beach
- Deltona
- Destin
- Doral
- Dundee
- Dunedin
- Dunnellon
- Eagle Lake
- Eatonville
- Ebro
- Edgewater
- Edgewood
- Esto
- Eustis
- Everglades City
- Fanning Springs
- Fellsmere
- Fernandina Beach
- Flagler Beach
- Florida City
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Meade
- Fort Myers
- Fort Myers Beach
- Fort Pierce
- Fort Walton Beach
- Fort White
- Freeport
- Frostproof
- Fruitland Park
- Gainesville
- Glen Ridge
- Glen St. Mary
- Golden Beach
- Graceville
- Grand Ridge
- Grant-Valkaria
- Green Cove Springs
- Greenacres
- Greensboro
- Greenville
- Greenwood
- Gretna
- Groveland
- Gulf Breeze
- Gulf Stream
- Gulfport
- Haines City
- Hallandale Beach
- Hampton
- Hastings
- Havana
- Haverhill
- Hawthorne
- Hialeah
- Hialeah Gardens
- High Springs
- Highland Beach
- Hillcrest Heights
- Hilliard
- Hillsboro Beach
- Holly Hill
- Hollywood
- Holmes Beach
- Homestead
- Horseshoe Beach
- Howey-in-the-Hills
- Hypoluxo
- Indialantic
- Indian Harbour Beach
- Indian River Shores
- Indian Rocks Beach
- Indian Shores
- Inglis
- Interlachen
- Inverness
- Jacksonville
- Jacksonville Beach
- Jacob City
- Jasper
- Jay
- Jennings
- Juno Beach
- Jupiter
- Jupiter Inlet Colony
- Jupiter Island
- Kenneth City
- Key Colony Beach
- Key West
- Keystone Heights
- Kissimmee
- LaBelle
- LaCrosse
- Lady Lake
- Lake Alfred
- Lake Buena Vista
- Lake Butler
- Lake City
- Lake Clarke Shores
- Lake Hamilton
- Lake Helen
- Lake Mary
- Lake Park
- Lake Placid
- Lake Wales
- Lake Worth
- Lakeland
- Lantana
- Largo
- Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
- Lauderdale Lakes
- Lauderhill
- Laurel Hill
- Lawtey Nour Town
- Layton
- Lee
- Leesburg
- Lighthouse Point
- Live Oak
- Longboat Key
- Longwood
- Loxahatchee Groves
- Lynn Haven
- Macclenny
- Madeira Beach
- Madison
- Maitland
- Malabar
- Malone
- Manalapan
- Mangonia Park
- Marathon
- Marco Island
- Margate
- Marianna
- Marineland
- Mary Esther
- Mascotte
- Mayo
- McIntosh
- Medley
- Melbourne
- Melbourne Beach
- Melbourne Village
- Mexico Beach
- Miami Sober Living Facilities
- Miami
- Miami Beach
- Miami Gardens
- Miami Lakes
- Miami Springs
- Micanopy
- Midway
- Milton
- Minneola
- Miramar
- Monticello
- Montverde
- Moore Haven
- Mount Dora
- Mulberry
- Naples
- Neptune Beach
- New Port Richey
- New Smyrna Beach
- Newberry
- Niceville
- Noma
- North Bay Village
- North Lauderdale
- North Miami
- North Miami Beach
- North Port
- North Redington Beach
- Oak Hill
- Oakland
- Oakland Park
- Ocala
- Ocean Breeze
- Ocean Ridge
- Ocoee
- Okeechobee
- Oldsmar
- Opa-locka
- Orange City
- Orange Park
- Orchid
- Orlando
- Ormond Beach
- Otter Creek
- Oviedo
- Pahokee
- Palatka
- Palm Bay
- Palm Beach
- Palm Beach Gardens
- Palm Beach Shores
- Palm Coast
- Palm Shores
- Palmetto
- Panama City
- Panama City Beach
- Parker
- Parkland
- Paxton
- Pembroke Park
- Pembroke Pines
- Penney Farms
- Pensacola
- Perry
- Pierson
- Pinellas Park
- Plant City
- Plantation
- Polk City
- Pomona Park
- Pompano Beach
- Ponce de Leon
- Ponce Inlet
- Port Orange
- Port Richey
- Port St. Joe
- Port St. Lucie
- Punta Gorda
- Quincy
- Raiford
- Reddick
- Redington Beach
- Redington Shores
- Riviera Beach
- Rockledge
- Safety Harbor
- San Antonio
- Sanford
- Sanibel
- Sarasota
- Satellite Beach
- Sebastian
- Sebring
- Seminole
- Shalimar
- Sneads
- Sopchoppy
- South Bay
- South Daytona
- South Miami
- South Palm Beach
- South Pasadena
- Southwest Ranches
- Springfield
- St. Augustine
- St. Augustine Beach
- St. Cloud
- St. Leo
- St. Lucie Village
- St. Marks
- St. Pete Beach
- St. Petersburg
- Starke
- Stuart
- Sunny Isles Beach
- Sunrise
- Surfside
- Sweetwater
- Tallahassee #
- Tamarac
- Tampa
- Tarpon Springs
- Tavares
- Temple Terrace
- Titusville
- Treasure Island
- Trenton
- Umatilla
- Valparaiso
- Venice
- Vernon
- Vero Beach
- Waldo
- Wauchula
- Wausau
- Webster
- Weeki Wachee
- Welaka
- West Melbourne
- West Miami
- West Palm Beach
- West Park
- Weston
- Westville
- Wewahitchka
- White Springs
- Wildwood
- Williston
- Wilton Manors
- Windermere
- Winter Garden
- Winter Haven
- Winter Park
- Winter Springs
- Worthington Springs
- Yankeetown
- Zephyrhills
- Zolfo Springs