Margaret Millington OAM, Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times
Every year, hundreds die around the world from the curse of addiction, but no one can ever really understand what it is like to lose a family member or see a loved one caught in the web of addiction until it happens to them. It is a hideous ‘disease’ that occurs so easily to unsuspecting victims, but it is so hard to escape from once caught up in it.
Sadly, our family lived it for 16 years, after our son Simon became an ‘accidental addict’ to pharmaceuticals. He suffered life-threatening injuries in a single-car accident. Yes, these were legal drugs prescribed to him by his treating doctors. He succumbed to his addiction in 2010 following an overdose of OxyContin. It is so easy to become an addict to such drugs, especially following surgery. I know patients who are discharged from hospital with a bag full of powerful, addictive medications, with little or no plan as to how and when they should be taken. This is how Simon ended up becoming addicted. Not a lot has changed when a patient is discharged with a box of OxyContin following the removal of their wisdom teeth!! Be aware and be vigilant about any drugs you are being prescribed; you are responsible for what you are taking, so be informed about possible side effects or consequences of your medications.
This year, the theme for Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st is ‘Recognising those people who go unseen’; we honour the people whose lives have been altered by overdose. They are the family and friends grieving the loss of a loved one; workers in healthcare and support services, especially ambulance drivers and paramedics, extending strength and compassion; or spontaneous first responders who selflessly assume the role of a lifesaver. Theirs are the voices we should amplify, and their strength and experience should be held up as examples to us all. Too often, however, they are left to bear the burden of this crisis alone and in silence.
On August 31, let us all acknowledge and support the people in our communities who are ‘the unseen faces of addiction’, but never forget those individuals or families who have lost loved ones to addiction or the courage of those still fighting it. Despite the implementation of Safe Script in all dispensing sites, allowing doctors to make informed decisions about their patients to try and curb the overdose numbers, deaths from overdose continue to exceed the road toll. We must do better!!
This article appeared in the Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 30 August 2023.
