Introduction
Listen to the stories of people who have struggled with addiction and learn about the ongoing efforts across the state of Arkansas to tackle the challenges of opioid misuse and addiction. Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict delves into the harsh realities of drug use in The Natural State, highlighting not only the devastating, lasting effects on those who become addicted but also the profound impact on their families, friends, and communities.
You can also watch a 2-hour follow-up panel discussion.
Quotes from Chasing the Dragon: The Life of An Opiate Addict
“Being addicted to opiates is like chasing a dragon – you’re constantly seeking that first high. But what’s gonna happen if you actually catch it?”
“Approximately 1-in-5 high school seniors report misusing prescription drugs at least once in their lifetime.”
“A 2014 national survey found an estimated 1.4 million people in the U.S. abused a prescription pain killer for the first time that year.”
“I ask them of all the drugs they’ve ever tried, what’s the most addictive drug? And without a doubt, 100% of the time, they’ll say, the most addictive drug is oxycodone.”
“The drugs took my mind over and made me do things that I was, you know, normally brought up not to do, and it just turned me into a monster.”
“Nobody sets out thinking that they’re going to be a needle user, but every one of those needle users will tell you that they couldn’t get the high anymore doing it the way they were doing.”
“I am very angry, and one of the things I’m most angry about – and I tell her all the time – is that that drug was so much more important to you than me. And I’m the one that can help you. I’m the one that helps you.”
TRISH
“The progression of addiction and the behavior that comes with it is pretty standard, regardless of where you’re born, how much money you have, how old you are, what your race is, what your nationality is. You can be the smartest person in the world. The minute that chemical hits your bloodstream, you lose control of what it does in your body. You can’t control it. Nobody can control it. I don’t care who you are. It’s not controllable.”
“Every generation seems to have their drug of choice. Unfortunately, this generation seems to have found prescription opiates as that drug of choice, and even more unfortunately, the consequences of those drugs are far more devastating than anything else we’ve seen in the past. Chemically and physiologically speaking, there’s very little difference between oxycodone, morphine, and heroin. It’s just that one comes in a prescription bottle and another one comes in a plastic bag.”
“You can’t move. You constantly sneeze. Your fucking whole body fucking aches. It fucking hurts. Fucking people are crapping on themselves. People are puking on themselves. People are doing both at the same time. You would probably rather be dead than have to actually go through a withdrawal. It was horrific.“
“I love my children more than anything in the world. I will walk through fire for them. And I know a lot of parents feel that way, but you can’t feel that way. You have to understand what you’re dealing with is not your child. I put my own child in jail to stop her from this. And that’s not an easy decision to make. It’s not a fun decision. Nobody wants to know that their — you know, their little girl is sitting in jail, but she was seven months clean, eating healthy, getting her rest, no drugs.”
“It is much stronger than you, and it will win. It will win because this doesn’t just affect you. It affects everybody in your family for the rest of their lives. That we’re the ones stuck here missing you, and there’s help out there. You got to take it. Don’t think you can do it alone, ’cause you can’t. And your parents aren’t the enemy. They just want the best for you.”
Continue Learning
Please review the additional resources below to find more information on the some of the topics discussed in this resource. If you have any suggestions, comments, or concerns please do not hestitate to contact me!