Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic
Introduction
Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic explores the opioid crisis in the United States through the lives of people directly affected by addiction. This news investigation from Click Orlando speaks with individuals in recovery who offer a raw and honest look at what opioid use does to the body, the mind, and everyday life. It also examines the role of fentanyl, focusing on its extreme potency and the way it has intensified the crisis.
The documentary also highlights the wider impact of addiction, including the reality of infants born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and the long-term effects on families. It looks at the use of Narcan as a life-saving tool, while acknowledging the ongoing debate around its role. Alongside this, it introduces different approaches to recovery, including emerging therapies and structured environments designed to help people rebuild their lives.
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Quotes
"Physicians were actually penalized for not making patients 100% pain-free."
"When prescribing opioids, Dr. Khanna uses a checklist to determine a person’s risk for addiction. She also has them answer questions to rate their sleepiness and sign an agreement that they won’t share or abuse these drugs. She says the responsibility falls on her to consider all of this when prescribing opioids."
"You’re chasing that same high that you had the first time you used, so why would I spend $30 on a pill when I can spend $30 on heroin and get twice as high? The heroin was a way for me to get that initial high back, that first time high back, that I hadn’t been able to get since the first time I started using."
"When I dealt it, I didn’t care about who I was selling it to or what happened to them. It was, in my mind, their responsibility to handle it responsibly. A dead client isn’t a good client, so we don’t intentionally try to kill them; as the dealer perspective, we don’t care if they die though."
"I want the people that are doing heroin, fentanyl, crack, cocaine, even alcohol, all the stuff they’re doing, I want them to see exactly what they’re doing to their family, particularly the children, but their entire family – it’s total chaos and destruction."
"The most recent data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services show as the opioid crisis gets worse, more and more kids are being placed in foster care. Nationally, the numbers jumped 8% between 2012 and 2015 … 2.5 million children now live with relatives or family friends instead of their parents. Substance abuse was the reason for the removal of more than 32% of children in 2015."
"Dr. Warren Bickel, leading the nation in studying characteristics of who’s addicted to substances, his research shows how you see your future plays a role in addiction; he calls your outlook on life Future Time Perspective."
"[Archway Academy] It’s a school for kids who’ve already been to rehab for things like opioid and other drug addictions and need a safe place to learn. We were created by a group of parents who had lost their children to addiction."
"If you are one of those people that are sitting there thinking, Oh, I’ve never seen any, addiction has never affected me, you need to take a closer look."
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Brenda H.
BA Psych, Grad. Cert. Addictions & Mental Health
Driven by a deep personal connection to these topics, I created AMH Resources to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and everyday support. I watch, read, and summarize a wide range of free resources to help you navigate the overwhelming amount of information available and find what resonates with your journey.