Did our loved one use drugs last night? The addiction crisis surrounds us all in Delaware
Editor's note: This is the second of three holiday litanies from regular opinion contributor Jordan McClements in which he meditates on Delaware's ongoing opioid crisis.
December speaks. This holiday season, we wonder where our loved one is.
We’re in an overdose crisis.
Did our loved one use drugs last night?
It’s a fair question.
Millions of Americans use drugs.
And the entire drug supply is poisoned.
Whether our loved one:
Pops.
Snorts.
Smokes.
Injects.
America is not interested in a clean drug supply.
We’re worried if we’ll see our loved one.
It's six in the morning.
We want to call our loved one.
To check up on our loved one.
Is it too early to call our loved one?
Is it too late, to call our loved one?
We want to make sure we see our loved one again.
Are we going to see our loved one at the December holiday family dinner?
We know our loved one’s not doing as well.
Our loved one gets thinner every holiday dinner.
Our loved one eats less and less.
Sometimes our loved one’s happy and spreading the most love we’ve seen our loved one give.
We remember our loved one spreading that love like when we were kids.
Or is our loved one going to be in the bathroom for the whole December holiday dinner?
Did we bring Narcan last year to the December holiday dinner?
Are we bringing Narcan this year to the December holiday dinner?
Do we have enough Narcan?
Do we have any Narcan?
Or is our loved one going to ask everyone for money again, get upset, then storm out?
We love our loved one.
We know our country isn’t helping our loved one get back on their feet in rehab, prison or jail.
How many hours have they spent in these places?
How many hours, have we, spent in these spaces?
Do we know what it’s like to not feel the breeze for thirty days?
Our loved one knows what it's like to not feel the breeze for thirty days.
While we know the visitation hours, we rarely show up.
We know that’s why our loved one always goes back to rehab, prison or jail.
It’s the only way they know how to tell us they’re not OK.
We know the Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings aren’t keeping our loved one from using drugs.
We know Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous work for some people.
But for our loved one, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous don’t work.
If our loved ones can’t show up to their biological family because of drug use, and our loved ones can’t show up to their chosen family because of their active drug use, where do our loved ones go for the December holiday dinner?
Our loved ones use drugs.
Our loved ones' only safe option is an unsafe option.
Our loved one is not OK.
Part I: Pain from Delaware's overdose crisis this holiday season is real. Are your loved ones OK?
We’re not OK.
Our loved one is using drugs that can kill our loved one, and everyone knows it.
We know it.
We’re scared.
We’re mad.
We’re angry.
We feel guilt.
We don’t understand.
Sometimes we blame our loved one.
Sometimes we blame society.
Sometimes we blame everyone.
Sometimes we blame ourselves.
We don’t know whose fault it is, and it doesn’t matter whose fault it is that our loved one uses drugs, because the government needs to help our loved ones.
If our loved ones are going to keep using drugs, our loved ones need a clean supply, so they don’t die before they’re able to stop using drugs.
Or, if our loved ones continue using drugs, they won’t die from a poisoned supply, just like alcohol.
We know the government can make a clean supply like alcohol.
We know, rehab, prison, jail, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous or death, are the only options in America for drug users.
We know those institutions don’t work for our loved ones.
We know those institutions didn’t work for the loved ones a lot of us have lost and will lose.
We know our loved one is next.
We know we need to call our loved one now to check on our loved one.
It’s now eight in the morning.
Should we call our loved one?
Is it too late, to call our loved one?
What if our loved one doesn’t answer?
What if our loved one asks for money?
Maybe just wait till the December holiday dinner and see if our loved one shows up?
When are we, going to show up for our loved one?
What do we do?
Millions of Americans are living this question every December holiday season.
The rest of you, don’t even know you’re in the same situation.
But we all, are in this situation, of the overdose crisis.
All of us, might not see our loved one again, this December holiday season.
Pick up the phone.
Call your loved one.
Go see your loved one.
Spend time with your loved one.
Show your loved one how much you’re worried about them.
Show your loved one how much you love them.
You’re running out of time.
I’m running out of time.
America, we, are running out of time.
We need to show our loved ones how much we love them.
Drugs, sometimes feel like love.
That’s why our loved ones use drugs:
Our loved ones, are chasing the feeling of something that sometimes feels like love.
Drugs sometimes feel like love.
Let’s show our loved ones we love them this December holiday season.
Jordan McClements is a resident of Felton.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Delaware addiction crisis: Did your loved uses use last night?
