This is a heart-wrenching and honest account of a family's effort to understand the journey of their son that led to his death from a heroin overdose, and how they dealt with their grief and sadness, their guilt and their anger at themselves, at others, and at God. More than a memoir, "Opiate Nation" is a crisis report. Jude and her husband John found themselves navigating the bewildering new era of bright young adults exposed to opiates before they have even reached the legal age to drink--or drive. They deftly pick apart the responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies, the benefits of Medication Assisted Treatments, the effectiveness of sober living houses, the way in which shame can isolate, and realize their Baby Boomer generation has trouble setting boundaries. Jude and John's 20/20 hindsight drives their commitment to tell the truth about their son's life and death. Th is is their invaluable gift to other families who hope to keep the opioid epidemic away from their homes and for those who must deal with addiction--or those who have experienced a death--in their own families.
Opiate Nation: A Memoir of Love, Loss & Acceptance
This is a heart-wrenching and honest account of a family's effort to understand the journey of their son that led to his death from a heroin overdose, and how they dealt with their grief and sadness, their guilt and their anger at themselves, at others, and at God. More than a memoir, "Opiate Nation" is a crisis report. Jude and her husband John found themselves navigating the bewildering new era of bright young adults exposed to opiates before they have even reached the legal age to drink--or drive. They deftly pick apart the responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies, the benefits of Medication Assisted Treatments, the effectiveness of sober living houses, the way in which shame can isolate, and realize their Baby Boomer generation has trouble setting boundaries. Jude and John's 20/20 hindsight drives their commitment to tell the truth about their son's life and death. Th is is their invaluable gift to other families who hope to keep the opioid epidemic away from their homes and for those who must deal with addiction--or those who have experienced a death--in their own families.