Recovering Addict, Part 2

11/14/17 • 10 min

Today’s episode of Stories that Touch your Heart has the second part of Lee Drewa’s story. The recovering addict shares how he got clean in treatment and has stayed clean for 12 years. Only a small percentage of those who are addicted receive treatment, and the number of Americans who die from drug overdoses continues to rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016 from illicit drugs (like heroin, cocaine, amphetamines) and prescription opioids, which include: oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), morphine, and methadone. A provisional CDC report shows the trajectory for drug overdoses continuing to climb in 2017. While the numbers seem bleak, there is hope. Individuals who get hooked on these highly addictive drugs can receive treatment. “Research shows that combining treatment medications (where available) with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients,” according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Sources: https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/health_policy/monthly-drug-overdose-death-estimates.pdf

Previous Episode

Recovering Addict, Part 1

Over 20 million Americans struggle with substance abuse addictions, according to “Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health.” That’s more than 10 times the number of people who are diagnosed with cancer in the United States in one year.

So many people have been affected by addiction, and family members often wonder why their loved one can’t stop using. On today’s episode of Stories that Touch your Heart, you’ll hear from 54-year-old recovering addict Lee Drewa. His addiction began in a common way, drinking as a teenager.

https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics

Next Episode

Surviving Cancer, Part 1

This year, it’s estimated that cancer will kill more than 600,000 Americans. That translates to about 1,650 people dying per day in 2017, according to the American Cancer Society. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the U.S.

Today’s episode of Stories that Touch your Heart focuses on Maria Voermans. The Greendale, WI woman was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of cancer nine years ago. She walks us through her diagnosis and battle with epithelioid sarcoma.

Sources:

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2017/cancer-facts-and-figures-2017.pdf

http://sarcomahelp.org/epithelioid-sarcoma.html