Community Update

Drugs are a huge problem in the lives of
teenagers and young adults.  My son and his
close friend (both only 21) died six months apart, both from heroin overdoses.  Two other friends, now 24, are fighting to
stay clean and sober and it’s an everyday battle.   This
is a common problem in many small towns. 

Current youth are dealing with social problems that we did not see ten years
ago.  Those people who could make a
difference are not doing enough-- police departments, drug rehabilitation
facilities, parents, schools, school resource officers, health insurance
companies, psychologists.   I think our
society stinks of greed, and too many wars and when our veterans return to the
states our government does not take care of them and they are treated with
disrespect.  There are no jobs for them
or students fresh out of school, because big businesses, with the support of
our government, sends American jobs overseas, and unemployment rises and hopes
fall.   Technology has brought bullying
and sexting to a level previous generations could never fathom, and divorces
and violence in video games and on television. 
It’s grim.  Our children are
greatly suffering… and they are willing to die. 
Less than a week ago, a friend’s 23 year old daughter killed herself.  These kids see no future.

I belong to The Compassionate Friends, a local
and national support group for parents who have lost children to death. We joke
that we belong to the only club no one wants to be a member.   With
each meeting, we have more and more parents who have lost children through drug
overdoses, suicide, car accidents, murder, and illness.  The fastest growing group is the drug
overdoses and suicides. Our children need close attention. Sit down with your
child and ask tough questions and don’t believe everything they tell you.  Speaking for myself, I didn’t get a chance to
know my son well once he was in his teens.  He just wanted to be with friends and I was told
by him that “you are annoying.”  It was not
easy being with him.  I knew he still
loved me and was going through a teenage stage. 
I went from being his best friend to being “the enemy overnight.”

When he reached 17 it got worse.  He was hanging out with different people and I
was not prepared to deal with what came next. 
 I love my children more than life
itself.  I tried tough love. I kicked him
out of the house.  I made him move his
bedroom up from the dark basement to the second floor where he would be
visible.  He was in and out of hospitals
and rehabs, but when he reached 21, he would no longer stay.   I
truly believe that I did everything I could. 
Still, looking back, I wish I had done more.

Heroin is so cheap.  Cheaper than a pack of cigarettes.  Police must get these heinous heroin pushers off
the streets for good.  They are
murderers.    They are hate.

Don’t think this couldn’t happen to your family.
Drug addiction spreads across all religions, education, wealth and race,
children with married parents and divorced parents..   The
chances of your beloved child, age 14 through 25, becoming a drug addict or
killing himself are rising fast.   Don't
hide from it. Believe me, you do not want to find your reason for living dead
by overdose or suicide.

 I know my
son did not grow up “wishing to be a drug addict”—he wanted to be a high school teacher.  The drug got the better of him.  Fight for their lives! They cannot do it
alone.  I don't want anyone to say later,
"I wish I had done more."    

Written by Linda Nolan of Melbourne FL.  Formerly from Enfield and East Windsor.   March
1, 2014