Social Stigma Is One Reason The Opioid Crisis Is Hard To Confront [npr.org]

Alicia Doktor 11/1/184:00 AM

There are many reasons why the opioid crisis is so hard to confront. One of them is social stigma. It often extends beyond users themselves, to their families.

Hope and Pete Troxell live in Frederick, Maryland. Last year, their 34-year-old daughter Alicia died after overdosing on fentanyl – a synthetic form of heroin. She was seven months pregnant. Hope says before Alicia's death, they often felt the weight of judgment.

"So many people look at these [people] that are addicted to drugs, they call them every name in the book. They're junkies, they're thieves."

[For more on this story by SHANKAR VEDANTAM, JENNIFER SCHMIDT, TARA BOYLE, PARTH SHAH, go to https://www.npr.org/2018/10/31...-is-hard-to-confront]

Add Comment

Comments (1)

Newest · Oldest · Popular

Gail KennedyMember

I listened to this report yesterday. so thought provoking. I highly recommend a listen (or read). It really made me take hard looks at how i have supported friends and family impacted by addiction and ways I could have been more supportive.

11/1/181:09 PM

<ul id="{%=id%}ButtonGroup" class="button-group h-popup-buttons even-button-group even-1">
    <li id="{%=id%}Okay_buttonContainer"><a id="{%=id%}Okay" href="javascript:void(0);" class="button success no-margin-bottom h-alert-modal-ok-button" role="button">OK</a><script type="text/javascript">
        (function() {
            function {%=id%}Okay_click(event, data) {
            {%=id%}Popup.hide();
        }
        
                $('#{%=id%}Okay').on('click', {%=id%}Okay_click);
        })();
    </script></li></ul><a href="javascript:void(0);" class="close-reveal-modal" aria-label="Close Modal">&#215;</a><div class="last-modal-focus focus-utility-element" tabindex="0"></div>
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
        (function() {
            {%=id%}Popup = new SS.Popup.ModalPopup('{%=id%}');
        })();
    </script>

Skip to main content

Add Comment

Membership Required

Remove From Your Block List

Manage Follow Preferences

Block

Please wait...