Time Magazine describes the opioid crisis to be “the worst addiction epidemic in American history”. This statement is absolutely 100 percent accurate. To better educate the American people, Time Magazine came out with an editorial special report called the “Opioid Diaries” to illustrate what happens before, after, and during an overdose. By publishing the article and the photos, our country gets a front row seat to something that is absolutely horrifying.
The photographer of the Opioid Diaries, James Nachtwey, has made a name for himself by photographing the tragedies of war, famine, and September 11th. His credentials have made him the perfect person to chronicle how opioids are truly affecting the nation. Nachtwey begin to read about how poignant the epidemic was in the United States and knew that he needed to do something stating, “I knew it was time to revisit my country. What I found was an American nightmare.”
The main objective of this special report is to get information out to people that may not understand to what magnitude that the opioid crisis has truly become. Many people have heard about the statistics of drug overdoses killing more than 64,000 people every year causing the life expectancy of our nation fall for the last few years. The Opioid Diaries documents what it is like for drug users, first responders, families, and anyone else that has been at the heart of this catastrophic epidemic.
“Opioids reach every part of society: blue collar, white collar, everybody. It’s nonstop. It’s every day. And it doesn’t seem like it is getting any better,” says Walter Bender in Montgomery County, Ohio.
Upon reading the Opioid Diaries, the reader should be advised that there are some disturbing images that are included in this editorial piece. The photography details the pain and suffering that opioid addiction causes which ironically is what opiates are supposed to be taking away when they are consumed.
Although some of these pictures are taken on the streets of cities like San Francisco and Boston, the reality is that this epidemic is showing up in backyards around the country instead of just being confined to places like Skid Row. The images of the Opioid Diaries are paired with voices from people who were there to give a human account of how opioids will continue to take casualties if something is not done to impede this deadly epidemic.
If you or someone you know is affected by the opioid crisis, then it is time to take a stand and get the help you need. Serenity Oaks Wellness Center can show you how to gain long-term sobriety with 12-Step aspects and holistic therapy.
Call us today: 855-652-2683
