# Family Divulges Daughter's Drug Abuse As A Warning



## WhatInThe (Sep 9, 2015)

An Ohio family divulged their daughter's drug addiction to send a message to others.

http://www.fox19.com/story/29985897...-overdose-in-daughters-obit-to-send-a-message

Some say only the good should go in an obituary or  patient confidentiality etc. But some also say let their death not be in vain. I have no problem with it because let's face it, drugs were part of her life and decisions with consequences. Sometimes I think we are too kid gloves with drug abusers because the excuse of a disease lessons the emphasis of things like personal choices, discipline and ethics. Let's face it to get most of their drugs the abuser commits a crime or gets them under false pretenses.

That being said that doesn't mean one can't put the good in eulogy or obituary.


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## hollydolly (Sep 9, 2015)

Good for them to not hide the cause of their daughters' death and if it makes another addict or potential drug user stop in their tracks and realise that death is a very real prospect for them then Alison will not have died completely  in vain...what a terrible waste of a young life, and it's just rampant these days.

There but for the grace of God go all of us parents who've never had offspring with addiction problems!!


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## fureverywhere (Sep 9, 2015)

Sadly I think it's a comfort to other parents of addicts to know they aren't alone in their pain. I don't know if it will impact many addicts themselves however. The ones that I ever knew all suffered from magical thinking. That they won't be the one who overdoses, that only happens to other people. But if it reaches even one person it's worth it.


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## WhatInThe (Sep 9, 2015)

fureverywhere said:


> Sadly I think it's a comfort to other parents of addicts to know they aren't alone in their pain. I don't know if it will impact many addicts themselves however. The ones that I ever knew all suffered from magical thinking. That they won't be the one who overdoses, that only happens to other people. But if it reaches even one person it's worth it.



In some respects it will because too many are hush hush when it comes to a serious drug abuse problem. It's doesn't have to be dinner conversation but I think if teens or even many adults know their obituary or legacy will include "drug abuser" it might help some fence sitters go the other way.


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## Shalimar (Sep 9, 2015)

Sad thing is, not every drug addict is the same. Many self-medicate as a last resort in order to deal with unimaginable inner pain. Often after all other avenues including antidepressants and therapy fail. There but for the grace of an incredible team go I.


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## Cookie (Sep 9, 2015)

Its a very tragic story, but happens all too frequently.  A friend's daughter passed away recently from liver failure due to a lifetime of heroin use....she came from a very good loving home with all the potential for a happy life, went away to Berkeley college in the 70s, got hooked up with a music scene and it was all downhill after that. The mom was heartbroken. It could happen to anyone.


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## Debby (Sep 9, 2015)

fureverywhere said:


> Sadly I think it's a comfort to other parents of addicts to know they aren't alone in their pain. I don't know if it will impact many addicts themselves however. The ones that I ever knew all suffered from magical thinking. That they won't be the one who overdoses, that only happens to other people. But if it reaches even one person it's worth it.




Not only magical thinking, but seriously, how many drug addicts are reading the obits?  When I've heard friends have died, I never went to the obituaries.  Never even thought of it.


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## Debby (Sep 9, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Sad thing is, not every drug addict is the same. Many self-medicate as a last resort in order to deal with unimaginable inner pain. Often after all other avenues including antidepressants and therapy fail. There but for the grace of an incredible team go I.




It doesn't even have to be unimaginable inner pain which suggests horrific events in their lives, but they can also resort to it as a way to feel 'normal', to not be carrying a load of unmerited sadness that comes out of depression that never seems to stop.   Wouldn't you say that's also a reason why people self-medicate Shalimar?


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## Shalimar (Sep 9, 2015)

Debby, I definitely agree with your comment.


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