Over the last couple of years, the number of Wisconsin residents suffering from a heroin addiction has been rising, but law enforcement and the media have only recently started to look at the situation as an epidemic that warrants discussion. Now considered a “public health crisis,” it is thought to affect as many as 6,700 residents and is causing more overdose deaths than ever. How did we get here? And how can Wisconsin turn things around? Unfortunately, as with all addiction, the answer is not a simple one.
How Heroin Addiction Often Starts
The typical heroin abuser does not generally start using heroin, right off the bat. Instead, doctors say that most start off addicted to opioids, such as Vicodin or OxyContin. Once that becomes too difficult to secure, or too expensive, they often move to heroin to avoid the withdrawal process. Once addicted to heroin, the risk on their life becomes that much greater because of unreliable sources and the higher risk of overdose. Unfortunately, once the addiction has reached this point, it is especially difficult to overcome without medical and mental health intervention.
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