The Heroin Epidemic

According to Dr. Jeffrey Rouse, Coroner of Orleans

Parish, drug-related deaths have exceeded homicides for probably the first time in the

history of New Orleans.

Destitute ©2017 a current Bridge House Resident Continued…

HitsHome

Vol. 33 No. 2 A News Publication of Bridge House / Grace House Summer 2017

Heroin = OpioidHeroin Epidemic, Opioid Crisis…What does it all mean?

What Our

RESIDENTSHad SAYto

Why did you try heroin/opiates?

Loved the feeling after surgery

My pill addiction cost too much

Wanted to get high

My friend o�ered it to me

What did you do that you swore you would never do in order toget heroin/opiates?

Shared needles

Pawned everything

Steal, forge checks

Stole from my family

How easy was it to get?

Too easy

Very easy

Pretty easy

Easy

Have you ever overdosed?

No, I have not

Yes, about 5 or 6 times

8 times

10 times

Where did your addiction take you?

Homeless and in jail

I lost everything

Away from my kids, wife, mother

Down a very dark path

Heroin and opiates are the primary drug of choice of 50% of Bridge House / Grace House residents.

Drug overdoses are now killing

more Americans than car accidents

or guns.Sources and More

Information: cdc.gov

drugabuse.gov drugfree.org

Prescription Opioids oxycodone (OxyContin®), morphine, and methadone are a few.

Fentanyl a powerful synthetic opioid up to 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Illegally-produced Fentanyl laced with heroin is becoming more common.

Heroin an illicit opioid processed from morphine. It is highly addictive and fast-acting. Many people are now beginning to use heroin due to the high cost of illegal prescription pain pills.

The term opioid is generally used to refer to all opiates, including synthetic and natural, which historically have been intended to reduce pain. Opioids have great potential for dependency, addiction and overdose. Three prevalent types of opioids that are often misused or abused are:

1

2

3

What can you do?As a supporter of Bridge House / Grace House, you’re already doing it! Way to Go! But, here are even more ways to take action.

I had a very enriching childhood. I was born into a family of eight children in Baton Rouge. I was

outgoing and had lots of friends. I was active in gymnastics, dance, and girl scouts.In high school, I started drinking and taking drugs. After high school, I found methamphetamines. I can remember roller blading all around the LSU campus with some friends, and thinking that I wanted this feeling to last forever. I moved into a house with 4 friends and partied all the time. The drugs were nonstop. Slowly, we all started to fall apart– bills weren’t getting paid, the cops were called. I knew I couldn’t keep living like this, so I tried moving to Florida.In Florida, I started bartending. My “typical” day included lots of pills, alcohol, marijuana and I started using OxyContin. Eventually, OxyContin became a daily habit, so once again I tried a geographical change. It didn’t work. I moved back home and

received my first felony drug charge. I was sentenced to drug court, and miraculously, I graduated. But as soon I completed, I went right back to my usual drug habits. I was really starting to scare myself. I couldn’t stop using drugs. I couldn’t see a way out.I received the call that my youngest brother died in a motorcycle accident and my mother was in ICU. I was devastated and I had no healthy coping skills, so I turned to the only thing I knew. I started injecting anything and everything that I could. Six months later, my mother died. Two and a half weeks later, I got arrested for every drug schedule there is, some twice, plus traffic violations.I was in jail for a year. I was mentally, spiritually and physically bankrupt. I had lost everything, even myself. My family was done with me. I had wrecked every relationship with anyone and everyone that loved me. During that time, I was told about Grace House.

When She Couldn’t Believe in HerselfYOU Believed in Liz

Continued on Page 4

1 2 3 4

Start a Conversation

Get help for a loved one

Advocate for Recovery Join us for our first annual March for Recovery on September 16, 2017 in Palmer Park.

Make sure all prescription medications are secure

Talk to loved ones and especially adolescents about the dangers associated with opioids.

If a loved one or someone you know needs treatment, please call our Intake Department at 504-821-7120 or email: clinical@bridgehouse.org. For more information on our treatment programs please visit our website, www.bridgehouse.org.

I made the decision to go to Grace House; I knew that if I didn’t do something different I would end up in prison, or worse, dead. I was terrified but I showed up. The staff was very friendly and comforting. I started to work through my grief. My counselor and I developed a treatment plan to focus on my individual needs. I worked at the Bridge House Thrift Store with an alumna, Sandy. She was full of amazing stories, hope and life. She even let me read her life story. The similarities blew me away. It was then that I decided to take some action using suggestions I received from Grace House and I got a sponsor and started working the 12 steps.Grace House taught me life skills and responsibilities. It taught me how to be a friend, how to hold myself and others accountable. I learned to laugh and cry. I learned to love myself.I have mended the relationships with my entire family and am involved in all of their lives, including my growing number of nieces and nephews. I am not only invited, but encouraged, to attend family vacations, weddings, birthday parties, first communions etc. My

family is forever grateful for Grace House giving them their sister back. I will forever be grateful that Grace House was there, that I had the opportunity to turn my life around, and for all the people who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. —Liz Z., Grace House alumna

YOU Believed continued...

Up with Hope, Down with Dope ©2017 Tim G., a current Bridge House resident

Exp

YES! I’m a believer! I’ll give men and women just like Liz the opportunity to turn their lives around.

Please return with payment to:

Bridge House / Grace House4150 Earhart BlvdNew Orleans, LA 70125

For more information: Kevin Gardere504.821.7133kgardere@bridgehouse.org

www.bridgehouse.org

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enclosed is my check payable to Bridge House / Grace House

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Or check out our new website and donate online! www.bridgehouse.org Thank you for believing! Each and every gift makes a difference!

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22nd Annual Women of Substance Luncheon

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Women of Substance honorees: Molly Kimball, Parker Sternbergh, and Veronica Winget.

Executive Director of Clinical Services, Michelle Gaiennie Hamrick, Denise Thornton and 2017 Grace House Alumna of the Year, Ashley Fowlkes.