Opioid Overdoses

The latest statistics on opioid overdoses here in the United States serve as a stark reminder of just how bad the opioid crisis has gotten. What’s even more alarming is the fact that a quarter of all opioid overdoses involve teenagers, with a full one-fifth of those cases likely being suicide attempts. This reality serves to remind us of our need to intervene with preventive steps. A good start is to love and nurture kids in ways that build the kind of resilience that keep kids from turning to drugs for relief or escape. When there is an absence of loving and caring adults, kids feel pressure, and left to themselves they are prone to choose dangerous and sometimes deadly behaviors as coping mechanisms. In addition, we must be aware of the constant pressure to experiment with drugs and alcohol. In response, we must provide consistent oversight, and talk about the dangers. Ultimately, we must prayerfully work to point them finding new life and hope in Christ, along with a heartfelt desire to live to His glory.