I don't like "I wish i knew" as a public health message. It makes it sound like it is too late to turn things around or make a change. And "wishing" won't change anything. The whole message sounds hopeless.”

I wish I knew why someone else's addiction has affected me and my family so negatively. And I wish I knew how to stop their addiction totally, completely and permanently.”

Why hospitals don't offer detox and other services. They are supposed to help people,right?”

How to disseminate the stigma surrounding MAT clinics that use Methadone or Suboxone. ALL PEOPLE talk about are the HORROR STORIES. There are LOTS of success stories. You just don't hear them. These clinic treat 4 times the number of addicted than Abstinence Based programs. These places treat people with Opioid Addiction without the cost of traditional Abstinence Based programs. MAT Clinics watch their clients take their medication until they are ready to take control for themselves. Even then there are random callbacks. Clinics keep people in Treatment until they are ready to work on their issues. Without them there would be thousands of people still in Active Addiction. Methadone Suboxone Subsolve Subutex Maintenance are valid treatment recognized by the AMA, ASAM, SAMSHA and APA. It doesn't work for everyone but people should not be AFRAID to seek Treatment because of public opinion. I WISH THEY KNEW "It's Ok to be involved in Methadone or Suboxone treatment." ”

I wish I knew how to get through to the ones that in charge of how to go about protecting the innocent people that nn meds and do not and never have abused it. We are having to suffer severely by being able to simply be prescribed the med by our Dr. and pick it up from our pharmacy like we do any other med we are on. We go through hell because of the addicts! it's so unfair! Whoever is in charge of finding the right way to go about resolving the so called "opioid epidemic" are going about it SO WRONG! These addicts first of all should not be put on meds such as Suboxone and methadone since they are only substitutions and clients of these clinics become addicted just as they were to heroin or whatever opioid they were on. These addicts need therapy, counseling to get down to issues that led them there to gain self worth, etc. Following rehabilitation efforts, recovery housing with others seeking same common grounds would be way to go and even a 12 step program with a sponsor along with that would give them best shot at success I feel! Also, God must be included in your life through all this.”

I definitely agree that I can understand control but I would give anything not to have pain and to have to take medications for all my illnesses. I definitely feel that there are people who abuse but for ones like myself who need it we have to go to pain management which is costly for limited income. I am disabled and no one knows how hard it is to be like this. I went from a go getter to someone that has had so many surgeries and am just depressed because of being sick. I would give anything to be who I use to be!! Those who abuse drugs make it hard on us who need our pain relieved. ”

That the problem began long before the addiction with personal acceptance and struggles in school slowly chipping away at my son's self-esteem.”

I' ve been in recovery almost 4yrs. It started with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I took my meds exactly like I was told to for 3yrs. I'd worked in healthcare for most of my life; I knew these meds were addictive. I'm The end it didn't matter. I had been clinically addicted; my doctors knew it. Unfortunately there were few options for the long term treatment of pain. I was being naive, thinking I could just stop. Opioid meds effect your brain chemistry. They send your body into survival mode when you try to stop using. Your mind thinks up crazy things that you know aren't normal. You feel like your going crazy; all you need is that magic little pill to feel normal. I came from a very loving family, was educated, had a great job, lots of great friends, a husband; a beautiful son. NO ONE wants to be an addict. NO ONE wants to lose everything they have worked for or the people they love. ADDICTION IS NOT A CHOICE!! In the end it all became very clear, I didn't choose to be an addict but I was. So I made a conscious decision to change my life. Instead of focusing on all the things I'd lost I started focusing on the future. We can't change the past but our future isn't written yet so we can make it everything we want it to be.”

That Naloxone is not just for Heroin users but for anyone that has narcotics in their household. It's so important that if you have prescription narcotiics in your house everyone needs to have Naloxone available. You never know if or when someone may accidentally overdose.”