The resources and social stigma is vastly different between the two, and way worse for opiate users. The path for getting addicted in the first place is also very different, lots of opiate addicts got hooked after getting them prescribed to them
>The resources and social stigma is vastly different between the two, and way worse for opiate users.
I think that actually makes the numbers worse. Alcoholism can be masked somewhat because it's socially acceptable to drink. That often delays people seeking treatment for it, sometimes by decades. There's no broadly socially acceptable form of using opiates recreationally.
In terms of resources, it varies significantly but there is Narcan for overdoses and Methadone.
I've known people from wealthy backgrounds, who did several stints in rehabs and did not have to worry about having a job etc... they had all the "resources" in the world and still couldn't stay clean.
This isn't to say it's hopeless, I'm just saying anecdotally that the number of people I know who have been in recovery specifically for heroin and achieved long term sobriety (>2-3 years) is less than the people I knew who are now dead.
Obviously "worse" is a meaningless term unless you specify how it's worse. Maybe they're making a point that alcohol is worse overall for society because of how prevalent it is, but if I was a parent I'd 10000000% rather catch my 16 year old drinking beer than doing opiates of any form.
dimmke|2 years ago
I think that actually makes the numbers worse. Alcoholism can be masked somewhat because it's socially acceptable to drink. That often delays people seeking treatment for it, sometimes by decades. There's no broadly socially acceptable form of using opiates recreationally.
In terms of resources, it varies significantly but there is Narcan for overdoses and Methadone.
I've known people from wealthy backgrounds, who did several stints in rehabs and did not have to worry about having a job etc... they had all the "resources" in the world and still couldn't stay clean.
This isn't to say it's hopeless, I'm just saying anecdotally that the number of people I know who have been in recovery specifically for heroin and achieved long term sobriety (>2-3 years) is less than the people I knew who are now dead.
Obviously "worse" is a meaningless term unless you specify how it's worse. Maybe they're making a point that alcohol is worse overall for society because of how prevalent it is, but if I was a parent I'd 10000000% rather catch my 16 year old drinking beer than doing opiates of any form.