Even with deaths in the family from prescription drug abuse, Heather Ellison’s family still struggles daily to cope with this addiction problem. Secrecy penetrated the family and communication was stopped. This is why Heather is trying to bring light to Utah families suffering with the same problems and make the health system less enabling for substance abuse.
“I want doctors to, instead of just going straight to a narcotic… to try some therapy or some higher dose ibuprofen first,” said Heather.
Heather explains that drug users know the symptoms to say to get the pills. The addicts memorize the symptoms and the doctors, doing their job, try to alleviate their patients’ symptoms. No system is in place to track how much of a prescription is being given to an individual hopping from doctor to doctor and pharmacy to pharmacy.
It is easy for someone to get narcotics in Utah County. It is even easier for them to get addicted. Once a family is aware of the issue, it is too often kept in the dark. Parents, like in Heather’s case, wanted the issue to work itself out and thought just love would solve everything.
“We just want to get information out to families on how to teach them to not enable those who are influenced,” said Heather.
Families want harmony. Because of this, sometimes they ignore that things are going on just to maintain that peace. This is not the answer though. Heather is starting “Turn the Lights On” to promote families bringing this issue out of the dark and into the light. She works with SMART Utah County to raise awareness about this increasingly prevalent issue.
“Do not leave it to fate because it will take your child away,” said Heather.
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