Jonathan Orens, a man who lost his son to addiction. He son was in great shape and in peak condition. However, just a few months later, his son Dan’s life, was turned upside down by addiction. His son Dan lost his battle and died and if absolutely heart breaking. He didn’t die of a fentanyl overdose. However, there was a mixture of different types of drugs in his toxicology report.

Jonathan brought up the 5W’s & H. Who what where when why and how? But, asking this about people not yet in recovery. He brought up alcohol and parents drinking in front of your kids make them think it’s ok. This leads them to try alcohol and a young age.

He also brought up how we are wired. This was a great to me that he brought this up. Not everyone is wired as a person with addiction. People could’ve had a drink and not think about it again. But, if you’re wired as a person with addiction you’re going to want to keep drinking. Another great point he made was he first thought it was from the streets but then when he joined a task force, he realized most of the problem comes from pharmaceuticals. Because they have the money.

He also talked about triggers and how stress is a huge part of it. The world is a very stressful place and our world just want to get through it. As well as trouble growing up as a kid and yes a lot of people have issues growing up, and it could be any issue. For instance is son had a very traumatic incident happen to himself as a child and that was one of the reasons he was using, to suppress that memory.

He made a great point that when a child had to go to a regular physician it’s okay. But, if you said that you were taking your child to psychiatrist there is a stigma attached, making people think, “I wonder what’s wrong?”

He refers to addiction as the dragon in the room. Jonathan used to wonder why his son would relapse. He couldn’t understand and his son would say I didn’t even think about it, it just happens and Jonathan thought it was a cop out. Now Jonathan realizes his son was telling the truth because addiction is a disease associated with shame. And his son, Dan, was ashamed. His son suffered and struggled for 11 years. But in the last years he was at least aware of his addiction and when he relapsed and Jonathan refers to that as a compliant relapse.

So, how do we face this battle? According to Jonathan, we have to help the people going through this battle, and we have to prevent future people from having to deal with this issue. Any drug put into a human body takes years away.

As much as I feel for Jonathan, I envy his actions. His son lost a battle, and Jonathan took that tragedy and started spreading the message that a person with an addiction needs help and he is really trying to help do something to end this terrible epidemic.