New Found Life of Delray Beach Comments on Increased Heroin Use in the Wake of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Death
Delray Beach, Florida (PRWEB) February 28, 2014 -- On February 2, 2014, Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died at the age of 46 of an apparent heroin overdose (1). Since the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, New Found Life of Delray Beach has received an upsurge of phone calls, and web traffic regarding heroin addiction.
The leading treatment and recovery center today released a statement commenting on the increased use of heroin throughout the United States:
“While speaking with other treatment professionals and industry leaders, in wake of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s tragic death, a steady increase of families seeking heroin related information and treatment for their loved ones has been noted. Unfortunately, it took the death of a beloved Oscar-winning actor to expose the very real heroin epidemic that has spread across the United States,” stated owner Michael Watt
“Once known as a drug only used by street people and so-called ‘lowlifes’, the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman is shining a light on this dangerous drug and how it has affected all levels of society,” Watt continued. “It's like Alcoholism was back in the old days – First Lady Betty Ford raised awareness of alcohol addiction when she announced her long-running battle with alcoholism in the 1970s. Her revelation gave other alcoholics the courage to admit their own pain and suffering brought on by alcoholism. After Betty Ford, a socialite by all definitions expressed her own pains and struggles with alcoholism, people were coming out about their own battles with alcohol. Soon people with alcoholism were no longer ostracized.”
Philip Seymour Hoffman’s recent death has had a similar affect by validating heroin users as ordinary people with addiction struggles. Like all addiction, heroin doesn’t care what a person does for a living, their ethnic background or how much money they make.
In addition to Hoffman’s death, there has been heavy media coverage focused on the heroin epidemic this year due to the deaths of 22 people in Pennsylvania which were attributed to a deadly mix of heroin and Fentanyl (2), as well as attention from public figures such as the Governor of Vermont (3).
New Found Life of Delray Beach hopes that the media coverage surrounding heroin use will encourage addicts from all walks of life to come forward and seek professional treatment. Additionally New Found Life of Delray Beach hopes that this issue will help to make the general public aware that heroin addicts come from all walks of life and should be afforded the same respect and support as any other addition.
New Found Life of Delray Beach provides a comprehensive treatment and recovery center, offering both inpatient and outpatient treatment programs, group therapy, and individual therapy. To learn more, please visit http://www.nflfl.com.
Sources:
(1) “Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death points to broader opioid drug epidemic,” published February 7, 2014 in The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/philip-seymour-hoffman-heroin-death-points-to-broader-opioid-drug-epidemic/2014/02/07/42dbbc5a-8e61-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html
(2) "Bad heroin blamed for 22 deaths in western Pennsylvania," published Jan. 28, 2014 in the Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-heroin-22-deaths-pittsburgh-20140128,0,1372747.story#axzz2rpE5CTiX
(3) “In Annual Speech, Vermont Governor Shifts Focus to Drug Abuse,” published Jan. 8, 2014 in the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/us/in-annual-speech-vermont-governor-shifts-focus-to-drug-abuse.html?_r=0Top
Michael Watt, New Found Life of Delray Beach, http://nflfl.com, +1 (561) 819-9969, [email protected]
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