According to the U.S. Surgeon General, 1 in 7 people in the United States is expected to develop a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. But as of now, only 1 in 10 will receive treatment. He says battling addiction is top priority.
PA now leads the nation in drug overdoses, in men 12 to 25.
The heroin epidemic has become one of the most pressing problems facing Pennsylvania families over the last 5 years.
One area mother has watched her son get sucked to this terrible addiction. She’s now learning how give him the best chance for survival. Diane Michel has a special connection to her son Ryan. She believes strongly in the healing powers of exercise and prayer and spent time with him after several times of overdose and rehab. But she says it wasn’t enough to help Ryan overcome his addiction, or keep him out of jail. Diane felt guilty about what a divorce may have done to push him into drugs.
Ryan had some issues with alcohol and truancy growing up. Then he joined the Marines. He served between 2003 and 2013. About half way in, injuries lead him to pain pills…and he got hooked. He was doing heroin within a year of getting out. Diane let him live at home, but didn’t realize providing too much comfort was enabling his addiction. She was taking over some of his responsibilities, and it freed him up to use his money for drugs.
It all caught up with him. Ryan Carulli went through cycles of heroin use, interventions, jail time, counseling, jobs found and lost, drug dealing, theft, and rehab. He died from an overdose, and was brought back to life by his heroin addicted girlfriend. And he still kept using. The last probation and drug violation got him 2 years in jail.
His mother wasn’t prepared for the sight of him in shackles, walking into the Jefferson County Courthouse on September 29th.
Diane says tough love didn’t work, now she’s trying to love Ryan for what he is and live her life. She wants him to know he’s not ruining her life. And she hopes their story helps someone else feel less alone. Diane says, “I think the more we can deal with it as a family, the more we can deal with it as a community.”
Ryan is about 2 months into a 2 year state prison sentence.
For some support groups log on to:
Standing Together in the Face of Addiction
Where the Afflicted and Affected, in recovery and still running, unite in prayer to stand firm in the face of addiction.
Celebrate Recovery
Al-Anon
Nar-Anon