National day bringing awareness to overdose

By Ashley Luthans

August 31 is National Overdose Awareness Day, calling attention to the problems of addiction and overdose.

Dr. Robert Corder has worked with addiction patients for the past seven years at the Samaritan Counseling Center. 

Corder shared that educating both children and adults is crucial in helping with the addiction and overdose problem. 

“If you have the information about it, first of all you won’t get addicted in the first place,” Corder said. “And then, if you are addicted, you’ll know there are certain dangers of dying from overdose. There’s other things we need to do. We need to take the drugs off the street and we need to educate, you know, children about it. So, those are the three areas we’re trying to work on.”

Corder wanted to clear up a rumor that he had heard about the medication that the organization gives to people who are addicted. 

“I guess there’s a rumor on the street that the medicine we give makes you go into severe withdrawals or you have to go into severe withdrawals to be able to take the medication, and that’s absolutely not true,” Corder said. “There’s several different treatments that are very easy to get into and you start feeling better within 24 hours. So, you don’t have to go through severe withdrawals.”

For those struggling with addiction, there are many options. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help from loved ones or professionals. 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s national substance abuse hotline is 1-800-662-HELP (4357).