Follow The Poppy
Opioid Support
Your All-Encompassing Resource for Opioid Information Education & Support
Think of Follow The Poppy as an all-encompassing resource for comprehensive opioid information, education, and unwavering support for those affected by the opioid crisis. Created by Sarah Spier, a former heroin addict turned treatment professional. Follow The Poppy’s mission is to help end the opioid crisis and bring hope to the millions of individuals impacted by opioids.
U.S. Opioid Statistics
US Annual Overdose Deaths
US Annual ≈ Opioid Misuse
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US % of people with access to treatment
US Annual Opioid Cost ($ Amount in USD)
Follow The Poppy Blog:
Your Source for Comprehensive Opioid Insights and Support
Dive into the captivating world of Follow The Poppy Blog, your gateway to a wealth of information and resources spanning the global landscape of opioids. This is your go-to destination for a diverse array of topics, carefully curated to empower, educate, and inspire those seeking a deeper understanding of opioid use, its impact, and the journey towards recovery. The purpose for this blog is to help guide you on your journey towards understanding, support, and recovery. It’s time to foster change, dispel myths, and pave the way for a brighter future.
From Hollywood to Heroin to Hope: Sarah Spier’s Journey
This was not supposed to be my story. My mother should never have found me unconscious in a dope-house, thin, pale, weak, and broken with bruised and bloodied track marks covering my entire body. She was never supposed to have witnessed me slip into a comatose...
Dear Family Warriors: Navigating the Opioid Journey Together
If you have a loved one struggling with opioid addiction, know that you're not alone in this journey. It's a challenging road, filled with uncertainty, but your support can be a lifeline that makes all the difference. Trust me when I say that you play a critical role...
Understanding Fentanyl: The Risks, Facts, Origins, and Global Reach
I wanted one of my first blog posts to be about something that has been dominating headlines and causing significant concern for a number of years now—fentanyl. Now, first and foremost, I'm not here to lecture you, and tell you not to do drugs or share more horror...
Top 3 Misused Opioids
1. Fentanyl
Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is often involved in cases of overdose due to its high potency. Illicitly produced fentanyl, which is commonly mixed with other drugs, poses a significant risk for misuse and overdose.
2. Oxycodone
Oxycodone is a powerful prescription opioid used to manage severe pain. It’s frequently prescribed in various forms, such as OxyContin and Percocet. Due to its euphoric effects, it has a high potential for misuse and addiction.
3. Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone is another commonly prescribed opioid found in medications like Vicodin and Norco. It’s often used for pain relief, but its misuse can lead to addiction and severe health consequences.
Opioids Around The World
A virtual journey navigating the intricate and multifaceted realm of opioids.
Follow The Poppy is committed to highlighting international perspectives, enriching your understanding of opioid use, and shedding light on the diverse ways this global phenomenon shapes lives and communities. The articles delve deep into the heart of international trends and innovative treatment approaches, uncovering how different cultures, societies, and economic landscapes influence the prevalence of opioid use and the strategies employed to address it. Venture beyond the conventional and into the realm of possibility. By exploring global perspectives, we enrich our understanding of opioid use, and by doing so, we amplify our capacity to drive meaningful change. Knowledge knows no bounds, and with each exploration of a new perspective, we come one step closer to a world where the shadows of opioid use disorder are replaced with the light of awareness.
Why I started Follow The Poppy
Follow The Poppy isn’t just a resource for opioids—it’s a movement dedicated to helping end the suffering and havoc caused by opioids. The existing system is fractured. It’s time for fresh, innovative, and creative solutions. I firmly believe that by providing comprehensive information, education, and unwavering support, Follow The Poppy has the potential to drive significant transformation.
Family Support
1. Family Therapy
The far-reaching consequences of opioid dependency extend their grip over the entire family unit, affecting each member of the family in distinct ways. Within this intricate web of challenges, family therapy emerges as a potent tool for fostering healing and recovery.
2. Coaches & Consultants
Enlisting the support of a coach or consultant can serve as a compass, steering you and your loved one through the complexities of the recovery journey. Thorough research before engaging their services is of paramount importance.
3. Peer Groups
These include 12 Step-programs such as Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, and Families Anonymous. Additionally, there are non-12-step options like Parents of Addicted Loved Ones, SMART Recovery Families, and National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI). You find the community and understanding that can make a significant difference in navigating the challenges posed by opioid addiction.
The Tale Of The Poppy
Throughout history, the poppy’s beauty and allure inspired art, literature, and even wars, with its vivid red petals often symbolizing sacrifice, remembrance, and resilience. The history of the poppy flower is a tale of both beauty and tragedy, as its evolution has inadvertently contributed to the modern opioid crisis. For centuries, the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) has been cultivated for its therapeutic properties, with ancient civilizations using its sap as a powerful pain reliever and sedative. However, the refinement of opium into morphine and later synthetic opioids marked a turning point. In the 19th century, the development of morphine revolutionized medical care but also led to widespread addiction. The 20th century saw the synthesis of even stronger opioids like oxycodone and fentanyl, intended for legitimate pain management but ultimately misused and abused. The poppy’s allure for pain relief has unwittingly fueled an epidemic, as individuals seeking relief from physical and emotional pain found themselves ensnared in addiction. Today, understanding the poppy’s history is essential to comprehending the roots of the opioid crisis, a complex challenge that requires compassion, education, and multifaceted solutions to bring healing to those affected.
