Rocky Road to Recovery

Episode 3 of Do No Harm: The Opioid Epidemic

This episode shines a light on the plight of the millions of Americans who suffer from opioid addiction. Nearly everyone knows someone or has a family member who is addicted or died from an opioid overdose. On this episode we meet people, young, old, and in between on the rocky road to recovery. They tell their harrowing stories and current victories and struggles with the disease. Experts discuss the difficulty of finding treatment and maintaining sobriety in a system that is in overload.

Various methods of treatment are candidly discussed. Among the stories is that of the young woman scientist fresh out of college who in 1963 discovered methadone could be an effective treatment for addiction. We meet a heroic Vermont pediatrician who changed his practice to include addiction treatment for young patients. Some of the stories of those in recovery have positive outcomes others do not. But, the overall message of this episode is a life-affirming hope for a better future.