A deeper look at opioid addiction through the experience of one northeast Indiana family

In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers, and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates.

This misinformation has fueled the devastating opioid crisis that individuals, families, and communities are dealing with today.

In recent years, the opioid epidemic has been named the worst drug crisis in American history and the nation’s largest public health crisis. According to a January 2019 report, opioids kill more than 130 people in the U.S. every day, and their effects are no less frightening in northeast Indiana.

In 2017, an average of one person died from a drug overdose every three days in Allen County—with fatal drug poisonings up 70 percent from 2016 alone.

Emily’s Story shares the plight of one local family impacted by the crisis and highlights the organization, Mom of an Addict, which provides families with support and education about the disease of addiction. 

Emily’s Story was produced by Lofthouse Creative Co. for The Lutheran Foundation. Input Fort Wayne is partnering with Lofthouse to shed light on key social issues, services, and innovations in northeast Indiana that impact regional quality of life.