Philip Seymour Hoffman

February 4, 2014

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman was an incredible actor.  He was well respected and never made the tabloids.   So his death came as a shock.  The circumstances of his death are fairly obvious.  He was discovered with a needle in his arm.  Forty-nine bags of heroin, plus prescription drugs were found in his home.

His death made the headlines, because he is a celebrity.  Heroin abuse is rampant in this country and heroin related deaths are stacking up like cord wood.  A friend lost a nephew to a heroin overdose.  His death didn't make the news, but is just as tragic.  The collateral damage is extensive.  We are all affected by it.

Celebrity deaths bring attention to the problem, but then it is quickly forgotten.  At what point do we say, “No more?”

The war on drugs has been a colossal failure.  So what is the solution?  I don’t have the answers.  It is obvious no one else does either.  We feel helpless.  We are frustrated.  We are angry. We demand action and nothing happens.

Perhaps we shouldn’t focus on the drugs and their availability, but on why people are using them.  People self-medicate.  They may use alcohol or recreational drugs to relieve emotional issues, unaware they have a problem.  Drug deaths, school shootings and the widespread violence we see every day illustrates that this country has serious mental health issues. 

Why?  It is possible that the technological age we live in has something to do with it.  We don’t interact with each other anymore; people may feel lost and disconnected as a result.  The mentally ill might not recognize they have a problem or they may fear stigmatization.  As a society, we need to reach out to them and provide them with a safe environment where they can receive help.  The financial cost is prohibitive, but the cost of not doing anything is far higher.

Don’t misunderstand me; we still need to go after the drug pushers and their suppliers.  The problem is multifold and as such, should be approached from many directions. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s family and friends have my sympathy.  So does everyone that has been touched by this epidemic.  I am praying his death brings about change.