A Father’s Battle Against Prescriptions
In June of 2007, Eric Jensen was in a motorcycle accident. While receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the crash, Jensen was given a pain reliever prescription and some muscle relaxers. One day after feeling particularly pained, Jensen doubled his dose and quickly became high for the first time. He began taking pills in higher doses, asking for new prescriptions before his old ones were out, and taking pills from his wife and others. This spiral of addiction happened quickly and continued until he finally received help. After finally confiding in his wife and family, Jensen was finally able to move forward by attending and working with with various addiction recovery programs. Many of which were faith based.
Fortunately Eric was able to receive help before it was too late. According to a report published by the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, the second most abused substance in Utah is opioids. Opioids are drugs like Vicodin, Morphine, and OxyContin, which, when used properly, help reduce pain and increase tolerance but when abused can cause addiction. Only alcohol is abused more than opioids in Utah. The CDC also released a report claiming over-doses of these drugs were more prevalent than the over-doses of all other illegal drugs combined. Not only are people dying in large numbers from the recreational use of these opioid drugs, more people are over-dosing on these illicit drugs every year than are dying in car crashes.
With the help of close family, friends, and his faith, Jensen was able to undergo the process of fighting his addiction and healing. Eric Jensen has been clean for 4 years, but doesn’t consider himself to be completely rid of his addiction. He says that he is still recovering, that he still considers himself an addict.
Jensen says he finds relief in helping others with their recovery from addiction, and that he wants others to experience the freedom he feels from recovering. Benjamin Jones says that he shares those same thoughts. Jones experienced addiction for much of his adolescent years and has become an advocate for the addicted and troubled. Jones is now a clinical consultant for Christian Recovery Center. Our treatment program also takes a faith-based approach to addiction recovery. 385-207-2029