By Jennifer HarlanOriginal Source: nytimes.comEvery 11 minutes, another life in the United States is lost to an opioid overdose. The epidemic affects old and young, rich and poor. It stretches across genders, races and state lines. And every year the crisis has grown deadlier.

Opioids can lull people who use them into a false sense of security at first. But the drugs can quickly begin to rewire their brains, stripping them of other sources of pleasure and making it increasingly difficult to cope with the trials of everyday life while sober. By the time some people realize they are dependent, they may already be deep in the throes of addiction, a dark pit from which it is incredibly...click here to continue reading