Do we realize the birth of NAS babies is our problem, too?

To The Daily Sun,

Neo Natal Abstinence syndrome (NAS or neo natal opioid withdrawal syndrome) is yet another horrid, bi-product of the opioid-and other drug crisis. No one can deny that the plight of newborn addicted babies, is an appalling misfortune put upon the innocent. Beth Macy refers to it as "a portrait of dope sickness in miniature" yet it is a torture in a giant-sized way that has to be endured by the most precious of all, newborn babies.

NAS babies face their first days of life with tiny limbs and fingers clenched in apparent extreme pain. Many cry uncontrollably and inconsolably as devoted medical teams and care-givers give their all to comfort these newborn addicted babies. More than 30 percent of them may end up without their biological parents in their lives. One positive facet is that they likely will not consciously remember the hell they were born into, so the element of euphoric recall wont add to their chances of becoming addicted…or relapsed. The subconscious of an adult who was born with NAT may have an affect in ways positive or negative. Some neonates with addicted mothers manifest no signs of the syndrome at birth. Is there something unique and natural that they are born with that minimizes their addiction potential? Probably most people, depending on the substance, could not become alcoholic or addicted even if they tried. They just don’t seem to have that predisposition.

Scientists and pharmaceutical companies of course are researching these concepts probably more aggressively than ever. Humanity is one motivator and of course money is another. Whatever it takes to diminish the unspeakable grief and cost that this epidemic of drug addiction has caused is worth it. If big pharma believes it can make the same ghastly amount of profits (perhaps Deci billions) fixing the problem that they so horrendously escalated, than there is hope. Behavioral therapy combined with prudent medication and medical assistance has been estimated to diminish fatal drug overdose potential by as much as 50 percent.

The current circumstances of this plague are polymorphous. Some mothers of NAS babies, predominantly those in recovery, will encounter crushing remorse along with myriad other familiar obstacles as they endure being separated from their inadvertent true love. We may yet see more dreadful unexpected social phenomena from the opioid and drug epidemic in the the U.S. This is all of we American’s problem at least to some degree, whether we want to realize it or not.

Michael Tensel

A&D Recovery Counseling-Laconia