This new HBO documentary probes the opioid epidemic, and how the widespread practice of prescribing opioids to hospital patients in pain can lead to an addiction to heroin. All I know from personal experience is, when I was hospitalized for a month last summer, the only thing that got me through that experience was an opioid – and that, though I was aggressive about weaning myself from pain medication as soon as possible, I truly understood drug addiction for the first time. When I needed relief badly, it was there. So I’ll be watching tonight’s program with an increased sense of understanding, and empathy. “Just say no,” though I managed, isn’t as easy as it sounds.