It was a rude awakening for Cyndee Rae Lutz of Centennial in 2005 when she learned her son was addicted to painkillers. He was in high school at the time and a teacher approached Lutz in school and told her there were rumors.
As is often the case, Lutz's son started with pills and eventually got hooked on heroin, but she told Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner it took her a long time to recognize the addiction because she didn't know to look for signs.
Lutz, who is a member of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, wrote "When Your Heart Belongs To An Addict: A Healing Perspective," about her experience. She teaches yoga and meditation, which she says has helped her in her own recovery.