Urgent Health Crisis Sweeping Our Nation

Opioid use and misuse is at an all-time high resulting in a record number of overdose deaths in America. From 1999 to 2014 more than 165,000 people died from overdoses related to prescription opioids alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioid prescribing is fueling the epidemic. In 2012, a staggering 259 million prescriptions were written for painkillers, enough for every adult in America to have a bottle of pills.

These numbers are so concerning that the United States Surgeon General has sounded the alarm by sending a letter this month to every physician in the United States requesting their help in stemming the tide of opioid misuse. America’s top doctor is urging his colleagues to educate themselves on how to treat pain safely, to screen patients for an opioid disorder and most importantly, shape how the country looks at substance use disorders by talking about them and treating them as a chronic illness, not a moral failing.

The opioid epidemic is permeating our society and can be found in America’s cities, small towns and wealthy suburbs. It knows no economic, social or ethnic boundaries. In Kansas City, Missouri, for example, opioid overdose is the leading cause of death due to drug poisoning.

Vicki, an opioid user, began her painkiller use disorder when she sustained a back injury in a car accident two years ago and was prescribed Percocet. After repeated use her tolerance increased and her doctor advised her to discontinue use. “My sister gave me some of her Vicodin. When it ran out, I bought some from a friend. When I moved here I couldn’t find any pain pills and then I had a really awful time without any and started going to doctors and emergency rooms,” says Vicki. “They don’t give me much and I need to find some almost every day now. Someone I met told me about heroin, I’m scared of that but don’t know what I’m gonna do now, this isn’t me but I don’t know how to get out of this mess.”  

This story is far too familiar to the professionals combating the opioid epidemic. Individuals find themselves in a full blown addiction, seeking drugs from family and friends, and when unable to maintain a source for the drugs, they may switch to a cheaper more risky substitute like heroin. Four out of five new heroin users start by misusing prescription opioids.

To prevent overdose deaths and provide effective treatment for individuals with opioid use disorders, many treatment centers have implemented Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT). MAT is a proven, effective treatment that uses medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a “whole-patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Research shows that a combination of medication and therapy can successfully treat these disorders, and for some people struggling with addiction, MAT can help sustain recovery. Medications utilized include methadone, suboxone, and vivitrol. 

ReDiscover uses MAT at its two Opioid Treatment Programs - Treatment Options Program (TOP) and Transitions. The programs offer medically supervised treatment on an outpatient basis to those addicted to a variety of opiates including drugs such as heroin and prescription narcotics (Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and other painkillers). The programs are staffed by experienced physicians, nurses, and counselors and provide both individual and group counseling, along with comprehensive drug testing. For more information visit rediscovermh.org or call 816.965.1151.

You may find additional treatment center options at: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/locatorsAddr=Lee%27s+Summit%2C+MO+64064%2C+United+States&submit=Go

Sources:  National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Scott Wheeler is a TOP program coordinator with ReDiscover. He is a guest author for the Lee’s Summit Health Education Advisory Board.