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.
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