Sometimes, when you suffer from a catastrophic accident or suffer from a chronic injury, you may find that your pain is intolerable during the healing and recovery process. For incidences like this, doctors across America prescribe opioids, painkillers that can produce instant relief and euphoria when consumed. However, there is a catch. While effective, these substances are notoriously addictive and can produce chemical dependency. As a result, people who are taking these drugs may find they need more and more doses in order to keep up their daily routines, which ultimately results in disaster. This cycle (and more) is part of the opioid crisis sweeping across America. The good news is that these problems may be easily managed by medical practitioners and emergency officials. According to recent reports, emergency clinics are receiving high-quality resources to treat opioid related-incidences. Let’s take a closer look.
Opioid Crisis
Opioids belong to a class of painkillers that are derived from seed pods in the opium poppy. Commonly, doctors prescribe these medications for patients suffering from severe pain. Generally, these substances are categorized as naturally-occurring (ex: morphine), semi-synthetic, and synthetic (including the dangerous illegal drug heroin). While initially helpful, these drugs can pose a significant threat to human health.
Since 2015, an estimated 2 million Americans (12 years and older) suffered from addiction to prescription opioids. Likewise, from 2015 to 2016, approximately 117,000 Americans lost their lives as a result of opioid-related deaths (caused by overdoses). Even more disturbing, researchers discovered that over 214 million opioids had been prescribed by doctors and dispensed via retail pharmacies in 2016. These statistics are nothing short of disturbing, but the good news is that clinics are taking stronger precaution against the growing epidemic.
Emergency Tools
In early October, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that clinics across the country will now have easy access to buprenorphine as part of updated treatment plans for opioid use disorders (OUD). Through the support of NIDA and its Clinical Trials Network, specialists at Yale University’s emergency department developed and distributed the new resources. While buprenorphine has been used as an effective tool in emergency rooms since 2002, the entire process of using this drug is relatively new in the medical field. Offered on the NIMED portal, these educational and prevention packages are now available to clinics across the country.
Always remember that drugs do not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance abuse disorder or addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your addiction and substance abuse troubles today.
