International Overdose Awareness Day
August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day. This day of awareness takes special significance this year, as the United States grapples with an opioid epidemic of monumental proportions. This year, pledge to take action to raise education about the opioid epidemic, advocate for increased treatment access, and curb the overdose rate in our country. Together, we can […]
An Opiate Dependent Baby is Born Every Hour in the US
Over the past few years, there has been increasing awareness of the opioid epidemic raging in the United States. Now, a sobering new statistic from a large research study highlights how devastating opioid addiction truly can be: an opiate dependent baby is born every hour in the United States. This lends new urgency to calls […]
California Drug Rehabs : New Bills Causing Controversy
In the drug rehab community, all eyes are on California as a series of bills making their way through the state legislature. Officials ostensibly passed these bills were to address mental and behavioral health care in the state. However, some policy experts worry that the bills will actually have a negative impact on access to […]
The Truth about Opioids: Real Risks and Benefits
Marketing plays a major role in the types of drugs that physicians prescribe and patients request. Anyone who remembers the iconic “little sad blob” from Zoloft commercials knows that advertising can make a powerful impact on patients. However these companies have been reluctant to curb these actions. This is primarily because marketing and advertising efforts […]
AMA Adds New Tools to Combat Opioid Abuse
The public has become increasingly aware of the opioid addiction crisis in the United States, increasing pressure on lawmakers and public health officials to take action. In 2013, more than 16,000 people died from prescription opioid overdose, which is greater than any other drug, according to a report from the Johns Hopkins University School of […]
Opioid Abuse and Mental Illness
Relationship between Opioid Abuse and Mental Illness The beginning of opioid abuse can be so innocuous. An individual sustains an injury, has surgery, or falls ill with a condition that can cause intense pain. A doctor provides a prescription for an opioid pain reliever, like Vicodin, Percocet, or any one of a host of available painkillers. The […]
Painkiller Abuse Leads to Heroin Addiction Crisis
What Led to Heroin Addiction Crisis? The opioid epidemic has reached new heights in the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that the number of heroin users has increased by nearly 300,000 over the past 10 years. Although public health officials are reacting to this news with alarm, the warning […]
The Mythology Around Drug Addiction – Are we Helping or Hurting?
I began writing this article about unwanted chemical dependency and realized the ideas which initially seemed simple soon became very complex. I could not figure out what I wanted to say. Finally, I realized my dilemma – drug addiction is simple, but human beings are complex. That distinction is crucial in understanding and treating unwanted […]
Percocet Overdoses – An American Opioid Epidemic Gaining More Exposure
Percocet has invaded the news headlines over the past couple days. The opioid epidemic is crippling and killing large portions of Americans, and as confirmed by the FDA and their bold warning, Percocet is especially dangerous. If you’ve had a serious accident which requires pain management or a surgical procedure, odds are you have been prescribed […]
Fentanyl Related Overdose Crisis
Local communities have been ravaged by fentanyl-related overdose issues in the past few weeks, showing a continuing upward trend of opioid abuse over the past two decades. From Pennsylvania to Ohio to California, local law enforcement officials have been caught off guard by the magnitude of the crisis. This has led many community leaders to […]
