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The Opioid Epidemic: What You Should Know and Treatment

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Worried About Opioid Abuse? What You Should Know About The Prescription Pain Medications Your Loved Ones May Be Taking

“Not why the addiction but why the pain.”
― Gabor Maté

If you’re concerned about someone you know who is taking opioids right now, then you are not alone.

In every community across the nation, more and more people are becoming addicted to prescription drugs meant to relieve discomfort. Ironically, these drugs often lead to the pain and anguish of opioid addiction – which all too often ends in overdose and death.

VIDEO: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ABSTINENCE BASED PROGRAM AND A HARM REDUCTION BASED PROGRAM?

Kim Dennis, MD, CEDS, Medical Director, CEO and Co-Founder, explains the difference between an abstinence based and harm reduction based program.

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta have released chilling statistics that show the scope of the problem. From 2015 to 2016, opioid overdoses have risen an astounding 100 percent, and the deaths associated with them have reached an all-tie high.

In many communities, local morgues can’t take the bodies in fast enough. Hospitals and substance use treatment centers are stocking up on Naloxone and Narcan, drugs that have proven effective in treating overdoses. But many addicts who end up overdosing do not seek medical help because they fear being arrested and charged with illegal drug use.

To make matters worse, the cost of anti-overdose meds is also rising, and drug makers can’t keep up with the demand. This puts cities and towns in a tough position as they try to stem the tide of lethal overdoses.

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UNDERSTANDING A NATIONAL CRISIS IN OPIOID USE
At SunCloud Health, we are just as concerned as you are about the misuse of opioid medications. Dr. Kim has written about the classification of pain, noting that many doctors have unwittingly fueled opioid overdose statistics by prescribing these medications when other pain management solutions might work equally well.

In recent months, we’ve learned even more about the factors contributing to the epidemic and we are convinced that serious action is needed to turn this trend around.

Every day, opioid overdose statistics show up in the news reports we hear and see. Our families, friends and neighbors are affected. CDC figures show that more than 1,000 Americans end up in emergency rooms every single day with symptoms of an opioid overdose. There is no question that the problem has reached epidemic proportions.

The issue has grown worse in the last 10 years as physicians and clinics have over-prescribed opioids for pain of all kinds. It is generally known that some patients are more vulnerable to opioid addiction, yet there is no simple test to help doctors predict who will get hooked and who won’t. As a result, scripts often end up in the hands of those who are most likely to become dependent.

The website Drugabuse.org reports that:

  • Nearly 30% of patients who are taking prescription pain medications will become addicted to them.
  • About 4% to 6% of those on prescription painkillers will eventually move to using illegal heroin instead.
  • Around 80% of current heroin users originally started with prescription meds.

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BIG PHARMA’S ROLE IN THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC
In the 1990’s, a surge of new prescriptions for opioids laid the groundwork for the current crisis. Doctors adopted new diagnostic scales to evaluate the level of discomfort their patients were feeling. Many believe that the makers of prescription pain medications pushed for these changes, directly contributing to the epidemic of opioid overdoses and deaths we are seeing now.

The CDC says the opioid crisis came in 3 overwhelming waves:

  • The first wave hit when a record number of Americans became addicted to the prescription pain medications their doctors gave them.
  • The second wave came when prescription opioid addicts switched to heroin in record numbers, causing a new surge of addiction and deaths.
  • The third wave came when fentanyl, a synthetic and often deadly form of heroin, hit the streets, feeding the larger crisis.

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OPIOIDS ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY KILLER
Substance use experts are studying national patterns to understand where resources and attention are needed most. Opioid overdose statistics show the greatest number of deaths in Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, all areas that suffer from high rates of unemployment, poverty and occupational disability. College attendance and graduation rates are low in these areas too, reflecting a picture of economic hardship and underachievement.

Clearly, communities that struggle to provide a good quality of life are seeing higher levels of opioid addiction. But that doesn’t mean that people in more affluent areas are immune to the problem. At SunCloud Health, we treat patients from all over the Chicago area. We know that wealth, power and education are no protection from the addictive power of these dangerous drugs.

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HOW TO HELP SOMEONE YOU LOVE
If you or someone you care about is taking prescription opioids right now, there are several things you can do to ensure they do not suffer alone.

First, look for signs that your loved one is in trouble. This helpful guide from the Mayo Clinic is a good place to start.

Next, find a loving and non-confrontational way to discuss what you see. Here are some very thoughtful tips from Sharon Osbourne, a wife, mother and performing artist who’s definitely been there. Sharon’s wisdom will give you many practical ways to open a conversation with your loved one.

Even if you don’t succeed in getting through to your loved one, you may need to take action. If you suspect that a friend or family member can’t stop using prescription meds or has moved on to illegal drug use, call the experts at SunCloud Health right now. Your call is 100% confidential – and we will help you find the support your friend or family member needs to start down the road to recovery.

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VIDEO: WE DO NOT IGNORE THE CO-OCCURRING AT SUNCLOUD HEALTH

Dr. Kim Dennis, MD, CEDS, explains how SunCloud Health treats co-occurring disorders.

VIDEO: IN AND OUT OF TREATMENT SEVERAL TIMES WITH LITTLE SUCCESS?

Emily Long discusses how patients benefit from an integrated treatment approach and how that contributes to a more effective treatment experience at SunCloud Health.

LIFE AFTER OPIOID TREATMENT?

As an outpatient and residential treatment center, SunCloud Health is in an ideal position to support you for as long as you agree our services are useful to you. With multiple levels of outpatient care, you may decide to stay connected through one of our aftercare outpatient groups – or you may want to continue seeing one of our individual therapists.  We are here to provide continuous, caring support for your recovery journey.

Though we understand fully that you don’t want to spend your life in treatment, we also know from experience that a lifetime commitment to wellness is the foundation of your well-being over the long term. We will work with you to maintain a healthy outlook, which means achieving balance, honesty, and health — physical, emotional and spiritual. Our goal is to create a care plan that you can take with you forever, wherever you may go.

VIDEO: IS THERE HOPE FOR MY RECOVERY?

Dr. Marcia Nickow, Psy.D., CADC, CGP shares her thoughts on hope for recovery at SunCloud Health.

VIDEO: DOES ADDICTION TREATMENT WORK?

Chris Stewart, MD. Board Certified Psychiatrist answers, does addiction treatment work?

VIDEO: WHY DO WE ASK OUR PATIENTS TO BE ABSTINENT WHEN AT SUNCLOUD HEALTH?

Kim Dennis, MD, CEDS, MD, Medical Director, CEO and Co-founder at SunCloud Health, answers the question, why do we ask our patients to be abstinent when at SunCloud Health?

The treatment team at SunCloud gets it. They practice what they preach, they are compassionate and they are true professionals.  They all understand what I am going through and they have guided me from a hopeless place of disease to recovery and a life worth living.  Most importantly they have helped me realize that I am worth something and that I don’t have to use in order to cope with life and all that comes with it.  Recovery can be amazing.  Trust me.  The work is not easy and it is totally worth it!   Today I am alive.

~ SCH patient

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