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The Sober Truth Behind Opioid Epidemic Statistics

The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that more than 130 people lose their lives each day due to opioid abuse. Communities across the U.S. find themselves struggling to find ways of dealing with the crisis. One of the reasons it has been such a difficult fight is the proliferation of legal and illegal opioids available to everyday Americans. When you examine the circumstances behind current opioid epidemic statistics, the need for opioid addiction treatment centers in Worcester, Massachusetts becomes clear.

Traditional Opioids

A push by pharmaceutical companies to get medical providers to prescribe more opioids for pain relief in the 1990s is the point at which addiction rates increased. These drug enterprises promised that patients would not end up addicted to their medications. Yet stats on opioids from that period show that is precisely what happened.

People with no history of drug abuse received the medications to treat symptoms like chronic pain and to recover from the effects of surgery. They quickly found themselves needing larger doses of medications like codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine to achieve the same result.

Opioids bind to receptors located in the brain and other parts of the body. These receptors control feelings of pain and pleasure. They block sensations of pain and increase the levels of dopamine coursing through the body. This experience makes people immediately want to experience it again.

Prescription opioid medications provide the same effect as heroin, an illegal street drug. The effects of both on the brain makes this class of drugs one of the most challenging habits to kick. The opioid epidemic statistics reflect this challenge.

The Rise of Synthetic Opioids

Things became worse with the introduction of synthetic opioids like illegal fentanyl and tramadol. There were over 28,000 deaths in 2017 that could be attributed to synthetic opioids outside of methadone. That is higher than the rate of death for any other opioid. Opioid epidemic statistics show that West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Ohio are the hardest hit by deaths from synthetic opioids.

The potency of fentanyl is one of the reasons for its lethal effects. It is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl can be obtained legally for the management of pain for conditions like cancer. Illegally manufactured fentanyl is typically made more dangerous by mixing it with other drugs like cocaine and heroin. It is one of the reasons that opioid epidemic statistics show such a dire picture for those battling addiction.

Getting Help at Washburn House

Washburn House focuses on finding the best treatment plan for every individual. We offer a variety of rehabilitation and therapeutic services at our opioid addiction treatment center Worcester Massachusetts. Each person must find their path to recovery.

Our facility provides drug detox services for those in the throes of severe addiction. We assess each client when they come in to determine if they should make detox the first recovery step. The Washburn House mental health and medical professionals go through the available treatment options once a client is in a state to make coherent decisions about their care.

Inpatient Rehab Center — Residents can take advantage of both group and individual therapy sessions while they look to treat the underlying cause of their addiction.

Day Treatment/Partial Hospitalization Program — Patients can receive the same benefits offered by the inpatient rehab center while living at home or staying in a sober living environment.

Intensive Outpatient Rehab Center — Washburn House’s outpatient treatment services help clients build a support system to help them continue a sober lifestyle.

Get Help for Opioid Abuse at Washburn House

Washburn House works hard to help our clients get healthy and keep them from becoming casualties reported out in opioid epidemic statistics. For help with opioid addiction, reach out to us today. Call 855.280.9442 and start your path to recovery.

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