by Sher Delva | Jul 5, 2017 | Addiction
Benzos are so overused that they top all prescriptions in psychiatric medicine and are among the most prescribed medication of any type in the United States. Nearly 50 million benzos prescriptions are written every year.
Prescriptions for benzos have skyrocketed over the past two decades. Between 1996 and 2013, the number of prescriptions for benzodiazepines more than tripled and fatal overdoses more than quadrupled.
What’s the Big Deal?
Benzos are known for helping with anxiety disorders and insomnia, so what’s the big deal if they are heavily prescribed?
Well, there are a couple of reasons why this is a major problem.
First, there is evidence indicating these drugs do not work well over the long-term. Studies reveal that long-term use of benzos can increase anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, it is possible to treat anxiety and sleep disorders without medication, or at least with other medications besides benzos.
The second problem is the addiction and dependence risk. People who receive high doses of benzos can become physically dependent fairly quickly. Without medical supervision, the withdrawals from benzos are severe, ranging from intensified anxiety to high blood pressure, seizures, and convulsions.
The longer someone uses benzos, the greater the likelihood of addiction. People who misuse benzos tend to take higher-than-prescribed doses or mix the pills with alcohol or other drugs. Benzos are often chewed or crushed which interferes with the timed-release formula and speeds up the effects. This way of using benzos is extremely dangerous.
A Deadly Combination?
The true dangers of benzos really amplify when they are taken with other substances like opioids and alcohol. The risk of combining benzos and opioids is well-known, yet many doctors prescribe benzos and opioids together to patients.
From 2001 to 2013, benzos and opioid prescriptions increased by 80%, according to an analysis by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. It is not considered safe to use both together yet this is fairly standard practice.
Opioids vs. Benzos?
Highlighting the dangers of benzos is not intended to diminish the significant dangers of prescription painkillers. Make no mistake, we are in the midst of an opioid epidemic, and opioid addiction has become a national crisis. However, in 30 percent of opioid-related deaths, a combination of benzos and opioids caused the overdose. That’s why it is so important to talk about benzos when we are discussing the opioid epidemic.
Why is this combination so deadly?
Opioids and benzos both slow down the body systems, particularly the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why this combination is so risky. You are essentially combining two substances that slow down the functioning of your body. If you add a cocktail on top of that, it only compounds the problem. In worse case scenarios, this combination of substances causes breathing to stop.
In addition, alcoholics regularly abuse the benzo alprazolam, known by its brand name Xanax. Alcohol is a depressant so combining alcohol with the sedative effects of benzos increases the likelihood of overdose and respiratory failure.
Should Doctors Take the Blame?
The use of benzos often begins in the form of a prescription. Dual prescriptions of benzos and opioids are far from uncommon. Doctors are more likely to prescribe to patients who complain of pain, anxiety, and insomnia during a limited 15-minute consultation time.
In this rushed state, a physician may desire to help a patient but not have the time to explore the underlying causes. Therefore, medication becomes the easiest treatment. It unclear whether doctors are adequately warning their patients of the potential dangers of combining these drugs to help prevent addiction. As for now, it is difficult to place the blame on one person or thing, but one thing is for certain: people need to know the risks.
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Overall, more and more people are struggling with addiction, and overdose death numbers have reached epidemic levels. If you are currently struggling with addiction, please do not wait. Recovery is possible. Call toll-free today.
CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398
by Sher Delva | Jun 28, 2017 | Addiction, Addiction Stigma, Addiction Treatment, Drug Abuse, Mental Health, Prescription Drugs, Stigma, Therapy, Uncategorized
One Ohio City is fed up with dealing with drug addicts who overdose over and over again.
Their solution? Simple: Three strikes and you’re out.
But is this really the right way to go about this?
Recently, Dan Picard, a councilman from Middletown, Ohio proposed a new strategy to handle the influx of overdose calls in his city. He claims the city had spent $100,000 on the lifesaving drug. His solution is to limit the number of times an addict can be revived with Narcan.
“It’s not a proposal to solve the drug problem,” Picard said this week. “My proposal is in regard to the financial survivability of our city. If we’re spending $2 million this year and $4 million next year and $6 million after that, we’re in trouble. We’re going to have to start laying off. We’re going to have to raise taxes.”
While it may seem extreme, Picard believes something must be done to reduce the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent administering the overdose antidote Naloxone.
According to the National Institute of Health, Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is a “medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose.”
How the Proposed Plan Works
The plan proposed states that anyone who overdoses twice must complete community service equivalent to the cost of administering the Narcan. If the person has been provided Narcan two overdoses before and has not completed the required community service requirement, dispatchers will not send help their way.
“If the dispatcher determines that the person whose overdosed is somebody’s that’s been part of this program for two previous overdoses and has not completed community service and has not cooperated in the program, then we wouldn’t dispatch,” Picard explains.
Middletown has seen a significant spike in overdoses. Just last year alone, there were 532 overdoses reported. It may sound extreme, but Picard insists the city cannot afford to continue responding to overdoses at the same rate.
“We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to maintain our financial security, and this is just costing us too much money,” he told NBC affiliate WLWT.
This city of Middletown, Ohio spent three times as much on Narcan this year as they did all of 2016. The numbers in 2017 already surpass that of the previous year at 577 overdoses so far.
Numbers Soar Throughout Ohio
All across Ohio, communities like Cleveland, Elyria, Parma, Chardon, and others have seen people need Narcan again and again after overdosing on opioids.
As of right now, the fire department is required by law to provide Narcan in response to an overdose. The legal department is reviewing this plan proposed by Picard. In the meantime, the fire department is applying for grants and donation to increase funds for Narcan.
Sal Valdez, the Clinical Coordinator for American Medical Response in Rochester, stated to a local news station, that he responds to at least four drug overdoses every day and about 80 every month. Each time, paramedics administer Narcan, they could need multiple doses. He also notices overdoses occurring in similar areas to repeat offenders.
“Sometimes we do know these patients by name,” Valdez said. “In my experience, we do see the same patients over and over again, and we respond to the same locations.”
Way Too Extreme?
One study estimates the cost of the prescription drug opioid epidemic costs American society $78.5 billion. Regardless, many find this proposed strategy way too extreme. This could mean the difference between life and death for some, preventing them the opportunity to recover.
Daniel Raymond, the deputy director of the Harm Reduction Coalition, told the Washington Post, that he’s “disappointed” by Picard’s plan of action. He noted that the proposal was an insult to families of loved ones struggling with addiction.
“Ohio is an epicenter of the heroin epidemic … and you can empathize with the frustration, but not with this type of solution,” Raymond told The Post.
What are your thoughts on this plan? Personally, it feels like this proposal only further stigmatizes the perception of addiction. Would we treat any other illness in this manner?
We believe recovery is a better option. Addiction should receive treatment just like any disease. Please seek help if you are struggling with substance abuse. Please call toll-free today to speak to an addiction specialist. We want to help.
CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398
by Justin Mckibben | Jun 28, 2017 | Addiction Treatment, Alcohol Addiction, Inpatient Treatment, Internet, Social Media, Stigma
When news travels at the speed of social media there isn’t much of a waiting period for responses to issues that strike a nerve with people. As we were writing and publishing our first response to the story aired by the NBC News Investigation host Megyn Kelly, along with other media outlets such as The New York Times, a fire was catching that lit the internet up.
While we already wrote a response to the Megyn Kelly piece, we wanted to also highlight the amazing response from the recovery community!
The Megyn Kelly story was focused on exposing the fraud and corruption that has infiltrated the addiction treatment industry in South Florida, utilizing interviews with local law enforcement, first responders, politicians and victims of patient brokering and illegitimate sober homes. While it may have been an eye-opener to some in other states, this wasn’t news to the population of South Florida. These tragedies and indiscretions have been talked about for years now. The topic is still causing contention and debate within the community.
However, when the piece aired just this past weekend, many of South Florida’s recovery community set aside much of the debate to answer what was being said.
South Florida Recovery on Social Media
Facebook turned into a major platform yesterday as new hashtags went viral, including:
- #Igotcleaninsouthflorida
- #tellthewholestory
- #southfloridarecovery
- #wedorecover
A huge number of these posts were attached to personal stories of suffering, recovery and astounding accomplishments. Others were attached to photos. Many posts demanding that the media acknowledge the voice of the actual people in the South Florida recovery community. Most of the posts included people sharing their sobriety dates (meaning the day they finally stop drinking or using drugs).
Photo: Facebook posts responding to Megyn Kelly
There is a clear message here- the South Florida recovery community is strong and willing to take a stand.
This profound and inspiring response has been completely organic. One after another people from many areas, especially Delray Beach, started sharing their experience with treatment and recovery in South Florida. Megyn Kelly was tagged in these posts, so surely her social media team got pretty busy sifting through all those notifications.
Some were from people with several months clean and sober, other posts were people with a couple decades of recovery time. There were those who came to Megyn Kelly’s defense, while others took the whole thing as an opportunity to attack her… or the people responding to the story. Still, the presence of South Florida’s own population of people overcoming addiction was making a lot of waves.
The Megyn Kelly Conversation
One thing we should acknowledge about the piece on Megyn Kelly’s show… is it worked.
Granted the camera and narration do not paint the most flattering picture, but it revitalizes an important conversation- safeguarding the addiction treatment industry in South Florida. It worked because we can at least take something from it; the South Florida treatment industry needs to work together with community leaders, officials and people in recovery in the area to help make things better.
However, people in the recovery community did take offense to statements made by people during interviews that implied people were not coming to South Florida and getting better. It might not feel fair to a lot of people who thrive in South Florida’s recovery community that they felt marginalized or misrepresented. Some of the comments suggest that people sent to Florida are more likely to end up dead than they are to end up better, but there seems to be a lot of people with something to say about that.
After hearing the Megyn Kelly story the recovery community in South Florida chose to take the opportunity to stand up for one another. Overnight there was an up-welling of support for those who have come to South Florida, made a life for themselves after treatment and become active members of the community.
It’s About the People
More importantly, this is all about the people who have recovered and the people who are most desperate for it. We want people to know that there are unethical and illicit businesses in every state that exploit this same system, but there are world-class addiction treatment programs in South Florida that take great pride in being part of the solution, not the problem.
This is about the people who have changed their lives, acknowledging their strength, hope and adversities. It is about the people who want to believe that there is a safe place with people who care about improving themselves and each other. We have to let people know what to look for, how to ask the right questions and how to make educated decisions on how to best treat them or their loved ones.
For a more detailed look into the difference between addiction treatment programs and sober living facilities, download our FREE e-book:
5 Critical Mistakes When Picking a Treatment Center and How to Avoid Them
DOWNLOAD FREE E-BOOK
We are proud of how the recovery community of South Florida has responded to the Megyn Kelly story. Part of fixing the issues facing people with addiction is to strip away the stigma of substance use disorder, and a keystone to fixing the stigma is education and awareness. South Florida stood up and told the world #wedorecover because they know if we #tellthewholestory then the entire nation may see that addiction treatment is about healing and helping people together.
South Florida recovery set social media on fire a few nights ago… because South Florida recovery is full of absolutely amazing people too! Imagine if we did that all the time! Imagine if we took it upon ourselves to make this happen every chance we got! Who might get the help they need because of what we share?
My name is Justin Mckibben
My sobriety date is November 28th, 2013
#igotsoberinsouthflorida
Every recovery community has its faults, but the recovery community of South Florida is an amazing place to start your journey to change that could save your life. If you or someone you love is struggling, please call toll-free now.
CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398
by Sher Delva | Jun 27, 2017 | Addiction, Addiction Stigma, Addiction Treatment, Drug Abuse, Mental Health, Stigma
When it comes to addiction treatment, there’s much that is misunderstood. South Florida is receiving more negative press than ever before in regards to the drug addiction industry
In case you missed it, journalist Megyn Kelly covered issues plaguing the South Florida recovery community in an NBC News Investigation piece. While the piece did an excellent job exposing the bad apples of the addiction industry, it left out important pieces of the puzzle.
To begin, addiction treatment and sober homes are not the same. The piece mentions sober homes and recovery centers interchangeably. This can lead to some confusion as there are differences between the two.
Toward the beginning of the piece, Kelly describes Palm Beach County as the “recovery capital of America” and notes that “some 400 addiction treatment centers are luring thousands of young people.” Soon after, the piece cuts to an overdose occurring in a sober home. This insinuates that sober homes and residential treatment are the same, or connected to one another. In this article, we will specify some of the differences between a sober home and addiction treatment.
What is Addiction Treatment?
There are many well-regarded addiction treatment facilities that have operated for decades in South Florida. When a client first comes to Florida for treatment, typically they go to residential treatment.
Addiction treatment facilities are more regulated than sober homes. Addiction treatment facilities provide around the clock treatment for clients seeking help. Detox is the first level of care for a drug or alcohol treatment program. In this stage, the client is monitored and guided through a safe medical detox.Once medically detoxed, the client enters the residential treatment program. During this stage, the client receives a custom treatment program which includes a combination of therapy, group classes and more.
In addiction treatment, there are licensed mental health professionals and physicians involved in helping clients get sober. There are different levels of care at treatment centers, including detox, residential, day/night treatment (sometimes referred to as partial hospitalization), intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment.
Residential addiction treatment can last anywhere from 30 to 90 days and in rarer cases longer. Outpatient programs are different from sober homes in that they provide the varying levels of therapeutic care, but the client does not stay overnight.
What are sober homes?
On the other hand, sober homes are essentially homes where groups of people in recovery live together. Sober living units are privately owned and are free of a lot of the regulations needed to open a residential treatment facility.
Fewer restrictions mean people with bad intentions can open a sober home to cash in on the opioid epidemic occurring throughout the nation. Almost anyone can open a sober home, although regulations are being implemented to change this.
While some sober homes are stricter and have tough guidelines such as regular drug screenings, and mandatory meetings, others are not. Some sober homes are simply that: sober homes. These houses are bought and marketed for those who leave addiction treatment and they are not always created by people with the best intentions.
So why do people go to sober homes?
Instead of returning home, many clients will go to sober homes for guidance in maintaining their sobriety. Sober homes give clients a taste of what it will be like to maintain their sobriety on their own. They typically are not the first stop on the road to recovery. Sober homes provide a smoother transition into the real world.
While some sober homes are operated by the same people who run treatment centers, others are not. A sober home typically has a house manager who helps oversee all residents. Living in the sober home helps a person in recovery take charge of their life by learning to pay rent, buy their food, and abide by rules sober. Due to a variety of factors, more people are not going to addiction treatment as their first stop. Some are going to detox and then immediately to a sober home. This creates challenges as sober homes lack the structure and guidelines of an addiction treatment center.
To learn more about the difference between these two, subscribe to our blog and check out our FREE e-book:
5 Critical Mistakes To Avoid When Picking A Sober Home
DOWNLOAD FREE E-BOOK
Truth about Sober Homes vs. Addiction Treatment
South Florida offers vast amounts of recovery options, and with that comes those who take advantage of a booming industry.
Unethical practices happen in illegitimate sober homes and corrupt treatment centers. However, legitimate and accredited treatment centers are out there that do support recovery. Not all addiction facilities in South Florida participate in these illegal practices. Furthermore, the media suggests that Florida has the worse overdose rates of anywhere else, and this is not correct. Areas like Ohio, West Virginia, and others are much higher.
It is important to understand the difference between a sober home and residential treatment. A person in a sober home is living more independently than someone in treatment. The original purpose of a sober home is to be a smoother transition in the recovery process.
Overall, addiction treatment is the first step in treating addiction, not sober homes. There is a difference between the two and it is important that people know the difference. Please make informed decisions when choosing a treatment center for you or a loved one. We can help you in this process. Do not wait. Call now.
CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398
by Justin Mckibben | Jun 26, 2017 | Addiction, Addiction Stigma, Addiction Treatment, Drug Abuse, Inpatient Treatment, Opioids, Stigma
In the past few weeks, there has been an influx of negative coverage from some very prominent voices in media, including the New York Times and most recently Megyn Kelly in an NBC News Investigation piece, about the issues that have been plaguing the South Florida recovery community. Bad news travels fast, and these days every bit of it goes viral. There is a lot to say about the topic. A lot has already been said, but this conversation means something very significant to a lot of people.
This is nothing new; stories from various sources have been published over the last few years. From local news outlets like the Sun Sentinel or Palm Beach Post, to more nationally (or internationally) known outlets like BuzzFeed, cautionary tales have been reaching out to warn people about the dangers of illegitimate and unregulated drug treatment and sober homes.
Reports have highlighted the devastation of the opioid overdose crisis, and rightfully so.
They have exposed some of the most apprehensible and illicit activities of patient brokers and fraudulent facilities.
The media has engaged in a full-on assault against the corruption and criminality of the South Florida drug treatment industry, and we have a few words for them…
THANK YOU… FINALLY!
With Gratitude
With great gratitude, we thank the media for all the coverage of everything wrong with the treatment industry, because it is about time we all addressed these problems.
Finally, we have more people paying attention to the serious and life-threatening faults of shady and illegitimate drug rehab and sober home companies. Any number of the recent reports will show that for years unscrupulous con-artists have profited millions of dollars off of the suffering of some of the most vulnerable people in the country, under the pretense of providing some semblance of health care and therapeutic value.
For too long there have been grossly unethical practices involved in those abusing the treatment industry. Human trafficking in the form of patient brokering and providing drugs to relapsed addicts in order to defraud insurers are only part of this complex issue.
Thankfully, there are finally more proactive steps being taken to prevent these issues from continuing or escalating to even more extremes. The state attorney, along with the efforts of law enforcement and task forces, are taking more action against those who exploit the system. As far as the limits and loop holes, new legislation is being advanced. Arrests and raids are putting an end to many of these illegal enterprises.
“But there is hope”, as Cynthia McFadden on the NBC news video put it. As per the interview on Megyn Kelly’s program, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg states that they have made 29 arrests in Palm Beach County since last July, being patient brokers, treatment center owners, and corrupt doctors and with many more to come.
Thank you… but we need more action!
With Humility
Respectfully, and with humility, we think we would all fare better without making statements that paint the entire treatment industry and the recovery community with a broad stroke of prejudice. Especially when it comes to distinguishing addiction treatment facilities from sober living facilities, because they are not the same thing. A lot of stories forget to mention that the issues with sober living may often have nothing to do with the treatment industry, and that almost no one ever send their loved ones to South Florida for sober living homes.To learn more about the difference between these two, subscribe to our blog and check out our FREE e-book:
5 Critical Mistakes To Avoid When Picking A Sober Home
DOWNLOAD FREE E-BOOK
Still, we should lay out all the facts.
Some reports will claim Florida has the worst overdose death rates in the nation. The only problem… it’s not even close to true.
For example: Florida actually had less overdose deaths per 100,000 people than 23 other states! These numbers include the top 5:
- West Virginia- 41.5 per 100,000 people
- New Hampshire- 34.3 per 100,000 people
- Kentucky- 29.9 per 100,000 people
- Ohio- 29.9 per 100,000 people
- Rhode Island- 28.2 per 100,000 people
Meanwhile, Florida is 24th on that list. Florida has experienced increasing rates of drug overdoses over the last few years, although still not in the top 3 states as of the most recent figures. Yet, people forget to note that overdose rates don’t necessarily mean overdose deaths. The distinction may seem small, but ask any addict and they will tell you there is a big difference.
Of course we should not ignore the bad, and we all know the opioid epidemic is bad and Florida has suffered greatly. But it is an equal injustice to ignore the facts plaguing the rest of the country. It is also unjust to condemn the treatment providers who still believe in doing the right thing. It is true that there are more unethical and illegal facilities than previous years. But to assume every facility qualifies for this kind of categorization is unfair, to say the least.
Let us not forget, South Florida is home to some of the best high-quality holistic drug and alcohol treatment in the country. There are numerous addiction treatment providers who have been serving South Florida and the recovery community for decades; helping countless people in pain while making consistent contributions to the sustained improvement of their clients and their communities.
But again, we thank those who are out there challenging the current system and demanding better care. This call to action means those of us willing to suit up and show up have all the more reason to keep doing what we believe in. It means anyone looking for treatment will know what to look for and what questions they need to ask, because this is vital to keeping their loved ones safe. Asking the right questions can lead you to the right kind of help.
All this means the South Florida treatment providers who are committed to helping people will step up and show that what we do makes a difference.
For a more detailed look into the difference between addiction treatment programs and sober living facilities, download our FREE e-book:
5 Critical Mistakes When Picking a Treatment Center and How to Avoid Them
DOWNLOAD FREE E-BOOK
With Hope
The impacts of the indecent and deceitful practices that have touched the treatment industry are heartbreaking. We all see the dire tragedy of it, including those of us in the treatment industry who still believe in helping people who suffer.
Accredited and legitimate treatment providers are also impacted by these problems. Patient brokers will sometimes infiltrate high quality and honest facilities disguised as patients themselves in order to recruit patients to other illegally operated facilities. Brokers sell their victims false hope, with promises like:
- Material gifts
- Cash payments
- Free rent
Brokers can end up pulling patients out of treatment, against medical advice, in order to exploit their insurance benefits without equipping the individual with any level of care or even basic security. This terrible strategy is one of the obstacles that authentic treatment providers must frequently try to overcome; the outside influence of people trying to take advantage of the entire industry.
So again, THANK YOU. The more light we shine on the shady parts of what has happened, the more people will see where the greater danger exists. Addiction treatment in South Florida is NOT the problem; people who exploit addicts fighting a life and death battle and call it treatment… THAT is the problem. Not to mention the environment in the nation that is breeding this opioid crisis in the first place.
Our hope is, as we strive with all we can to improve how we care for and address substance use disorder and its related issues, that we can inspire others to see that real recovery is possible. We hope our dedication to creating lasting change in the lives of all the people who come to us for help will prove that people can recover, and that treatment does work.
With Compassion
Perhaps most importantly, we thank the media for raising awareness and igniting a conversation. Since the first few reports started to gain popularity, more people are talking about it. The momentum has created a greater platform, and we need to make it count. More people are connecting to the discussion, which means there is more hope than ever of finding a solution.
I will say what I said in an article last week, in case anyone missed it… we are in this together.
This unites all of us in a common objective- to end the extortion of the men and women, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers who need our compassion, now more than ever. With compassion, we can meet in the middle and have a real conversation. It means dropping the stigma of substance use disorder and having an open dialog about how we can all help each other make this country, not just South Florida but all of America, a better place for the addict who still needs help.
We still believe in the value of quality care. We still believe in the recovery community of South Florida, and because of it we are grateful that something is being done. While we still think there is plenty more to do, we are hopeful. If no one talks about it, no one will be willing to help fix it. Hopefully we will be able to move this conversation toward how we can best take care of each other, especially those who have already lost so much. Our mission is to take this topic from what is wrong with those who hurt people and turn it to what is right and what has been accomplished for the people who needed it most.
It is time we really work together to make a difference. Politicians, law enforcement, health care advocates, trustworthy and accredited treatment providers and members of the recovery community have to pull together and speak out about this if we ever want it to get better.
While some people may disagree with this piece and the delivery, the media has at least accomplished something- they have reminded us of an important part of the conversation. Surely, South Florida has an amazing recovery community, but if we pretend it is perfect it will never get better. Awareness might help us change everyone’s perspective.
So to the New York Times, Megyn Kelly, NBC News and all other news outlets, with gratitude and humility, hope and compassion… we thank you.
P.S. For more on this subject, like us on Facebook or subscribe to our blog. We look forward to keeping up the conversation.
For more information on how to find a safe, ethical and effective addiction treatment program make sure to explore more of our Palm Healthcare Company website. If you or someone you love is struggling, please call toll-free now. We want to help.
CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398
by Sher Delva | Jun 22, 2017 | Addiction, Addiction Medicine, Addiction Stigma, Addiction Treatment, Stigma, Therapy, Withdrawal
The opioid epidemic continues to reach epidemic numbers, and with the increasing overdoses comes increasing cases of hepatitis C. New cases of hepatitis C have nearly doubled over the past few years. Furthermore, those with opioid addiction are more likely to suffer from a variety of health disorders, complicating treatment for substance use disorder.
Hepatitis C is among the most concerning disorder to affect people with opioid addiction. People who abuse opioids are 9.1 times more likely to have hepatitis-C (HCV), in comparison to those who did not abuse opioids, according to an analysis by the health care company Amino. Amino drew data from the claims of 3.1 million privately insured patients between 2014 and 2016.
As the opioid epidemic spreads throughout the country, new cases of HCV have skyrocketed. In 2014, there were an estimated 30,500 new cases in the United States. This is nearly double the number of new cases in 2011, according to STAT News.
The CDC reports that new HCV infection is rising specifically among intravenous drug users under 40 years old, particularly in more rural areas. People with opioid use disorder are more likely to drink to excess, and more likely to have suicidal ideation.
While these numbers are shocking, many are not surprised:
“It’s known that people with co-occurring behavioral and mental health issues are at high risk for addiction even when prescribed opioids for a bonafide prescription medical use,” Dr. Anna Lembke, a Stanford University psychiatrist, and opioid addiction expert, told Amino.
However, Lembke was particularly moved by the fact that people with opioid addiction are seven times more likely to suffer from “failed back syndrome,” a chronic condition that is diagnosed following back surgeries.
“What I thought was really interesting was the correlation with failed back syndrome,” she said. “Perhaps failed back syndrome is a risk factor for developing an opioid use disorder—and that could be part of the reason why this community experiences such chronicity and lack of improvement. This is a subgroup that’s especially vulnerable to opioid misuse.”
The data collected by Amino looked at health claims among people with a variety of insurance codes, representing conditions from opioid dependence to opioid abuse in remission. Amino is a private insurer, and the data revealed a sharp increase in opioid abuse specifically among those with private insurance. According to the data, there was a six-fold increase in opioid-related insurance claimed between 2012 and 2016 among private insurers.
However, Lembke notes that this sharp increase may be underrepresented:
“Patients don’t want to carry them on their charts, and doctors don’t want to stigmatize their patients,” said Lembke. “But they will go ahead and chart it if there’s utility in it. And the utility is you can’t get buprenorphine, methadone maintenance, or naltrexone paid for by a third-party payer unless it’s diagnosed.”
Last month was Hepatitis Awareness Month. The treatments for hepatitis C have really come a long way, and it no longer as life endangering as It once was. The key is to seek treatment early. Unfortunately, due to the stigma of addiction, many are afraid to get tested.
Studies like these show that the numbers are not improving. Those with opioid addiction seriously need testing to prevent the disease from progressing any further. Please do not feel shame about testing for this disorder. Furthermore, if you are struggling with substance use disorder, please reach out to us. We have the tools to guide you to a sober life. Do not wait. Call today.
CALL NOW 1-888-922-5398
