Opioid abuse is a serious addiction problem that requires medical care in order to achieve the safest, most effective outcome. Please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions below to learn more about our opioid abuse treatment program.
Our clinical team at Brookhaven Hospital was asked to take part in a feature story on the opioid epidemic on KJRH Channel 2 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Click on the video above to watch a brief interview with Ron Broughton, our Chief Clinical Officer.
A: Opioids, also called opiates or narcotics, are derived from opium originating from the poppy plant. Byproducts of opium are morphine and codeine.
Opioids generally fall into two broad categories of street drugs or prescription drugs. Heroin, a street drug, is a highly addictive powdery substance made of morphine that can be snorted, smoked or injected. Prescription drugs are made up of morphine or codeine derivatives.
A: Drug names, prescription brand names and street names:
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A: Individuals taking opioids to control pain for a long period of time may need higher and higher doses for effective pain relief. If use is stopped abruptly, withdrawal symptoms may occur. This would be indicative of physical dependence on the opioid.
Addiction to a substance is typically defined as compulsive abuse of the drug despite the negative and destructive consequences.
(According to the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Inc., NCADD)
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A: Just because it is prescribed by a doctor, does not mean the substance is not potentially addictive. Addiction often begins with a slippery slope of taking a few more pills than prescribed to control an increasing pain level. This can quickly lead to attempts to avoid the body’s expression of withdrawal symptoms by seeking out increased doses of the medication.
A: Most who take opioids for a long period of time will develop a tolerance, meaning it will take more of the drug to obtain the same effect. This combined with the euphoric psychological effect is what can lead to addiction.
A: Yes. There are non-opioid alternatives for pain relief such as: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (Advil, Motrin, Naprosyn, and Voltare). Sometimes prescription anticonvulsants (Neurontin, Tegratol) or antidepressants (Cymbalta) are used successfully to treat chronic pain.
Mindfulness techniques, relaxation exercises and physical therapy are also alternatives to assist in pain management.
A: In the last few years, opioid addiction has become a national epidemic.
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014.
In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of pills.
People who become addicted to prescription opioids may find street drugs, like heroin, to be more readily available and less expensive. Four in five new heroin users started out misusing prescription painkillers. As a consequence, the rate of heroin overdose deaths nearly quadrupled from 2000 to 2013. During this 14-year period, the rate of heroin overdose showed an average increase of 6% per year from 2000 to 2010, followed by a larger average increase of 37% per year from 2010 to 2013.
(According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, ASAM)
A: In 2012, Oklahoma was fifth highest in the nation for death by overdose. 460 deaths in 2012 involved opioids. Oklahoma is one of the top states in the nation for the sale of prescription painkillers.
A: One effort many states are making to prevent deaths by overdose on opioids is by making the drug, Naloxone (Narcan), available over the counter. This drug counteracts the effects of opioids in the body and counteracts an overdose. Once someone’s life is saved, they will need treatment and a recovery plan to maintain their sobriety.
There are also prescription drug monitoring programs to better track when individuals engage in “doctor shopping,” which involves multiple prescriptions from several doctors. This database is not a national one, however, but state-based and each state has different laws pertaining to the requirements for physicians to access the information.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines for physicians when treating a patient’s chronic or acute pain which, in part, involves prescribing very few pills per visit to allow for closer monitoring and reduce the risk of opioid abuse.
If you, or someone you know is struggling with opioid abuse, then we can help you with the next steps. Please contact us at 888-298-4673 and ask to speak to someone about our substance abuse treatment.
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