Over 16 million people worldwide struggle with opioid use disorder. Understanding the opioid epidemic is key to knowing why millions of people are affected by this life-threatening addiction. From the rising availability of opioids to a lack of education surrounding the dangers of opioid abuse, there are a lot of factors that come into play when looking into why opioid addiction is on the rise. Keep reading to learn more.
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Why Is Opioid Addiction On the Rise?
Understanding the opioid epidemic can sometimes be complicated. While there are many people who are prescribed opioids to relieve pain, there are also many people who abuse these drugs. This can potentially bring about life-threatening consequences. Below are several reasons why the opioid epidemic is continuing to affect communities across the country.
Rise in Opioid Prescriptions
Opioids can be an effective drug to help patients suffering from severe pain. It’s important to note that opioids are no longer recommended for treating chronic pain in most patients. Therefore, it’s important that individuals suffering from long-term chronic pain look into alternatives for pain relief to avoid the risk of developing dependency and addiction to opioids.
Increased Accessibility
Following up on the last point, as more opioids are being prescribed, more people have access to the drug. Anyone can fall victim to opioid addiction. Whether getting opioids through a healthcare provider or obtaining them illegally, access to opioids can increase the possibility of developing a dependency on the drugs.
Lack of Education
Understanding the opioid epidemic also requires you to take a look at the education around the proper use of opioids and what precautions to take to use them safely. While it’s widespread knowledge that abusing illegal drugs like heroin is not good for your health, many people may not be aware that opioids can be addictive and present risks to your long-term health–even if you were prescribed them by your healthcare provider. Therefore, it’s critical that prior to prescribing patients addictive medications, doctors need to have a conversation with patients about the safe use of opioids.
Peer Pressure
Another reason opioid addiction is on the rise may be due to peer pressure among teens and young adults. Many young people experience peer pressure because of this desire to fit in, and this may extend to pressure to experiment and abuse drugs like opioids. Unfortunately, many young people may incorrectly assume that opioids aren’t dangerous, especially if they are able to steal and abuse prescriptions from loved ones.
Lack of Pain Management Options
Finally, a lack of more holistic pain management alternatives is another reason why opioid use continues to be high. Dealing with chronic pain can greatly impact your quality of life. However, long-term use of opioids may lead to drug dependency. It’s critical that people with chronic pain seek more holistic pain management treatment. Alternative options like physical therapy and acupuncture may help you with your pain.
Top-Rated Beverly Hills Drug Rehab
Understanding the opioid epidemic is important in order to create change for the future. While opioids can be effective in relieving pain for patients who are prescribed them by a medical professional, it is important to understand how these drugs can be misused, leading to risks for dependency and addiction. If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid addiction, help is available.
90210 Recovery is an opioid rehab that offers personalized care to help with your specific recovery needs. Our compassionate team of addiction specialists is here to help you every step of the way along your road to recovery. You should never feel ashamed to ask for help on your recovery journey. Contact us today to learn more about how you can lead a healthier, happier life!
