Over 130 people in the U.S. die every day from opioid overdoses. Over 2 million Americans are annually affected by the misuse of prescription opioids. The misuse of opioids has developed due to the misuse of prescription pain medications for synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Other types of medications, such as vicodin, are a combination of the opioid hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Addiction to opioids has become a national crisis with many people suffering from vicodin withdrawal. This type of addiction affects social, public health and economic welfare.
What Has Caused Such an Addiction?
As is the case with many types of medication, the misuse of prescriptions can lead to an opioid addiction. The same goes for pain relievers such as vicodin. Widespread misuse has caused many to suffer from vicodin withdrawal. What was once considered to be an ideal choice to be prescribed for pain, has turned into an epidemic of medication use that’s highly addictive. Overdose rates have increased and in 2017 over 47,000 U.S. citizens died due to opioid overdose including the use of prescription opioids. Overdoses aren’t the only problem. Over 1.7 million people in the U.S. suffer from substance abuse disorders such as vicodin withdrawal related to opioid pain relievers. This type of drug information is truly disturbing.
How Is an Opioid Crisis Defined?
How to define opioid abuse, as well as the crisis, includes knowing a few facts about opioids themselves. Roughly 21% to 29% of patients that have been prescribed opioids for pain that is chronic have been known to misuse prescription opioids. Nearly 8% to 12% of users have developed an opioid disorder such as vicodin withdrawal. Opioid drugs have also proven to promote other types of substance abuse including heroin addictions. Over 80% of people who have used heroin started by misusing prescription opioids. As of July 2016 through September 2017, opioid overdoses have increased up to 30% in fifty-two areas in forty-five states. Thus, opioid issues have since become a public health crisis that offers only devastating consequences that are difficult to overcome.
What Can Be Done for Vicodin Withdrawal?
Withdrawals from vicodin can be difficult to combat alone. It takes substance abuse treatment programs offered by caring professionals to truly get clean and back into life. Most addictions cause otherwise healthy people to lead a life that is detached, anxious, stressful and harrowing. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has focused their efforts on improving access to recovery and treatment services. The overall idea is to promote the use of drugs that are overdose-reversing. It is essential that the public understanding of this type of epidemic is strengthened via greater public health surveillance.
Cutting-edge research is spearheading the support needed for further pain and addiction research. The hope is to advance practices for better pain management. The opioid crisis needs to be treated using new ways to prevent the misuse of pain medications so pain management can be accomplished without using addicting opioids. More effective, non-addictive and safe strategies are being put in place to manage chronic pain. Speak with your physician about innovative medications as well as technologies that can now be used to treat an opioid disorder. Reversal interventions and overdose prevention strategies that have both been improved can save lives with the necessary support recovery.