The Flood of Prescription Painkillers
Last month, the Attorney General of New Hampshire, John Formella, announced a national settlement with Purdue Pharma, producer of OxyContin and other prescription painkillers, and its owners, the Sackler family, for their role in the opioid crisis. This settlement will increase the amount of funds paid by the Sacklers to at least $5.5 billion. It’s a considerable punishment for the company who filed for bankruptcy protection in 2015. Whatever the opinions about Purdue Pharma’s culpability in the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis or the settlement may be, an incontrovertible fact remains. The flood of prescription painkillers onto the market has led to a dramatic increase in opioid-related problems throughout the country. At Creative Care, we see these effects everyday.
What Are Prescription Painkillers?
By “prescription painkillers,” we are referring to opioid or narcotic pharmaceuticals. These include hydrocodone, prescribed under brand names such as Vicodin, Lortab, and Norco and referred to on the street as hydros, vike, and 365, after the imprint on the pill. Additionally, they include oxycodone (branded as OxyContin, Percocet, and Roxicet), and fentanyl. These drugs may be derived from the opium poppy (via codeine and thebaine in the case of hydrocodone and oxycodone). Similarly, they are synthetically created to act on the body’s opioid receptors, producing a powerful analgesic effect. Users seeking a high can experience euphoria, extreme relaxation, and sleepiness. However, overdose leads to confusion, loss of consciousness, respiratory failure, and death.
Some Shocking Numbers
The fallout from the proliferation of prescription painkillers has been enormous and quantifiable. Since 1999, four years after the introduction of OxyContin and its aggressive marketing campaign to doctors, overdose deaths involving prescription painkillers have increased dramatically. Furthermore, a large number of studies have revealed prescription painkiller misuse to be a risk factor for the use of heroin, another opiate. A survey of data obtained between 2002-2012 found that heroin use was 19 times higher among those who reported prescription painkillers abuse than among those who had not. Moreover, a study of intravenous heroin users interviewed in 2008 and 2009 found that 86% of them reported abusing prescription painkillers before using heroin. Finally, interviews of individuals receiving treatment for opioid addiction in the 1960s revealed that 80% started with heroin. In the 2000s, 75% of those in opioid addiction treatment started with prescription painkillers.
Be Heard, Be Nurtured, Be Healed.
Creative Care offers a holistic, dual diagnosis solution to the problem of prescription painkiller abuse and addiction. We delve into the heart of the trauma and underlying mental health conditions that drive opioid use disorders in an effort to heal our Clients at their roots. For example, an individualized treatment plan may include:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Attachment-Based Psychotherapy
- CBT-informed Therapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy
- Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
- Family Therapy
- Mindfulness Interventions
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Psychological Testing and Diagnostic Testing
- Yoga
Since 1989, we have offered cutting-edge, compassionate care to those seeking dual diagnosis treatment. Our fully equipped staff includes a consulting psychiatrist, psychotherapists, registered nurses, and counselors working as a team to create your ideal recovery plan. If you or someone you love is struggling with a co-occurring substance use disorder, start the recovery process today. Call Creative Care at 855-954-0762.