Addiction Professional’s Take on the Silent Epidemic

Our addiction counselor Tif B had the below to say about this excellent article on Novasans.com.

“This is a subject that needs to have this kind of discussion and exposure. The increase in prescription drug addiction has been steadily increasing for several years. There is also a perception by the general public, that because it is “prescribed” and is legal, there is not a danger of addiction.

Once addicted to the pain killers, the person will “create” pains and see their doctors more often, for further prescriptions. Most doctors will question or refuse to prescribe more. The person who is addicted will then get creative and either buys them in the streets or go “doctor shopping”. “Doctor shopping” is the process of the person going from doctor to doctor, until they get a doctor that will prescribe what they want. …

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OxyContin Part of Dramatic Rise in ER Visits

In 2009, more than 1.2 million people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for the non medical use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.  This number has more than doubled in recent years, from about 500,000 visits in 2004.  For the first time, the number of emergency room visits for the non-medical use of both prescription and over-the-counter drugs surpassed the number of visits for illicit drug abuse.

The figures were based on a study conduction by the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), a government program that monitors ER visits and deaths caused by drugs.  According to DAWN, the prescription drugs that were most often involved in ER visits were:

  • Opioids, which are used to relieve pain and include oxycodone (brand names OxyContin and Roxicodone), hydrocone and methadone.
  • Benzodiazepines, which are used to treat anxiety and insomnia and include the brands
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Analyzing Statisitcs about Addiction to Painkillers

Do The Math About Addiction Rates

Mark Twain once wrote that there are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics.

Perhaps there’s some truth in the author-humorist’s line because we’ve all heard enough statistics in our lifetimes to make a grown man cry!

It’s often difficult to get to the truth when someone throws a bunch of scholarly-sounding numbers at us, and proving statistical information is a lost cause unless you’re a researcher with nothing else to do.

The following statistics were taken from a web site for “The Waismann Method” and refers to this treatment center’s program of rapid detoxification from prescription painkilling opiate drugs. It cites information gained from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.

  • Two million Americans use prescription painkillers each year
  • In some areas of the country, addiction to painkillers has overtaken that
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St. Thomas Overrun by OxyContin

Hillbilly Heroin, kicker, oxy…call it what you want, it’s all the same.  Local police have become alarmed for these small yellow/white pills that are becoming a big problem.

It’s a narcotic painkiller called OxyContin and it is highly addictive.  It’s also called Percocet, Oxycocet, and Percodan when mixed with other things such as aspirin.  These oxycodone-based drugs are for moderate to sever pain.  However the treatment has side effects of euphoria, or an intense feeling of pleasure, which makes the drug so appealing and addictive.

Health Canada states, “With the purest form of the drug, OxyContin, pills are time-released when taken normally, but when chewed, inhaled through the nose or injected, the effects become stronger.”  So strong, that it’s hard not to get addicted to the feeling of stimulation.  People become reliant on that feeling and continue to abuse the …

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Read more about the article U.S. Drug Use Fuels Mexican Drug Wars

U.S. Drug Use Fuels Mexican Drug Wars

In addition to an rise in OxyContin overdoses, heroin overdoses, drug crime, and shattered lives, opiate dependence in the United States has also fueled the stakes for narco-criminals in Mexico.  There are some staggering tales of cruelty and murder related to the drug ward.

U.S. Drug Use Fuels Mexican Drug Wars

The drug war that has gripped Mexico for the past several years erupted again this week and left 13 men dead at a drug rehabilitation center near Tijuana.  Masked gunmen armed with semiautomatic weapons broke into the El Camino a la Recuperacion Center, ordered residents onto the ground, and then began shooting.  Mexican officials have not made any arrests, but all signs indicate a link to the ongoing bloody violence between warring drug cartels.

Because of the high number of violent crimes that have taken place in northern Mexico …

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Poignant Story from Poway, California

This is a tough one to read.  In an article in the Poway Patch, a story of a brave survivor of an overdose is told.

Aaron Rubin survived an OxyContin overdose and still goes back to Poway High to speak with the students about the dangers of experimenting with drugs.

The thing is, that Aaron is confined to home care as he cannot walk or talk.

Poway High (like any high school) is no stranger to the dangers of drug abuse.  Days before school started, a sophomore died from a drug overdose, and in 2007 another grad died from an OxyContin overdose.

The article goes on to cite statistics the likes of which we often show here.  They highlight the deadly growth of prescription drug use by teens and how parents often contribute to the problem by not confronting their …

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Mothers Fighting Together Against OxyContin

We are impressed with a recent article we read inthe Outer Banks Sentinel about mothers who have teamed up to fight against the rampant OxyContin abuse that is occurring in the Northeast.

The group in Dare County has been spurred on by the fatal and near fatal overdoses experienced by their loved ones and family members.

The story of Ward Blanchard is recounted and is a typical one.  “He never drank or did a drug until he was 25 years old.” His mother said.  An autoimmune disease exposed him to OxyContin and other opiates and he went down the all too familiar road of opiate addiction.

If you live in the area, Get involved with the Dare Coalition Against Substance Abuse.

Other Good Articles Relating to OxyContin:

  • The American Double Sacrifice follows the story of a corporal who became addicted
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Today is International Drug Overdose Awareness Day

We love to see the Salvation Army starting an International Overdose Awareness Day.

This day is not so much about specifically OxyContin overdose (or the heroin that many users of Oxys end up abusing), but just overdoses in general.

This site was started due to the overdoses we witnessed.  If it were not for the grief that we witnessed from the families and friends of those who became ensnared in opiate addiction, we would not have been compelled enough to undertake this.

The Salvation Army has a touching page of tributes which are moving to read.  I don’t see anywhere to add them.  Since this site is inundated with spam comments I recommend leaving a tribute (should you feel the need to) on this treatment center blog article about Awareness Day.

Today we would like to take this opportunity to

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More on the OxyContinuum from Steve Bruno

The below is reprinted from Interventionist Steven Bruno’s newsletter.  He can be contacted by calling 800-880-0330 or visiting http://www.MoreThanHope.com

Why is it that almost all of my interventions these days seem to have to do with the pain-killer OxyContin? It didn’t used to be like this.

Take “Sandra” for example, (not her real name): she is 22 years old, from Washington state, and, until two years ago, was an honor student with bright blue eyes, shimmering hair framing rosy cheeks and a broad smile.  I got her into treatment this past week so hopefully that smile will return. But it’s gone now. Over the course of two short years she became depressed and isolated; a shadow that her own family barely recognized.  She dyed her hair black and smeared on heavy mascara and thick make-up to cover her acne scars.…
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PrescriptionAddictionRadio.com

Larry Golbom is a pharmacist who definitely understands the dynamics of the silent epidemic of prescription drug addiction in America.  “Larry G” hosts a radio show every Sunday night from 9-11 PM (EST) to make listeners aware of the dangers of drugs like OxyContin.  You can listen to the radio show and listen to the archives on PrescriptionAddictionRadio.com.

Larry G’s site has a wealth of information and links that will be enlightening to the individual who is suspicious about the legality of benefit of OxyContin.

I would highly recommended starting off by listening to “Oxycontin – Biggest medical hoax in last 100 years.” In this .mp3 download, Larry G draws a great parallel between Purdue Pharma’s promotion of OxyContin in the 1990s and Bayer’s promotion of   heroin in the 1890s.  Both companies profited by promoting these highly addictive substances with …

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