What Is The Opioid Crisis?

man in bed taking a pill wondering what is the opioid crisis

If you’ve listened much to the news in the last several years, then you’ve probably heard quite a bit about America dealing with an opioid crisis. Or maybe you heard it described as an opioid epidemic. We’ve all heard our share about this problem, but you may be wondering just what is the opioid crisis?

Or more to the point, what is causing the opioid crisis? These are important questions to delve into for anyone. Furthermore, it’s critical that those who are suffering from opioid addiction have options such as an opioid detox center in Kemah TX.

What is the Opioid Crisis?

The opioid crisis refers to the alarming increase in opioid-related overdoses across the country. In fact, just this year for the first time in United States history, opioid-related deaths surpassed that of vehicle-related deaths. According to the National Safety Council, death due to accidental opioid addiction and overdose is now in the Top 5 causes of deaths in the United States.

John Harvin, M.D., a trauma surgeon at Memorial Hermann-TMC states, “For the longest time, injury had been one of the leading causes of lost life in young people. Now opioid overdoses and other drug overdoses are overtaking that. This happened very quickly.”

Why Do We Have an Opioid Crisis?

One of the main reasons opioid deaths are on the rise is because of fentanyl. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that deaths from fentanyl surpassed both that of heroin and oxycodone in 2018. Fentanyl is a synthetic substance, which is highly dangerous due to its extreme potency.

Sometimes drug dealers put fentanyl in other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and meth. Because fentanyl is about 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine, it doesn’t take much to cause an overdose.

Other people may not realize how strong fentanyl is and take it as they would heroin. However, it is 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin thus they are at risk for an overdose. Most people can only tolerate a very small amount of this deadly substance.

Even if people take other types of opioids and they aren’t mixed with fentanyl, they are still at risk for overdose. They become used to a certain amount of the drug, and they will usually increase it to get the same effect. As they increase the amount they take, there is a chance for accidental overdose. In addition, mixing opioids with other medications, drugs, or alcohol is highly dangerous as well.

Whether you are taking oxycodone, heroin, or fentanyl, an addiction treatment center is necessary for healing.

Introducing Kemah Palms Recovery®

Welcome to Kemah, where our compassionate staff will use evidence-based therapies to ensure you make the journey to a drug-free life. At Kemah Palms, our medical staff is professional, caring, and understanding.

We offer several treatment program options including:

Don’t let the pain of substance abuse interfere with your life. Now that you know what is the opioid crisis, seek treatment today at a quality rehab. Contact us today, and we’ll guide you to the road to healing.