Opioids Among Adolescents

Opioid addiction is so prevalent in the healthcare system because of the countless number of hospital patients being treated for chronic pain. While opioid analgesics have beneficial painkilling properties, they also yield detrimental dependence and addiction. There is a legitimate need for the health care system to provide powerful medications because prolonged pain limits activities of daily living, work productivity, quality of life, etc. (Taylor, 2015). Patients need to receive appropriate pain treatment, however, opioids need to be prescribed after careful consideration of the benefits and risks.

In America, the use of opioids is at an all time high, it has became such an issue nationwide, that it has became an epidemic. Because of the opioid epidemic, America is tearing apart, children all across the country are dying everyday, these children are dying from overdoses due to poisoning. The opioid problem is not just because of a person's decision to pick up a needle or a pill bottle, but it is because in the 1990’s doctors gave up on trying to treat patients for their overwhelming pain and discomfort, causing opioids to become over prescribed. Due to the carelessness of America, opioids are being distributed more and more everyday, causing the skyrocketing number of deaths.

Opioid drugs are some of the most widespread pain medications that we have in this country; indeed, the fact is that opioid analgesic prescriptions have increased by over 300% from 1999 to 2010 (Mitch 989). Consequently, the number of deaths from overdose increased from 4000 to 16,600 a year in the same time frame (Mitch 989). This fact becomes even more frightening when you think about today; the annual number of fatal drug overdoses in the Unites States now surpasses that of motor vehicle deaths (Alexander 1865). Even worse, overdose deaths caused by opioids specifically exceed those attributed to both cocaine and heroin combined (Alexander 1865).

The United States currently faces an unprecedented epidemic of opioid addiction. This includes painkillers, heroin, and other drugs made from the same base chemical. In the couple of years, approximately one out of twenty Americans reported misuse or abuse of prescriptions painkillers. Heroin abuse and overdoses are on the rise and are the leading cause of injury deaths, surpassing car accidents and gun shots. The current problem differs from the opioid addiction outbreaks of the past in that it is also predominant in the middle and affluent classes. Ultimately, anyone can be fighting a battle with addiction and it is important for family members and loved ones to know the signs. The cause for this epidemic is that the current spike of opioid abuse can be traced to two decades of increased prescription rates for painkillers by well-meaning physicians.

Mike Alstott knows first-hand how opioids, when used correctly, can play an important role in managing pain and helping people to function, but he is also keenly aware of the growing crisis of opioid misuse and overdose. More American adults are dying from misusing prescription narcotics than ever before. An estimated 35 people die every day in the U.S. from accidental prescription painkiller overdoses resulting from things like not taking a medication as directed or not understanding how multiple

Substance abuse disorders have been considered a major epidemic by public health authorities during this century. Most recently, those who use, and abuse opioids have been in the spotlight. The growing number of overdoses, deaths, and individuals who are identified as opioid abusers has, of late, been the subject of media attention. Now coined “The Opioid

Roughly 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain with an annual cost of $600 billion dollars in health care and a limited number of pain specialist physicians (Harle, et al., 2015). The conditions require the daily use of opioid medications which are being prescribed by primary care providers and providers in the ED. Along with multiple prescribers of opioid medications, the number of prescriptions for these medications has quadrupled from 1999-2013 in correlation with an increase in deaths related to opioid use (Greenwood-Ericksen, Poon, Nelson, Weiner, & Schuur, 2016). The significant increase of opioid related deaths and complications is commonly being referred to as the prescription opioid epidemic and to blame for the most unintentional deaths in the US (Smith, et al., 2015). Though responsible for administering and prescribing opioids to provide pain management, nurse practitioners in the ED have limited patient history and are placed under time constraints. Improved education regarding pain management, clinical practice guidelines and the use of resource tools like the Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) have been proven effective for reducing opioid related complications (Greenwood-Ericksen et al.,

Substance abuse is known through most populations, particularly acknowledged in the lower economic class. Drug are becoming more popular in this day in time. Drugs are getting the attention of younger teenagers and adults. It is hard to determine if a person is using drugs or not. Substance abuse is a topic that has been spread in the society and is often look upon as the leftover of an inconsiderate acquisitiveness. As you can see on the news more parents are using heroin and other drugs such as cocaine to get a high and will pass out in front of their children. Therefore, heroin and synthetic opioids are driving a recent increase in cocaine-related abuse.

Opioid abuse is extremely prevalent in today’s society. Many public health professionals are calling it the worst drug crisis in the nation’s history. (DeGarmo, 2017) Opioid abuse and addiction is an issue that goes beyond adults, it is plaguing juveniles as well. Juveniles are feeling the negative effects of this issue in many different ways. Some are watching their friends or family go through addiction, some have lost loved ones, and some juveniles are addicted themselves. I volunteered at the EB HOPE drop-in center which is located in East Bridgewater. The mission of the drop-in center is to provide resources to those affected by opioid addiction. They have an abundance of resources including retreats, rehabilitation centers, support groups, as well as faith based healings. They also have various support groups for family and friends of those addicted to opioids.

Prescribers play an important role in preventing the use and abuse of opioids. Physicians and regulators need more information about whether, and how, opioids should be used for treating chronic pain. Prescriber education about the best uses of opioids, including knowing when and for which patients they should be used is important in averting the drug abuse. FDA has recommended many educational training programs for clinician’s on the safest use of these

Companies promised that opioids presented no risk of addiction and soon the rates at which they were prescribed escalated (NIDA). The prescription and sale of opiates has increased by four times, following this portrayal (CDC). It soon became clear, after widespread misuse of prescription narcotics, that they indeed had addictive qualities (NIDA, 2018). Now that addiction is known to be a risk, the portrayal of prescription opioids needs to change. The medical community must portray the reality of taking opioids, to help patients better understand the dangers that come with taking

Initially opioids are prescribed to relieve pain, however many patients get hooked and addicted to opioids. The risks for addicted patients with chronic pain is yet known, in addition opioids are also more accessible, thus overdose cases have increased, some leading to death. A woman who is addicted to opioids during her pregnancy, has the possibility of leading her child to addiction and causing birth defects. Additionally, the addiction is expensive, thus to get the money it will lead to criminal activity or withdrawal symptoms such as pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. Needles, and various methods are used to inject opioids, however this will lead to transmission of diseases. Opioids cause damages emotionally, physically, and economically, as an attempt to make others aware of this ordeal, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is communicating with teens through an online education program. Overconsumption is hard to ignore, however the prevention message are hard to disregard as

Hi John, great information. Opioids have been used for managing acute and chronic pain in individuals for many decades. Though these drugs can improve a person’s quality of life, their use should be cautioned due to their addictive ability. Opioids use are rampant in the U.S. and the community. According to the CDC (2016), over the last fifteen years, opioid deaths have quadrupled. The use and misuse are responsible for destroying families across the nation. It is important to seek treatment help immediately. There are many prevention programs available today. Some family-based approaches have proven to be successful in helping adolescents overcome their addiction (National Institute of Health, 2014).

It is the time for doctors, medical institutions, and pharmaceutical companies to come forward and take accountability and ensure to perform their responsibility to reduce the cases of overdose. They must understand the patient is the only one who need the medicine treatment and they should prevent to give opioids when other demands even ensure that it's a rare condition when they should use to give patient. Physicians ensure to provide brief about medicine and set the accurate quantity they could take and suggest them to keep away from kids and other adolescents in their family that can help to reduce the overdose cases and once pleasure expectations. Yes, opiate providers must understand some level of responsibility in providing addiction treatment, they must understand their responsibility to effectively control the pain management that can enable them to advocate for the appropriate treatment and assist patients by considering applicability of the self-management strategies for pain (The New Face of

The easy access of Narcan may encourage opioid overdose in the US. In Ohio, for example, the rates of naloxone administration have increased 38% from 2003 to 2012 (Massatti, 2013). Diagnoses of opioid addiction and abuse increased almost 330% from 2001-2012 (Massatti et al., 2014). This surge in opiate addiction correlates with the increase in naloxone usage. Moreover, there is concern that untrained persons lack the knowledge to recognize an overdose, which leads to a misuse of resources (WVU-ICRC, 2013). Naloxone is typically administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously (Clarke and Dargan, 2002). The activity of naloxone may cause a complete reversal of narcotic effects. This sudden change could result in acute withdrawal syndrome, which involves, nausea, vomiting and more severe symptoms such as tachycardia and cardiac arrest (DailyMed, 2013). Therefore, naloxone should be carefully administered to people who are suspected or recognized to be physically reliant on opioids. A patient who has responded well to naloxone should be continuously monitored, since the duration of action of some opioids may be greater than that of naloxone