Research Paper On Prescription Drug Addiction

The Opioid Epidemic and the Newborn Patient article was written by Dr. Jean Rex and in this article, she talks about the effects that opioids have on families. The article is specific to pregnant mothers and infants. According to Rex (2017), “recent studies have found that 14-28 percent of pregnant women filled a prescription for an opioid medication during their pregnancy.” The use of opioids while pregnant can lead to numerous birth effects for the baby. She also talks about the effects of Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) on an infant. The syndrome is caused when an infant is exposed to opioids while in the utero. Dr. Rex continues the article with discussions for a healthcare professional to be able to know the signs

Through the years, substance misuse in the United States has turned into an industrious issue influencing numerous people. In 2008, it was assessed that 17.8 million Americans beyond 18 years old where substance subordinate. Women who use medications during pregnancy can have an enduring impact on fetal. Medications can have an impact of maternal and child wellbeing, yet there are a lot of different variables, which influence it, poor social environment, nourishment, cleanliness, and sexual abuse. Regenerative interruption connected with heroin utilization has been shown in both and women and even low dosages of opiates can impede ordinary ovarian capacity and ovulation. The harm that goes hand in hand with substance utilization comes either straightforwardly from the impact of the medication itself or from issues identified with development and/or unexpected labor. The entanglements of jumbling components clamorous way of life, poor nourishment, liquor utilization and cigarette smoking influence the appraisal of the impacts of cocaine in pregnancy. In obstetric practice, 100% of pregnant women utilizing cocaine or heroin are cigarette smokers. Cigarette smoking is presumably the most well known manifestation of substance utilizes and is noteworthy corresponding considering ladies who use unlawful medications. Babies whose moms smoked in pregnancy have a tendency to have lower conception weights and diminished length, cranial and thoracic

Opioid addicts can come in many forms from mothers to teenagers to fathers to even grandparents, these people come from somewhere, they have been loved. It is difficult to attempt to understand what would possess an expecting mother to inject or ingest a substance knowing that she is not only putting her life on the line but also the life of her unborn child. On a daily basis, there are babies being born into this world addicted to a substance that they had no choice but to ingest because of the actions of their mothers while they were in utero. According to a report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse “ Every 25 minutes a baby is born suffering from opioid withdraw.” Furthermore, if a woman is willing to not only put her own life in danger, but also the life of an unborn child, it is difficult to comprehend the belief that these addicts can be turned around 180 degrees and become model citizens if finding out a life has been created , it would push an expecting mother to pursue getting help to end her addiction.

In the past 20 years, prescription opioid abuse has been a rapidly growing issue in the United States. This rapid increase in abuse has led to more overdose deaths, and the increase of individuals pursuing treatment for their addiction (Brady, McCauley, & Back, 2013). The rising frequency of maternal opioid abuse affects thousands of mothers and newborns each year. According to the National Institute on Drug abuse, the use of opiates during pregnancy can result in a drug withdrawal syndrome in newborns called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Almost every drug passes from the mother's bloodstream through the placenta to the fetus. Illicit substances that cause drug dependence and addiction in the mother also cause the fetus

In the United States, prenatal substance use continues to be a widespread problem with the addictive substances used during pregnancy; the risk factors, and the long-term effects a baby can have. When a pregnant woman uses drugs, she and her unborn child face serious health problems. Long-term effects of drugs on babies can include behavioral problems as they grow older. They can also be born addicted to the drugs used to treat the mother’s addiction. The task at hand is to make sure that we view all drugs of abuse through a common lens, regardless of legal status, so that their impact on child outcome can be adequately assessed leading to appropriate policy

On October 27, 2017, Dr. Arlether Wilson, PhD., contributing author for the Huffington Post, published the article titled “Opiate Addiction in an Ongoing Crisis in America” which states that Walgreens is going to start stocking Narcan over the counter, which is an opiate reversing drug. It is no mystery that opiate addiction is out of control and a major epidemic in our country. The article also states, “According to The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 15-21 million people are addicted to opiates and 91 abusers die every day” (Wilson, 2017). Unfortunately, opiate addiction spreads across every social and economic demographic and no age, gender, or race is immune to its addictive nature.

The prescription drug abuse epidemic is skyrocketing and because of this the amount of infants born addicted is astronomically growing. The town of Spring Hill is just one of the many towns in Florida affected by this and was actually considered a hotspot for many Pain Management Clinics, also known as “Pill Mills”. Studies show withdrawal symptoms from opioids are far worse than any other drug and the effects are often lifelong if not deadly. Addicted Infants receive a regimen of pain medication to ease symptoms from withdrawal. Therefore, our goal is to stop the suffering of not only infants in utero, but those born addicted.

The rate of death due to prescription drug abuse in the U.S. has escalated 313 percent over the past decade. According to the Congressional Quarterly Transcription’s article "Rep. Joe Pitt Holds a Hearing on Prescription Drug Abuse," opioid prescription drugs were involved in 16,650 overdose-caused deaths in 2010, accounting for more deaths than from overdoses of heroin and cocaine. Prescribed drugs or painkillers sometimes "condemn a patient to lifelong addiction," according to Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This problem not only affects the lives of those who overdose but it affects the communities as well due to the convenience of being able to find these items in drug stores and such.

Opiate addiction has started to become an epidemic in northeastern Indiana, affecting the lives of about 39,000 people in Allen County alone.

While addiction is a crippling disease that affects more than 20 million people, it is also a multi-billion dollar company. Prescription pill addiction affects more than 2 million people a year and has killed more than 200,000. The United States federal government benefit and profit from prescription pill addictions.

The use of heroin, cocaine, and other illicit drugs has become a public health concern especially during pregnancy. Maternal substance abuse has become an issue during the crack epidemic in the 1980’s; however, there is an alarm rate of infants born addicted to heroin. More than 3.7% women have indicated the uses some form of illicit drugs during their pregnancy, as well as 1.9 % reports binge drinking (Bhuvaneswar el at., 2008; Grant el at., 2009). With this in mind, more than 375,000 infants are born to maternal substance abusers each year costing over $100,000 in medical expenses covered by the state (Reitman, 2002).

Prescription drug abuse is the use of prescribed medications for reasons other than intended by a doctor or medical professional. Prescription drug abuse involves the misuse of any and all drugs to alter the physical or mental status of a person. The misuse of prescription drugs is described as taking excess amounts, more frequently, or for much longer than originally prescribed.

Although some people argue for the legalization of drugs, addiction to these substances has caused a huge increase in violent crimes in the home, at school, and on the street. Many people do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to create compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior. This is a false and uneducated belief. Drug abuse may start as a social problem or social escape but one the addiction has taken ahold of a person

Women who are pregnant and seeking treatment have great motivation, but they are often met with insurmountable barriers. For instance, the income needed for a treatment program and their own shame may be preventing them from seeking the help they so desperately need. A study conducted on a program for women in rural Kentucky found that when barriers to substance abuse such as housing, transportation, education, and income are addressed then post–treatment substance use in women decreased, (Sharma, 2005). This article also suggested that women often times seek programs for mental health or primary care facilities and not specialized programs, which resulted in less desirable outcomes, (Sharma, 2005). Economic hardship and poverty place women in a vulnerable position. Some options for heroin addicts are the methadone program. This treatment option entails the substitution of the opiate heroin for an opiate agonist, which is methadone. The pro-side of this form of treatment is that it prevents the cravings associated with heroin, and the hope is that this will more likely help the individuals to break out of their destructive lifestyle, (Maisto, Galizio, & Connors, 2015). The con-side is that there is potential for abuse, because the individual is still using drugs. The strongest message that runs through these scholarly sources is that the change in lifestyle is key to successful

Addiction- a primary, chronic, neurobiologic disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving. The difference between addiction and abuse is often times unclear. It’s a difficult call to make as a family member or a close friend that is dealing with a person like this in their life, but ultimately it is a call that only the addict can make for themselves. There are tons of different sources and tests and questions out there that can be done that can