Opioid Addiction: A Case Study

The opioid epidemic in the United States continues to claim more and more American lives each year. According to the CDC, approximately half of these deaths are caused from prescription opioids. The two main strategies recommended by the CDC to decrease opioid abuse and addiction is to improve the accuracy of prescriptions and prevent the misuse of these prescriptions once they are given. Reducing the rate of opioid prescriptions is a critical step in preventing abuse and overdose. The vast majority of opioid addictions begin with prescription painkillers, which have a flourishing market currently - opioid sales have more than quadrupled since 1999. The CDC created a prescription guideline consisting of various treatment goals to decrease the amount of opioid prescriptions being given, which is most likely to positively impact population health. These goals include discontinuing use, meeting frequently and assessing personal treatment goals and progress, adjusting dosages after assessments, considering various other therapies, increased
A significant issue when it comes to treating addiction is the stigma often associated with addicts which implies that they chose to give their life to this drug. Research, however, continues to disprove this. According to Healthy People 2020, “there is now a deeper understanding of substance abuse as a disorder that develops in adolescence and, for some individuals, will develop into a chronic illness that will require lifelong monitoring and care.” The majority of medical professionals consider addiction a latent disease which can be activated by long term usage which is why preventing misuse and close monitoring of prescriptions and patients is crucial - there is virtually no way to know who will be affected by addiction and when. Providing support and alternate treatment options is essential in curbing rising overdose