Nora D. Volkow gave a visual representation showing that the dispensing of opioids in pharmacies has increased in recent years. Volkow is talking about how bad opioid addiction is. Opioid addiction increases the number of overdoses and more people think it's ok to take pain pills. Prescription medicine can be very helpful to people that are in pain. But too many doctors are writing prescriptions for these people and the pills are too easy to get.…
deaths that continue to grow due to the misuse of the very addictive opioid prescription…
According to the “Chasing Herion” video medical staff believe that the use of opioids can be in a positive way. Dr.Russel states “The likelihood that the treatment of pain using an opioid drug which is prescribed by a doctor will lead to addiction is extremely low.” Thus supporting this claim. Opioids will be used to treat AIDS and other pain causing diseases.…
It is important that we recognized these issues while they are still new. I know a few years ago you were encouraged to treat pain more aggressively, and you may be unaware of the dangerous of the medicines you are giving your patients, and your patients are unaware also. It is very important to educate your patients so things don’t…
My mother is from a small town called Richwood, Ohio which is located about forty-five minutes north of Columbus. This town and area have been affected significantly by the opioid crisis. Heroin has primarily been the main opioid used in this area. The town of Richwood has changed over the last five years or so. I visit this town in Ohio roughly three to four times a year. Comparing it from the years when I grew up to now you can see a very evident difference mainly in the local economy. The town has seen a car dealership close down after over thirty-five years of existence called Mills Chevrolet and Pontiac (T2Buck.com 2009). Other businesses include the Cardinal grocery store located in Richwood. The decline of these small businesses has taken a toll on the local economy. However, many people in the area are known farmers. This industry has essentially kept this city alive. A business in Richwood called Parrot Implement Company provides farming equipment to the residents of Richwood and the surrounding area. This business thrives in this environment which has become a solid local source of employment in different fashions. While other businesses thrive in Richwood, the closing of some has led people to take an…
There is controversy of doctors overprescribing opioids to patients with chronic pain, which results in to patients becoming addicted and dependent on the drug. In 2012, Eric L Garland conducted a study in which where he researched the correlation between an opioid-dependent group and how a non-dependent group. He supported his study by including many statistics, significant information, and how accurate the data was. However, this study does not provide a valid argument that opioids are detrimental to our health. The research that was taken in this data was to see the correlation between participants taking opioids, and how opioids influenced their daily life compared to non-dependent opioid participants. Garland supported his research…
Perhaps the article wanted to focus on the prescriber’s side of this ethical issue but it is important to note that the pharmacist plays a crucial role. While the physician is prescribing the opioids, it is the pharmacist that often takes the heat if there is an issue with the prescription. From personal experiences, I have observed how situations can turn ugly quick when the pharmacist cannot fill an opioid prescription for whatever reason. This could be due to the insurance not paying for it because it is too early to fill or the pharmacist suspecting that the patient is a drug seeker due to multiple scripts from different providers. In a small town like Milford, the pharmacist could play a role in monitoring how much and how often a patient fills their opioid prescriptions. They could look for trends such as early refills, which could indicate the patient is either a seeker or their pain is not adequately controlled. Pharmacists could also use their knowledge of medications to assist physicians design alternative therapies for adequate pain control. This is an example of the value of altruism in which the pharmacist can establish a positive and respectful relationship with the physician in order to provide the best care for their patients (Haddad). It is unfortunate that some patients will not be able to get adequate pain control with the new restricting guidelines. As the last patient of Dr. Wergin explained, “the people who are abusing these medications are ruining it for the rest of us.”…
The high rate of opioid prescription brings many problems to the healthcare system, including the nursing profession, the health of individuals, their family, and their community. Many people have the perception that these type of drugs can do no harm to them, when in fact when it is misused, it can bring many problems and do more harm than good.…
During and after my addiction to prescription pain killers I have experienced many things, good and bad. I’ve experienced my personal rock bottom and also some of the best moments of my life. My experiences before and after quitting prescription pain killers have shaped my life, and myself into what it is and what I am today. I would like to compare and contrast my experiences before and after getting sober.…
Opioid overdoses have recently become a notably broad issue over the past few years, taking the lives of over 250,000 Americans. With this problem raging out of control, safe injection sites are not a valid response to the opioid epidemic for four main reasons: there are other beneficial ways we can respond, government spendings will become an issue, the atmosphere of the injection site will be alarming, and lastly, providing drugs will not help the patient become drug-free.…
What was once an effective solution for managing chronic pain has become one of the most commonly abused substances in our society, causing the need for a monitored and effective plan for treating chemically dependent individuals and their addiction to opiate’s. Ghodse (2012) stated that addiction to opiates is a disease causing malfunctions of the brain; it has effects on the mind and body requiring a specific medication in the treatment plan, and is recognized as being the most effective. Deaths should only occur from old age; that’s not the case now days and it’s because of this horrible addiction. It’s one of the risks taken from abusing opioids. It’s gotten so bad teenagers are dying from it. Are opiates worth giving your life to? No drug is worth my life! For those that feel it’s impossible to stop, ask a doctor about buprenorphine. It’s what doctor’s use for treating this addiction and acts as an opioid receptor in the brain (Ghodse, 2012). Yeah it’s great there’s a solution to help stop substance abuse, but never using is a lot more effective for your life. Shoenfeld (2012) made it clear that once you start abusing opiates, most require treatment in order to stop…
Lately, there seems to be a fine line between helping patients and curbing drug abuse. Since doctors seemed to be under prescribing painkillers, they eventually were urged to use the medicine that they had to help the patients feel better. This seemed to have gotten out of hand in the last ten to twenty years. Matt Berry says, “Although prescription drugs are necessary and lifesaving in many circumstances, the correlation between prescription drugs and prescription drug addiction is undeniable”(Are Doctors to Blame for Prescription Drug Abuse?). Doctors are aware of this alarming correlation and should have been…
Opioid use disorder has a long history and started many years ago. When individuals use opioids, it can have serve consequences on the individual, community and the family. In this paper this counselor will provide a history of opioids and how opioids came United States. This paper will discuss how the theory addresses this disorder and proven treatments for the disorder. In this paper the counselor will explain the DSM -5 opioid use disorder criteria and the difference between the severity scales and how the individual may travel through those stages. The paper will discuss the legal and social consequences. Then the paper will discuss the cultural and social issues that affect the individual and how the…
Many believe that Naloxone is ‘the first step toward recovery” (Join Together Staff), but how can addiction be prevented? Out of the 1.9 million addicts in the U.S, only 517,000 were heroin addicts (“Opioid Abuse” 10). Nearly all heroin addicts come from painkillers after a while which increases crime rates and overdose related deaths. All of these overdoses could have been stopped if the root of the problem is pulled, which goes back to painkiller abuse. At this time, the government is tightening its hold on painkillers by enacting new laws and legislation that will stop illegal distribution, improve education on addiction, and safely helping addicts. Many argue that this would be too much money for the government to spend on the “low-lives” of society and that this money should go somewhere more productive. This government action is the best way to go because addicts can man up and go for help than continue to kill themselves. All of this expense will pay off in the end when it save the life of a neighbor, friend, coworker, or even a family…
I’m sure everyone here knows or has heard of someone that is dealing with an opioid problem. The misuse and abuse of opioids in this country has become rampant. Oxy, Vicodin, codeine, heroin – every time I read the news or listen to a news report there is always some mention of opioids. And while Dallas County does not see this problem as much as other parts of Texas and the rest of the States do, it is still a problem. We need to make sure that when those struggling with opioid abuse problems come through our courts that they are led to the best resources and treatments programs available. We can’t just continue to punish those facing a crisis with fines and jail time and expect their problems to go away. On the other hand, we need to be harsher with those responsible for selling and dealing. As a public defender I have represented both users and dealers and I can say from experience that the largest issue at hand is the inconsistency with which cases are treated. I will strive…