David Mineta, Deputy Director of Demand Reduction for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, presented a keynote address in California recently, highlighting the widespread abuse of strong prescription narcotics such as OxyContin.
In the past 4 years, prescription drug deaths have risen by 60 percent and most of those deaths have been related to the abuse of Oxycodone which is viewed by abusers as a synthetic, yet more expensive, form of heroin.
It was previously thought that young people were the ones most affected by such abuse and death; however, statistics show that many more deaths are happening within the 30 to 50 year-old-age range.
“These statistics are revealing,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center. “In the past, young people have been thought of as the ones we should target to prevent substance abuse. It is encouraging in that it seems that drug prevention programs are working with our youth. Unfortunately, maybe not enough time has been spent on educating adults on the risks of addiction.”
One explanation for this overdose explosion among 30 to 50 year olds could be related to the health problems some begin experiencing at this age. Many of those included within these statistics had diagnoses such as PTSD, chronic pain syndrome, fibromyalgia and various mental disorders, specifically schizophrenia and manic depressive illness.
Some say that the data doesn’t give a clear picture of the problem of substance abuse as Oxycodone is too cost prohibitive for adolescents to use so, instead, they turn to cheaper alternatives like heroin and methadone and die from other types of drug overdose.
Regardless of the data presented, it is clear that education, prevention and effective drug rehab is needed across the United States. Many experts predict that alcohol and drug overdose deaths could surpass motor vehicle deaths as the number one cause of accidental death in years to come.
Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment center continues to highlight the need for increased awareness and education for drug and alcohol abuse prevention throughout the entire nation. Through its unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 12 years, Mountainside has become a model for the treatment community throughout the country.
The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as an on-staff Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specializations and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions.
The program and its professional and caring addiction treatment team has earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Waters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.
If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or if you have any questions, please contact Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center for a confidential inquiry at 800-762-5433.
