How to Help a Loved One Battling an Opioid Addiction

The United States is in the middle of an opioid crisis that is reaching every corner of our nation. The data shows that milennials and especially baby boomers are disproportionately being affected by the crisis. If you suspect or know someone you care about has a problem with opioids, it can be difficult to know when and how to step in. An article from Chicago Sun Times suggests the following for helping someone with an opioid addiction:

  • Understand that opioid addiction is a disease, and the recovery process often includes relapses
  • Approach your loved one from a place of compassion and support and encourage open conversation
  • Help your loved one find treatment, making sure several options are available

When addiction involves a loved one, it can be quite devastating. But it's important to know that you are not alone and many people across all walks of life are personally dealing with this issue. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 90 people die every day in the U.S. from opioid overdose. Opioids, drugs that act on opioid receptors in the body and brain to relieve pain, include the following: heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and prescription drugs such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine and many others.

Not all people using opioids want to stop, so don't be surprised if your loved one doesn't respond positively after confrontation. If he or she refuses treatment, you can obtain the prescription drug Naloxone, which can reverse the effects of opioids in case of an overdose.

It can be very hard and frustrating watching a loved one battle an opioid addiction, so it can be helpful to get support for yourself in some way, as well. Having a romantic partner battle addiction can take a heavy toll on your relationship, so you could explore couples rehab, which integrates relationship therapy and drug abuse treatment.

Here are some good articles from Discovery Place, a recovery facility, with helpful tips for family and friends of an opioid addict.

Preparing yourself for this difficult situation is a good idea, as this problem is likely to get worse before it gets better. In some years, there have been more than 250 million opioid prescriptions written, which is enough for every single adult in the country to have a bottle of pills. A study in West Virginia determined that drug wholesalers distributed 780 million pain pills in the state, or 433 pain pills for ev­ery single person in the state. And as more baby boomers are prescribed opioids for chronic page from aging, abuse is likely to become an even larger problem for boomers. 

To make matters worse, assessing substance abuse is particularly difficult with the elderly. Typically, those struggling with addiction are missing time at work and participating less in social acitivties, but baby boomers are far more likely to be retired than younger generations and typically have fewer social obligations. Thankfully, treatment for opioid treatment is the same for young adults as it is for baby boomers, and equally effective, so friends and family should intervene as soon as possible, no matter how uncomfortable. 

 

 

 




Comments

Be the first to commment on this article.

Post a Comment