Opioid Use Disorder is the newer clinical terminology (from the DSM5) used to describe the full range of opioid problems ranging from mild opioid-related use issues to severe opioid addiction.

The CDC reports that in 2017 there were 72,287 deaths from overdose in the United States. That is certainly an alarming statistic. Of that number, 49,060 of those deaths were from opioids specifically – just in 2017. By contrast, there were 58,200 U.S. fatalities that resulted from the entire Vietnam war.

The good news is that government funding for opioid treatment is finally entering the stream on a local level. Increasing numbers of methadone clinics and physicians authorized to prescribe buprenorphine are moving into America’s more rural areas, ones that have historically been severely underserved.

As treatment for Opioid Use Disorder becomes more readily available, people struggling under the constant pressure of addiction will have an opportunity to apply the brake, and to veer onto a new path of stability and recovery. That being said, it is estimated that presently only 1 person of 10 with an opioid use disorder has sought treatment. For many opioid addicted people, treatment made the difference between life and death.

Choose a new path is more than words for those that have truly done so. Addiction is a highly persistent disease, but change is possible. Commitment and action are the necessary ingredients in opening the door to a new life. Opioid Use Disorder, in particular, is successfully treated with medication assistance. Science, research, and life experience have fortunately reinforced this fact with perfect clarity. Please find a local treatment provider today!

A Presidential briefing on March 19, 2018 in Manchester, NH was used to announce that ADAPT Pharma has volunteered to provide, for free, the life-saving medication NARCAN® to all U.S. high schools, colleges and universities.

NARCAN® is a name brand overdose antidote (based on naloxone) that restores breathing and consciousness in opioid overdose victims typically within five minutes.

ADAPT Pharma offers a 40% discount off wholesale pricing on the Narcan nasal spray to Law Enforcement agencies and Firefighters as well as non-profit community based organizations.

Seamus Mulligan, CEO of ADAPT, commented in a company press release that ADAPT is committed to raising awareness of opioid overdose risks and distributing NARCAN® widely so that it will be available to bystanders and emergency personnel who can offer immediate help in the event of a crisis.

Naltrexone is an opioid treatment medication that works very differently than either methadone or buprenorphine.

Naltrexone functions as an opioid blocker that interferes with the euphoric effects of opiates. Unlike methadone, naltrexone does not eliminate opioid withdrawal. So it is typically only begun following a successful period of opioid detoxification.

Naltrexone is taken as a pill or as a time-released injectable. It blocks the feeling of getting high thus deterring a person from continuing in active drug use with opioids. If there’s no pay off for using, why do it?

Some individuals who don’t necessarily require methadone or buprenorphine can effectively utilize naltrexone as a component of their recovery program. Vivitrol is the time-released, branded version of naltrexone that is taken once monthly as an injection. With Vivitrol, the naltrexone remains active in the bloodstream for 30 days and blocks the effects of heroin or other opiate use. This reinforces one’s focus on recovery choices and can reduce opioid cravings.

Patients receiving naltrexone may develop a lowered tolerance to opioids over time, and should remain aware of the risk of opioid overdose should they relapse. The medication is also used in the treatment of alcohol dependency and has been shown to reduce the euphoric effects of alcohol consumption.

Naltrexone is not to be confused with Naloxone. Naloxone is the opioid overdose reversal medication that has recently been in the news for saving thousands of lives across the country.

The national budget proposal for the 2019 fiscal year includes a request for $13 billion in funding for opioid treatment and related services. This linked Newsweek article states that $3 billion would be allocated in 2018 and another $10 billion in 2019.

Many opioid treatment programs across the country are currently able to add patient slots when additional funding is made available. The opioid crisis has flooded many clinics that are already at maximum census due to limited State and Medicaid funding.

A number of private pay clinics have opened in recent years as the need for medication-assisted treatment increased. If a substantial allocation of government funds becomes available, opioid treatment services will finally come into sharp national focus as scores of people finally obtain the help they need to stabilize and to recover.

In treating opioid addiction, research has shown that traditional abstinence-based programs which do not utilize medication assistance have a failure rate of 90%. Medication-assistance is a critical factor in helping opioid addicted people move into sustained recovery. The proposed $13 billion earmarked for opioid treatment services can make a huge difference all across the U.S. Methadone or buprenorphine (suboxone) coupled with counseling and drug testing comprise the gold standard of care in treating opioid addiction.

There is a great article in the Bismarck Tribune about the expansion of methadone services in Fargo, North Dakota. Fargo, like most other areas of the country, was impacted in recent years by numerous opioid-related overdose deaths.

The article reports that Cass County had 31 overdose deaths in 2016, but that number was reduced to 15 in 2017, due in part to the increased availability of naloxone (the medication that reverses opioid overdose).

While local ambulance calls have decreased in relation to opioid overdoses, the problem of opioid addiction remains a widespread and primary concern in the community.

The Tribune story reveals that more local residents are now enrolled in opioid treatment and are receiving the life-saving medication, methadone. Treatment that combines medication-assistance and counseling is the industry standard in quality care for those addicted to opioids.

The new Fargo-based clinic is reported to have 164 active patients currently enrolled in the methadone program. The clinic director, Mark Schaefer, is quoted as saying that while enrollment has been rapid, there remain many people in the local area with untreated opioid addiction.

The availability of treatment is making a difference. And medications like methadone, buprenorphine, and naloxone are providing a much needed solution to America’s opioid crisis.