The Drug Overdose Death Rate Has Doubled Since 2000
Since 2000, drug overdose deaths in the United States have risen to epidemic levels. Statistics show that the rate has doubled over a period of less than twenty years. While the drugs of choice may have changed over the years, one thing remains clear: the level of drug addiction has increased and there is a greater need today than ever before for effective addiction recovery programs to help those who have become entrenched in this damaging and deadly lifestyle.
Drugs Most Commonly Abused Today
The most commonly abused drugs today are prescription opioids and pain relievers like oxycodone and hydrocodone, synthetic opioids (such as Fentanyl), and heroin. In 2006, cocaine abuse reached an all-time high, and while the rate of abuse dropped slightly afterwards, it has begun to slowly increase again.
Heroin has seen a dramatic increase in its usage. An addiction to heroin sometimes stems from first abusing either prescribed pills or illegally purchased opioid pain relievers. Deaths caused by heroin overdose have increased more than five hundred percent over the last two decades, from a low of about 2,000 in 2001 to over 10,000 in 2014.
Contributing to this problem is the widespread availability and lower price of heroin, along with the increased use of prescription and synthetic opioids. Today, the people most often affected by heroin addiction are white, between the ages of 18 and 25, and are lower-income individuals earning less than $20,000 per year. Heroin use is no longer only a scourge of inner city minorities, it has moved everywhere.
States With the Highest Death Rates from Drug Abuse
In 2014, the five states with the highest death rates from drug abuse were West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, New Hampshire and New Mexico. States that experienced the most dramatic increases in drug overdose deaths that year included North Dakota, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Maine, Illinois, and Indiana.
The CDC recently stated that more people died in 2014 from drug overdoses than from vehicular crashes. In fact, drug overdose deaths were listed as occurring at one and a half times the rate of car accidents. Drug abuse has become rampant and all-encompassing.
Places Addicts Can Turn to for Real Help
The most effective programs for help with overcoming addiction can come from a drug treatment facility or a drug rehab center. The most helpful programs for recovering addicts include teaching methods for healthier living and teaching new ways to replace harmful, addictive behaviors with positive, healthy habits. Addicts need to have a desire to change their lives, and usually need support from family and friends in order to successfully overcome addiction.
Treatment at a drug abuse treatment facility can help addicts deal with problems they may have faced in the past which might have lead to drug abuse and difficulty coping with the current situations in their lives. Sometimes addiction can be triggered by an emotional or chemical imbalance in the brain, as well. An addiction recovery facility can provide helpful tools, such as effective counseling, consistent support, and educational programs, which can prove to be invaluable during the recovery process.
Addicts Normally Need Professional Help Overcoming Addiction
Addiction can be so overwhelming and all-encompassing that the majority of addicts require professional help in order to overcome it. The unpleasant physical symptoms of withdrawal from drugs are at best difficult to manage and at worst dangerous or even fatal. In addition, the emotional processes involved in overcoming an addiction to drugs can be challenging to navigate. The professional help available through a substance abuse treatment facility can make a world of difference in the journey addicted clients face as they work to defeat their dependency.
If you’re prepared to begin combating your own chemical dependency, contact United Drug Rehab today to find an addiction recovery program that will suit your needs.
