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According to a report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), deaths from heroin flared up by 89 percent from 62 deaths in 2011 to 117 in 2012. Needless to say, this has become a problem of epidemic proportions in south Florida.
Among teens and young adults, prescription drugs are noted to be the most commonly used drugs after marijuana. Almost half of these teens abusing prescribed drugs consume painkillers. Various surveys show that around 50 percent of addicts believe prescription drugs to be safer than illegal street drugs without fully realizing the risks associated with consuming such highly potent and brain-altering drugs.
Due to the increased costs of painkillers, heroin offers a much cheaper option that might even be more readily available than prescribed drugs.
Similarities between heroin addiction and painkiller abuse lie essentially in the ingredients. Since opiates are considered to be highly addictive elements, the abuse of painkillers ultimately leads to addiction. While heroin is illegal and opioid pills such as OxyContin are FDA-approved, they both originate from the poppy plant. This has resulted in their chemical structures being highly similar and they affect the same group of receptors in the human brain.
In any case, heroin and painkillers produce similar effects that include an increase in pain tolerance, a sense of euphoria alongside drowsiness, nausea, restlessness and occasional diarrhea. Higher doses can lead to respiratory depression, even to a point where the user may stop breathing entirely and die.
People who consume opiates usually develop their addictions fairly quick. Withdrawal symptoms from heroin consumption may develop only after three days while withdrawal symptoms from painkillers, even though more intense, take longer to begin.
In Miami-Dade County, deaths jumped 120 percent, from 15 in 2011 to 33 in 2012.
James N. Hall is an epidemiologist at Nova Southeastern University who authored the report with 20 NIDA researchers nationwide who have met biannually since 1976 to track drug use trends. "The crossover from the prescription products to illicit heroin complicates that and will fuel the continued epidemic," he stated.
Hall further predicted that "this problem is certainly going to get worse before it gets better."
According to medical experts, the latest spike in heroin use and deaths is largely among young adults, aged 18 to 29, who have replaced prescription pain pills with heroin. This is particularly worrisome.
"In Florida, we had a full force effort at cutting the supply (of painkiller pills) without ever addressing the demand, which was a fatal mistake," Hall said.
Florida Drug Addiction Helpline is committed to connecting you or a loved one with the best drug rehabs in Florida that offer a treatment plan that suits your individual needs. In any case, our priority is always the patient. If you have made the decision to reclaim your life from addiction, a Florida drug rehab center will help you every step of the way.
Panic Attacks: Anxiety at its Most Shattering
People experience panic attacks in different ways. Some people experience physical pain, others report feeling like their heart is going to beat through their chest. Some get the choking feeling, while others feel needles jabbing their face. There could also be some who feel like running away, as all eyes in the world are chasing them.
Are Opioids Overprescribed for Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain affects more Americans than ever before, but we might be doing more harm than good the way we treat it. Any pain symptoms lasting six months or longer are deemed chronic pain.
Don’t let Anxiety Dominate Your Personality
At some point or the other, we all have experienced anxiety in our lives. It may be due to any of the situations – you’ve been in bed for an hour now and you still can’t get to sleep; maybe you’re thinking about your job or health, or perhaps some problem with your kids.
