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Opioid Drug Users Tell Of Rarely Discussed Injury: Sexual Assault

There is an even darker truth to the dependency and addiction of opioids and it’s slowly coming to light. The very real, and very disturbing and often violent, sexual assault of opioid users. In the beginning, “a lot of the focus [was] on telling people how to be safer when they are using or not impairing their judgment, but what we found was that there were people who were actively seeking out drug users, and more focus needs to be on them,” says study author Lauren Jessell.

These victims are sought out because of their often semiconscious or fully unconscious state and their time spent away from the public while using. The rise in violent sexual assaults will continue unless help for these individuals is available. At Pathway Healthcare, we want to help. We specialize in treating opioid, alcohol and other drug addiction and dependency. No judgment. Only help. Help to get you or your loved one back on track.

While there is an assumption that sexual assaults while using have been happening for years, “Researchers are [just now] beginning to document the problem. One study, published two years ago, asked 164 young adults in New York who were addicted to opioids about rates of sexual violence. Forty-one percent of women and 11 percent of men said they had been forced to have sex while using drugs.”

These are astounding numbers and the reality is, it’s only the beginning and unfortunately increases the rate of unexpected pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and even physical injuries in the user’s community. Pathway Healthcare is committed to helping these victims. To us at Pathway it’s more than a treatment program, we care and we understand that this battle can be the hardest fight of your life. Pathway’s focus is on the individual and under the direction and supervision of our medical experts, we provide a medication and counseling based treatment program tailored to the needs of the individual.

To read more of the article mentioned in this blog, click here.

If you or a loved one are experiencing dependency or addiction symptoms with opioids, alcohol and/or other drugs, we’re here to help. We’d like you to start with reading a message from our CEO and also take a look at what to expect at Pathway and how the process to lead your best life can begin.

Governor Appoints Hamilton Doctor Brent Boyett to Council Position

Pathway Healthcare’s very own, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Brent Boyett has been appointed by the Governor of Alabama to serve on the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council. We are very proud of Dr. Boyett and the work he has done in the drug and alcohol affected commuhttps://pathwayhealthcare.com/about-us/cmo-statement/nity. The council’s primary focus is to study the state’s current opioid crisis and set strategies to reduce the number of deaths and other adverse consequences of the opioid crisis in Alabama.

According to the Center for Public Integrity, in 2015 Alabama had the highest per capita number of opioid prescriptions of any state in the country. Pathway’s location in Madison, Alabama was a start to our mission to help those affected by drug and alcohol addiction and dependency. Under the direction and supervision of our experts like Dr. Brent Boyett, at Pathway Healthcare, we use proven treatment methods to help you break-free from the chains of addiction or dependency and to help start you on a pathway to recovery. We understand.We Care. We are Here To Help.

HAMILTON – As heroin and prescription opioids cause a national overdose epidemic, Gov. Kay Ivey has called upon a local doctor to help the state combat the increasing threat. Hamilton physician Brent Boyett received an appointment from Ivey on Wednesday, Aug. 23, to the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council. Earlier this year, Boyett served about four months on the Alabama Council on Opioid Abuse and Addiction, which was in place under former Gov. Robert Bentley. While serving on the former council, Boyett traveled to Montgomery for committee meetings, where he served as a representative from the medical community. Boyett’s service largely involved discussions on implementing the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which was passed to increase access to care by forcing insurance com- panies to provide full benefits to those suffering from addiction. Boyett even delivered a presentation to the committee on the topic. The new council was only recently formed by Ivey’s Executive Order No. 708, which was issued on Tuesday, Aug. 8,

While serving on the former council, Boyett traveled to Montgomery for committee meetings, where he served as a representative from the medical community. Boyett’s service largely involved discussions on implementing the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which was passed to increase access to care by forcing insurance com- panies to provide full benefits to those suffering from addiction. Boyett even delivered a presentation to the committee on the topic.

The new council was only recently formed by Ivey’s Executive Order No. 708, which was issued on Tuesday, Aug. 8, superceding Bentley’s council that was created on Dec. 15, 2016. “This was a surprise to me,” Boyett said. “I don’t have a lot of answers right now.”

Boyett said that he has responded to the governor’s office asking for more details but has not yet received a response.
The executive order places more than 31 individuals on the council, including state officers, executives, representative, members of
the medical community and even includes two positions for former addicts and two for two family members of persons who are or have
been addicted to opioids.

Additional individuals will also participate as deemed appropriate by the governor. Boyett has fallen into this category. The council’s purpose is to study the state’s current opioid crisis and set strategies to reduce the number of deaths and other adverse consequences of the opioid crisis in Alabama. The council has been charged to develop and submit an action plan to the governor by Dec. 31. In the order, Ivey said that nearly 30,000 Alabamians over the age of 17 are estimated to be addicted to prescription painkillers or heroin. According to the Center for Public Integrity, in 2015 Alabama had the highest per capita number of opioid prescriptions of any state in the country, with a rate of 1.2 prescriptions for every resident. That year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 282 Alabama residents died from opioid overdoses.

Through six standing committees, the council will collaborate on such topics as data, treatment-recovery, law enforcement, prescriber-
dispenser, rescue (naloxone) and prevention-education.

The letter reads: “By this letter, I hereby appoint you to the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council established by Executive
Order No. 708, effective immediately. You will serve at the pleasure of the Governor as an additional member. Appointing you to this position comes with great responsibility because you will be making important decisions that affect the citizens of Alabama. Honesty and integrity are two virtues that I prioritize for my Administration to exemplify, and I know that you will do the same while in service to our great State. I encourage you to be a good steward of taxpayers’ money, and work to maintain the trust that I, and the people of Alabama, have in you. You are a servant of the people of Alabama, and I trust that you will fulfill your duties and set a standard for others to follow. “I appreciate your willingness to serve in this position, and I am confident that your time will be spent in a manner to improve the State of Alabama.

Sincerely, Kay Ivey.”

Over the years, Boyett has been vocal on this issue of addiction, serving as the state chapter president of the Alabama Society of Ad-
diction Medicine. Through his practice, Boyett Health Services, Inc., Boyett has also offered medication-assisted addiction therapy for recovering addicts.

Jaw-Dropping Numbers From the Opioid Crisis

The opioid epidemic in this country is real – and is growing. An estimated 22% increase in drug overdose deaths in 2015 to 2016 speaks to this truth. We at Pathway Healthcare are focused on helping those affected by this epidemic. We are here to help. We care and we understand the impact drug and alcohol addiction and dependency can not only have on an individual but also on family and friends. Pathway Healthcare provides a highly effective, lasting treatment program for opioid, alcohol, and other drug addiction and dependency by utilizing scientifically proven methods and medications in a supportive, professional out-patient environment.

The numbers are continuing to climb in opioid use related deaths and we are here to make a difference. We understand that seeking help can be unnerving, please see the message from our CEO and know that we at Pathway Healthcare are here to help you on your pathway to recovery.

Read More from Julia Laurie at Mother Jones:

About 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year—a staggering 22 percent increase from the 52,404 in 2015—according to the first government estimate of drug deaths in 2016. Overdoses now kill more Americans than HIV did at its peak in 1995, and far more than guns or cars do today.

The numbers, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are provisional and will be updated monthly, according to the agency.

Fueling the rise in deaths is fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more potent than morphine, and fentanyl analogs, or slight tweaks on the fentanyl molecule. This has not always been the case: As the chart below shows, the drivers of the opioid crisis have changed from prescription painkillers to heroin, and then to fentanyl.

As Dan Ciccarone, a professor at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine, recently wrote in the International Journal of Drug Policy:

This is a triple epidemic with rising waves of deaths due to separate types of opioids each building on top of the prior wave. The first wave of prescription opioid mortality began in the 1990s. The second wave, due to heroin, began around 2010 with heroin-related overdose deaths tripling since then. Now synthetic opioid-related overdoses, including those due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, are causing the third wave with these overdose deaths doubling between 2013 and 2014 .

The epidemic is straining the capacity of morgues, emergency services, hospitals, and foster care systems. Largely because of prevalent drug use and overdose, the number of children in foster care nationwide increased by 30,000 between 2012 and 2015.

This spring, President Donald Trump created a commission led by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to advise the administration on how to respond to the epidemic, but the administration has yet to act on its recommendations.

Credit: Julia Laurie at Mother Jones

Recipe for Addiction: The Why and How of Addiction Behavior

Addiction. How many times have you heard that word today? It has become a common, household term, primarily related to drug and alcohol use and more often than not, mistakenly considered a moral failure. However, addiction is developed through a convergence of many elements including biology (genetics), environmental factors, and mental health. So, what causes addictive behaviors? Why are substance use disorders so prevalent? Why are so many people seeking addiction treatment in communities all around the nation?

Any activity, substance, or behavior that has become a major life focus to the detriment of other necessary activities, physical and/or mental health and even relationships is considered an addictive behavior. The brain has a natural reward mechanism by which it releases mood enhancing hormones and chemicals to reinforce necessary or enjoyable behaviors. Even eating and exercise activate the brain’s reward mechanism to promote those activities. However, based on genetic, environmental, and mental health factors, even normal activities like eating and exercise can become compulsive and lead to addictive behaviors.

Some prescription drugs and illicit drugs, artificially activate the brain’s reward mechanism in a very efficient manner; flooding the central nervous system with mood and comfort-enhancing chemicals. This leads to feelings of euphoria, or pleasure, and eventually, can produce dependence. Consequently, substance use disorders and drug dependence have become increasingly prevalent.

Contributing Risks

– Biology

A person’s genetics cannot be discounted when evaluating their addictive behavior. Those with a family history of addiction have a statistically higher risk of developing similar addictive disorders.

Mental health is another contributing factor. Most patients that suffer from substance dependence or other addictive disorders present with co-occurring mental health complications such as depression, anxiety, or bi-polar disorder. Studies have also shown that ethnicity and sex may contribute to one’s risk.

– Environment

The debate of nature vs. nurture also plays into a person’s individual risk of developing a substance dependency. Socioeconomic status, quality of life and a person’s interactions with family and friends over time can all add into the calculation of how likely a person is to end up with a dependency disorder. If a person is exposed to drugs, drinking, abuse or trauma early in life, they have a much higher risk for developing a substance use disorder that requires treatment.

Additionally, stress is a significant environmental factor in determining one’s risk level for addiction. The presence of persistent, unmanaged stress may lead to addictive behaviors such as the use of drugs or alcohol to cope.

Recipe for Addiction

When you combine the presence of genetic and environmental factors with the introduction of drugs or alcohol, the development of a substance use disorder is very likely. The availability and over prescribing of medications such as opiates and benzodiazepines has completed the list of factors needed for many people that already have elevated risk to develop an addiction. Pathway Healthcare is here to help people overcome the cycle of addiction and develop healthy, effective ways to manage their symptoms. In Jackson, MS, our doctors and therapists use proven methods of therapy to help patients overcome their addictive behaviors and learn better methods for coping with their stress and mental health. Our substance use disorder facilities treat patients from all walks of life and focus on creating a welcoming environment where patients feel accepted without judgment. If you or your loved one is suffering from drug or alcohol dependence, contact Pathway Healthcare today and find your way to better, healthier living.

How Substance Abuse Affects Mental Health

Conversations about substance abuse often focus on the physical ailments that come with use, withdrawal, and recovery. People can see the results of drug use and how it affects the form. Depending on the substance, weight loss and gain, scarring, bruising and physical illness can all be evident right in front of someone’s eyes.

By focusing on the physical, it is easy to overlook the psychological effects of substance use disorders. Many times, the psychological impact lacks the striking visuals of someone’s physical health failing right in front of them.

Ongoing substance abuse can affect the brain’s health both short-term and long-term, especially if pre-existing mental health issues are present. In fact, those who have a chemical dependence are almost twice as likely to have anxiety and mood disorders already. Paranoia, hallucinations, depression and other debilitating conditions can develop on top of these illnesses. Often, people suffering from substance use disorders will develop mental health issues that compound with a pre-existing condition, making daily life even more difficult to navigate.

These changes in mental health will produce behaviors that are consistent with substance use disorders.

Secretive or suspicious behavior
Changes in their social environment, sometimes distancing themselves from those they were close to while spending time with new, separate groups
Bouts of hyperactivity, irritability, and anger
Lowered performance and attendance at work or school
Decreased motivation and interest in things they once loved
Suspicious and paranoid thoughts towards close friends and family
Risk-taking behavior and frequent instances of getting into trouble

These changes affect the patient’s ability to maintain relationships, succeed at work or school, socialize, learn new skills, and contribute positively to society in general. This isolation can subsequently lead to feelings of shame or defeat and present a barrier to a patient seeking treatment for their drug or alcohol misuse.

It is essential that treatment for substance use disorders includes attention on mental health together with the medical treatment of symptoms. Pathway Healthcare puts an important emphasis on using counseling as a tool in recovery alongside medication. As a substance use disorder treatment center, we provide thorough and well-researched mental health care that analyzes a patient’s mental health and counsels them on how to cope with these issues; teaching them healthy habits for overcoming the psychological damage substance abuse has caused. If you or your loved one is suffering from the mental health effects of drug and/or alcohol abuse and needs help, contact Pathway Healthcare. We can arrange an appointment with one of our many specialists for a consultation. With the help of Pathway Healthcare can make your way towards a healthier, happier life of stability.

The True Statistics of Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction is an epidemic.

That line appears in headlines, news stories and online conversations in modern media. Opioid dependency has become so common and widespread that we now have put it in the same leagues as smallpox and polio outbreaks of the past and it’s still gaining speed. With every year, the numbers increase and we see the statistics become more and more troubling.

Drug overdoses are the current leader in accidental deaths in the United States and the majority of these deaths are caused by opioid use. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 90 people a day die from overdosing on opioids, adding up to 20,101 overdose deaths due to prescription drugs and 12,990 overdose deaths due to heroin in 2015 alone. Combined, opioid-related overdose deaths take up nearly half of the reported accidental overdose casualties from 2015, putting it ahead of every other drug category on the market.

The number of opioid dependency cases in the United States is just as staggering. The world of opioid addiction treatment and research estimated approximately 2 million prescription pain reliever users and 591,000 heroin users out of the 20.5 million drug dependent people cataloged in 2015. This number has been growing in parallel with the number of prescription pain relievers sold. In the past ten years, the number of overdose deaths and prescription pain reliever sales has quadrupled. This correlation may not be proof of the cause of these rising numbers, but it does show that there is a commonality in the trend between the data.

Prescription pain relievers are a big player in the opioid crisis as four out of five people with opioid dependency site these drugs as the starting point of their addiction. These prescriptions from doctors account for nearly all overdose incidents involving pain relievers. Many people who have had surgery or an injury and were prescribed opioid-based pain relievers to manage pain symptoms, find themselves struggling with some form of dependence. While not all of these patients get to the point where they require treatment for opiate addiction, there are many that will have difficulty with withdrawal discomfort and continued cravings that might need a specialist’s intervention.

Overcoming the statistics for opioid addiction and overdose may seem impossible when you’re already struggling with your addiction, but Pathway Healthcare is here to help people fighting opioid addiction and dependency. We work to reduce the numbers of victims of opioid abuse by using proven methods of therapy combined with medication to give patients the best chance at recovering. By providing a welcoming, supportive environment, our staff hopes to give every patient a chance at reaching their recovery goals. When you need substance abuse treatment in Jackson, MS, Pathway Healthcare can give you the care you need.

Call Pathway Healthcare to schedule an appointment and learn more about the services available through our facility.

What is the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act

During the last 8 years, the United States has seen a lot of social change through government-lead education and legislation. People who are living with an opioid dependency have not been forgotten. Signed in 2016, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) was passed to help curb the current Opioid Crisis in the US by coordinating a response that encompasses prevention, treatment, recovery, law enforcement, criminal justice reform, and overdose reversal. As the first major legislation pertaining to addiction in 40 years, CARA seeks to advocate for the care of people with opioid addictions everywhere.

With CARA, people with opioid addiction have easier access to the care they need, including overdose treatment and medications. This grant money has allowed for the: development of naloxone co-prescription programs, offset of copayments for naloxone to patients in need, training of healthcare providers in naloxone co-prescribing and use, and connecting of patients with appropriate treatment when they’ve suffered an overdose.

Pharmacists that carry naloxone also benefit from grants provided by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. With this act, pharmacists have access to grant money that can fund the creation of educational and training material pertaining to naloxone, its overdose reversal properties, and administration. The grant money makes it easier for pursuant to receive naloxone from these pharmacists when they have a standing order for its issue. By giving pharmacists access to these grants, they have the ability to provide faster, more thorough service to both opioid users in crisis and those in need of educational guides to its administration and use.

In areas with high rates of heroin and prescription addiction recorded, local governments and nonprofit organizations can petition for grant money to create new facilities and fund medication-assisted treatment. Reducing the number of casualties and increasing the number of affordable treatment options in an area can create a better overall envirodement for people recovering from addiction.

These grants can all increase success rates for those with opioid dependency and give them better chances of survival and recovery. By encouraging awareness and education, providing better and more easily accessible emergency care and encouraging efforts towards preventing potential overdose deaths through proper funding, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act has the potential to help thousands and chip away at the mounting number of casualties related to the opioid epidemic

As a facility that could benefit from the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, Pathway Healthcare will provide more addiction treatment in Jackson, TN and is dedicated to educating patients, family members and the community about CARA and the opioid crisis. At Pathway Healthcare’s substance use treatment clinic in Jackson, TN, patients with drug and alcohol addiction or dependency can get the care they need without fear of being turned away. We work with patients every day to make treatment accessible to all residents in need in and around Jackson. Talk to Pathway Healthcare’s educated staff about the options provided to you through the CARA act and learn more about how to enroll in our treatment programs.

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