|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The opioid epidemic has severely affected individuals, families, and communities nationwide. In the last 25 years, deaths from overdoses involving opioids have risen tenfold, and in 2023, almost 80,000 of the nearly 105,000 overdose fatalities involved opioids — approximately 76% of all, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Moreover, The Guardian reported that synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are now a leading factor in most of these fatalities. Recovery is indeed possible, but it’s only the start of reintegrating a life. Addiction changes the brain, so recovery is not easy and difficult to maintain, NIAAA. Perhaps the hardest thing is avoiding people or places that can lead to relapse, even though it feels isolating to do this. That is why building reliable support like therapy, support groups, and recovery programs, is necessary for long-term success, as stated by the Recovery Research Institute.
Recovering users also encounter significant practical difficulties such as gaining stable employment and shelter. Added to this, stigma renders it more difficult to gain the trust of employers or landlords, further adding stress and financial independence to re-establish stability.
Without sufficient support, as many as 90% of those recovering from opioid addiction relapse within a year of receiving treatment, according to a report from Health Research Funding. Yet tools like medication-assisted treatment, including methadone or buprenorphine, can reduce this risk by as much as 50%, Worldmetrics.The scope of the opioid crisis is astounding not only in human life, but also in economic damage. In Michigan, for example, Axios reported that each case of opioid abuse ends up costing more than $700,000 per year, adding up to a total across the country of an estimated $4 trillion by 2024.
Recovery is not simple, but it is achievable. Life after addiction can be filled with healing, change, and second chances, especially when people have tools and resources that address both emotional and practical needs.With determination, good resources, and the right support, people in recovery can build better, stronger, and improve the lifestyle they had previously.
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
