Opioids have recently come into the spotlight due to the serious number of addiction cases and the large number of deaths across the country.
Many people have blamed the overuse of opioids for treating illness in hospitals. Others blame a combination of poverty and the relative affordability of street opioids.
But regardless of the real reason, hospitals should be offering more opioid detox services, and here’s why.
Deaths Across America are Unacceptably High
Did you know that 115 Americans die every day due to opioid overdoses?
This number has increased over the decades and one of the reasons is because hospitals provide very little help for people addicted to opioids.
If more treatment options aren’t provided to opioid abusers, it’s inevitable that this number is going to climb further.
Opioid Abuse is a Ticking Time Bomb
A recent study reported on by USA Today revealed that opioid abuse deaths could reach one million by 2020. In other words, this is not the peak of the opioid crisis it’s only the beginning.
Hospitals have a vital role to play. Unfortunately, some hospitals don’t have opioid detox services available, and others will even turn patients away for a myriad of reasons.
To prevent this ticking time bomb, hospitals must increase their range of services.
Not All Opioids are the Same
The media has a way of painting opioids as the same type of drug. They may be in the same category, but they’re not the same. Every addiction is unique, and every detox needs an individualized form of treatment.
When addicts step into their Florida detox center, for example, they discover that someone being treated for one type of opioid abuse isn’t receiving the same treatment as themselves.
Opioid detox is extremely complex and should only be done in collaboration with trained hospital doctors and nurses.
Detox is the Only Way to Recovery
The only way anyone can recover from an opioid addiction is to go through the detoxification process. The body needs to be completely cleansed of the toxins inside of it. Without that, the body can’t relieve itself of the ties it has to opioids.
The body of the average opioid addict is one that believes it needs a certain number of opioids daily to survive.
Hospital detox services can help with the rewiring of the body.
Because Home Detoxes are Dangerous
The worst affected sometimes die because they attempted to detoxify themselves at home. A self-detox can lead the body into a state of shock.
When the body isn’t getting its usual dosage of opioids it begins to shut down because it can no longer cope. That’s why trained medical staff is essential to protect the patient’s life.
They can step in with other medications to make the detox easier and safer.
Lead Patients to Better Treatment Pathways
Hospital opioid detox services are only the first step. Hospitals that provide better opioid detox services can lead patients along the correct treatment pathways.
These include psychiatric treatment, support groups, and help with rebuilding their lives. Of the 20 million Americans with a substance abuse disorder in 2015, most of them didn’t receive this sort of help.
Last Word – Hospitals Must Act Now
Hospitals must confront the complexities of opioid abuse if they’re going to fulfill their duties to patients. Thankfully, hospitals are realizing this, and they have modernized.
What role do you think hospitals can play in treating opioid abuse disorders?
