Methadone Research Paper

Across the world abusing prescription drugs causes more deaths than street drugs do combined (“International Statistics”). Prescription drugs are so easy to get ahold of and so easy to get addicted to. The misuse of prescription drugs have gotten out of hand. These drugs can cause unintentional overdoses easily. The misuse of prescription drugs can lead to addiction, affect the health of users in a dramatic way, and even cause death.

Drug abuse is the habitual taking of addictive or illegal drugs in order to feel a euphoria, treat pain, or help with sleeping disorders. Drug abuse is a chronic brain disease that causes drug use despite the harmful consequences to the user and the people around them. In Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the dystopian society portrayed is oblivious to the impact of the censorship around them. Books are banned and if found, they are burned along with their houses. The people in this society do not have time to think about anything because they are constantly surrounded by the constant chaos of loud noises on commercials or televisions and are over stimulated. Addiction and drug abuse is used as a way to escape the harsh problems in society.

I. Importance: As American deaths from drug overdoses continue to rise in the United States, the nation is faced with a public health crisis so profound that in October 2017, President Trump declared the opioid epidemic to be a national public health emergency (Merica). President Trump’s declaration came after numerous studies indicating the danger opioid addiction posed; for example, a 2016 study entitled “Increases in Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths—United States, 2010-2015” claimed that drug overdose deaths “nearly tripled during 1999-2014,” reaching a startling high 52,404 deaths in 2015 (Rudd, et al). These statistics are more than just disturbing revelations regarding the opioid crisis; they are evidence of a serious problem that is rapidly affecting the lives of more and more Americans every year.

          The opioid crisis has risen over the years here in America. The addiction to painkillers has caused many drug overdoses across America. According to the Vox," In 2015, more than 52,000 people have died from drug overdoses from linked to opioids such as Percocet, heroin, Oxycontin or even fentanyl. This problem did not become an overnight health crisis, but it has become quickly known in America.

mends the Controlled Substances Act to increase the number of patients that a qualifying practitioner dispensing narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment is initially allowed to treat from 30 to 100 patients per year.

Addictions to opiates, and opiate derivatives, are some of the most prevalent and long-standing drug abuse issues known. These abuses have also contributed to other social problems such as the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C due to needle injection being a popular method of delivery. In the 1960s, methadone, a synthetic opiate substitute, was introduced as the preferred medical treatment for opiate abuse and addiction and remains so today. Reduction of disease distribution is only one of its heralded benefits. Methadone is commonly used in management of withdrawal symptoms related to addiction to heroin and other opiate drugs, both prescription and non-prescription. According to Plater-Zyberk, Varenburt, Daiter, and Worster (2012), as well as nearly all other researchers, methadone is a safe, effective, and beneficial treatment when taken in a supervised methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). However, there are growing issues with illicit

Over the past years, various issues have faced the United States of America in the health sector in general. Some of these challenges include difficulties in healthcare insurance policies, increasing cancer cases, elevated levels of misuse of prescription drugs, rise in the consumption of illicit drugs, inter alia. These issues have led to escalation of health issues to the American citizens, and in turn, affecting the economic status as well. This research will focus on the subject matter misuse, abuse, and addiction of opioid prescription drugs. It is a compelling issue of concern due to the crisis it has created, as it has made an extensive toll in the society on multiple levels; including

The study conformed to the ethical standards of the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Australian Catholic University ethics committee. Twenty-six adults aged 22 to 52 years were chosen for the opiate-user group and 30 adults aged 18 to 53 years with no history of drug use were chosen for the control group. There was no difference in gender, but the participants in the opiate-user group were long-term users and were all enrolled in an opiate substitution program. Participants were recruited to the opiate-user group with fliers in pharmacies and drug rehabilitation centers, and the control group using social networks. All participants gave informed consent and were given AU$20 (USD$20). Opiate group participants had to be stable on an opiate agonist for at least 2 weeks prior to testing. Potential participants were excluded from both groups if there was history of a neurological condition, a psychiatric disorder, heavy alcohol use, brain injury, used illicit drugs in the 24hrs prior to

Is the policy of giving methadone to drug addicts a good one? There are many conflicting opinions about this topic. Methadone Maintenance Treatment is a very controversial topic that arises many different attitudes toward the program. Some people believe that Methadone maintenance treatment is a good thing and that it does truly help addicts get over their addictions. Others are against Methadone Maintenance treatment because they believe it is an unnecessary and a waste of money. I personally am against the use of methadone because it does not stop addicts from continuing to do drugs while going through methadone treatment and it lacks the evidence of it actually working. Firstly, I am going to explain what methadone treatment is. Secondly,

we are living through the worst epidemic of addiction in american history, and the drugs causing the most deaths are legal prescription opioids like oxycontin, percocet, and vicodin. How did so many of us get addicted to painkillers? and why are so many americans dying from drug overdoses? to find out you have to go back to the early 90s. Before that time doctors generally considered opioids dangerous but in 1996 a company called purdue pharma released a new drug ,oxycontin. purdue spent hundreds of millions of dollars to convince doctors that oxycontin was safe and not addictive. there marketing strategy worked, their prescriptions for oxycontin skyrocketed but purdue 's claim that oxycontin was safe and not addictive just wasn 't true. as sales skyrocketed so did addiction, overdoses, and death.

Opioids come in many forms, both licit and illicit drugs. Licit drugs would be considered pharmaceuticals, since they are prescribed by doctors and usually come in pill forms. Some examples of licit opioids are: OxyContin®, Vicodin®, codeine, morphine, methadone, and fentanyl. The illicit drugs would be heroin and can come in many different forms. Both forms must be consumed with caution due to their addictive nature.

The United States is facing an epidemic. As many are aware, prescription opioid abuse is a problem across the country. Within the last ten years, the United States has seen an alarming increase of opioid overdoses. Prescription painkillers claim the lives of 120 people every day, and approximately 6,700 people visit the emergency room for opioid abuse. In the current state, prescription drug overdoses claim more lives than car accidents. In Tennessee, the number one abused substance is prescription opioids, and drug-related crimes have increased 33% in the last ten years.

1. In the video a man said that all they are given is another drug without therapy or counseling even though research suggests that methadone maintenance programs are most effective when combined with things like psychotherapy and family therapy.

Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects. Medically they are primarily used for pain relief, including anesthesia. Opioids are also frequently used non-medically for their euphoric effects or to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Examples of opioids are morphine, heroin, oxycodone, and methadone. Opioid overdose is an acute and serious condition due to excessive opioids use. Dependence on prescription opioids can stem from treatment of chronic pain and in recent years is the cause of the increased number of opioid overdoses. Opioids are very addictive substances, having serious life threatening consequences in case of intentional or accidental overdose. The euphoria attracts recreational use, and frequent,

Pt. met with Primary Counselor after dosing for her monthly individual session. Counselor started the session respectfully greeting her and praising her for her excellent recovery progress as indicated by her clean UDS. She agreed to sign her Record of Service sheet. For the first 20 minutes Pt. and counselor went over his previous treatment plan and any recovery concern. Counselor and Pt. discussed her recovery progress; possible side effects of her prescribed methadone medication and current emotional status. Counselor inquired about any drug use since her last session, which she replied no. Pt. reported that her current dosage is 80 mg and is unstable because she stays up and unavailable to sleep well at night. For the next 40 minutes, Pt. completed the S.N.A.P exercise and discussed recovery concerns and personal issues. Pt. stated that her strengths are “organization. If I say something to my kids I do it and I finish everything that I start.” Pt. mentioned that her current needs are getting her drive license, passing the driver test and improving my credit score. Pt. identified her abilities as getting along with others, learning