Opioid Abuse ‘Extreme’ Problem in Massachusetts, Survey Finds Articles>Drug Addiction, Helpful ArticlesBy The RanchFebruary 2, 2016According to a new survey, almost 40 percent of Massachusetts adults know someone who has abused prescription painkillers in the past five years, and almost three-quarters say that heroin abuse is an extremely or very serious problem in the state. The rise in abuse of prescription opioids has been called an epidemic, and it is…
Prescription Opioid Use During Pregnancy Can Trigger Withdrawal in Newborns Articles>Drug Addiction, Helpful ArticlesBy The RanchOctober 6, 2015New findings from an American research team indicate that even short-term use of prescription opioid medications during pregnancy can lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome, a condition normally associated with illicit/illegal opioid drug consumption.
Patients With Pain Often Have Misconceptions About Opioid Addiction Articles>Addiction ResearchBy The RanchSeptember 23, 2015A new study on pain management suggests that many patients being treated with prescription painkilling drugs are confused about their options and about the risks for dependence and addiction that are associated with prescription opioids. The study was conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and published in…
Personality Disorder, Alcoholism Put Opioid Addicts at Increased Risk of Death Articles>Drug AddictionBy The RanchMay 12, 2015People with opioid addiction or opioid abuse have increased chances of dying when they also have co-existing problems with alcohol use disorder or a personality disorder, according to recent findings from a team of British researchers.
Overprescribing, Addiction to Blame for Painkiller Epidemic Articles>Drug AddictionBy The RanchMay 8, 2015A new study has investigated the continuing opioid abuse crisis—largely fuelled by prescription painkillers—and has suggested that overprescribing and addiction are driving overdose deaths rather than non-medical abuse. The opioid problem has been growing for some time across the U.S., with overdose rates more than doubling between 1999 and 2013 and with just over half…
People With History of Substance Abuse More Likely to Misuse Prescription Painkillers Articles>Drug AddictionBy The RanchApril 28, 2015New evidence from a group of American researchers points to drastically increased risks for prescription opioid addiction in people who already have a history of abuse/addiction related to the consumption of non-opioid substances.
Is There a Link Between Prescription Opioid Abuse and PTSD Severity? Articles>Trauma and PTSDBy The RanchJanuary 20, 2015Prescription opioid abuse is the collective term for both the misuse of opioid medications by legitimate prescription recipients and any form of opioid medication use by people without a legitimate prescription. In the U.S., people participate in this form of prescription drug abuse fairly often. In a study published in May 2014 in The American…
Online Pharmacies to Blame for Prescription Drug Abuse Articles>Drug AddictionBy The RanchJanuary 15, 2015The epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse has taken its toll on millions of lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people overdosing on these drugs has tripled over the last two decades. Millions of people abuse and get hooked on prescription drugs and online pharmacies are fueling their habit.…
Health Officials Scramble to Respond as Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic Sweeps through Tennessee Articles>Drug AddictionBy The RanchJanuary 13, 2015America’s rapid explosion of prescription painkiller abuse has put health officials across the country on the defensive. Nowhere is this truer than in Tennessee, where a virtual epidemic of addiction is stressing the state’s health care system to the breaking point.
Chronic Pain Treatment Increases Risk for Opioid Addiction Articles>Addiction ResearchBy The RanchDecember 20, 2014Millions of people across the U.S. are affected by health conditions that trigger symptoms of ongoing, chronic pain. A number of opioid-based medications are commonly used to help people dealing with chronic pain; however, use of these medications (especially outside of an authorized context) inherently comes with significant risks for drug abuse and addiction. In…
