Articles

From the perspective of the substance use disorders clinical team at Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC), opioid overdose prevention must be a national priority. With opioid overdoses continuing to rise steadily for over a dozen years, the problem is a deadly reality. Regarding opioid overdose prevention efforts, prevention is not just about preventing people from first using opioids. Indeed, opioid overdose prevention efforts also are about preventing people from getting help for the problem from relapsing.

Did you know that many opioid overdoses are from people who relapse after treatment or other attempts to get clean? By taking a break, these former opioid users lower their tolerance. Thus, when they relapse, they take the same amount of the drug they could tolerate before. Rather than getting high, they overdose and die. With the incredible power of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, such fatal outcomes are now all too common.

Opioid Overdoses and Community Implications

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the community implications of the opioid overdose crisis are unflagging. In a recent report on opioid overdose trends, the following is reported:

“Opioid-involved overdose deaths rose from 21,089 in 2010 to 47,600 in 2017 and remained steady through 2019. This was followed by a significant increase in 2020 with 68,630 reported deaths and again in 2021 with 80,411 reported overdose deaths.”

Moreover, the numbers will dramatically rise in 2022. The data will show the dreadful numbers soaring to well over 100,000 overdose deaths nationwide. Given such numbers, the community implications of opioid overdose prevention are undeniable. In a recent class project, nursing student Narine Mnatsakanyan, who also works as a counselor at TTC, wrote about these community implications. She knows the answer is right before her every day when she goes to work. Indeed, community healthcare programs like TTC are already doing the work.

Community Healthcare and Opioid Overdose Prevention

As Narine Mnatsakanyan writes in her article, “The first and most important step that Tarzana Treatment Center offers to those suffering from chronic substance abuse disorder is withdrawal management (detoxification). Upon admission to the program, (after) patients are medically and psychologically assessed… a physician will prescribe detox medication to manage withdrawal symptoms, a primary counselor will meet with the patient for the first time, and the aftercare planning starts.”

In other words, the treatment process begins with a multi-dimensional look at withdrawal management and the most innovative way to start a successful treatment process. By providing medications for addiction treatment (MAT) through the MAT Services program, TTC works on opioid overdose prevention. If a patient relapses and overdoses after treatment, the prevention efforts have not been practical. If MAT Services help increase the likelihood of successful treatment outcomes, they are part of opioid overdose prevention efforts.

A Need for Comprehensive Services to Address the Crisis

In her conclusion, Narine Mnatsakanyan points out that “opioid overdose is an epidemic that will persist over time because of people who depend on prescription opioids to manage their symptoms of acute and chronic pain. Inpatient and outpatient community healthcare programs like Tarzana Treatment Centers provide many comprehensive services to clients who are willing to overcome their substance use disorder. These findings emphasize the importance of creating and improving the means in which clients can effectively address their addictions.”

At Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC), we are here to help stem the tide of overdoses. Thus, we provide practical opioid overdose prevention efforts on all levels. From community outreach and education to MAT Services in treatment settings, TTC works to save lives. To learn more about how we can help you or your family, please contact us today.