Opioid addiction is a serious issue across the country and some industries have a higher risk of dealing with these things compared to others, luckily there are Indianapolis rehab centers that can help people locally who are dealing with these problems.
Most people understand and are aware of the opioid crisis now due to the publicity it has received in recent years. However, many people may not know or understand that some people are more at risk than others. For example, construction workers are more at risk for opioid misuse than other industries.
This is something that can obviously lead to many problems as there are a number of side effects and problems associated with opioid use including, dependence, addiction, overdose, and death.
If you notice that someone you love is dealing with issues related to opioid or substance use disorder, it may be best to seek out professional help. Before looking at how local treatment centers can help people overcome these issues, let’s first look at the problem that many construction workers face.
Construction Workers And Opioids
In a new study conducted by the Center For Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research at New York University, researchers found that cocaine and nonmedical prescription opioid use among construction workers was significantly higher compared to non-construction workers.
More specifically, construction workers were 70 percent more likely to use nonmedical prescription opioids. In general, construction workers were a high-risk population for drug use. Similarly, there are reports of higher overdose mortality rates among construction workers. These findings suggest that prevention and harm reduction is needed to prevent morbidity and mortality.
One of the reasons that construction workers may be more at risk is due to the fact that working in the construction industry puts people in more dangerous situations and can lead to injury. Just by being injured, these people will be in closer proximity to painkillers and are more likely to use them which puts them at a greater risk to build a dependence on them.
The Dangers of Opioids
Opioids are a type of drug that includes certain pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and tramadol. It should also be noted that heroin is also considered an opioid as it is derived from the opium plants.
Oftentimes, doctors will give prescription opioids to patients to help them reduce pain after you had a major injury and chronic pain.
Opioids and prescription drugs in general are major issues in the United States due to the opioid crisis, fueled by the deceptive marketing tactics and overprescribing of these drugs.
Unfortunately, this has lead to serious problems including addiction and death in the United States.
Opioid addiction has become a bigger issue in recent years due to the overabundance of these drugs and the high prescription rates. Opioid addiction is a long-lasting disease that causes major health, social, and economic issues that can easily affect someone’s day-to-day life.
Opioids will change the chemistry of the brain and lead to a buildup of tolerance just like other drugs. Taking opioids over a long period of time will likely produce a dependence which can lead to physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal.
Opioid addiction is something that can lead to many life-threatening issues and side effects such as drowsiness, mental fog, nausea, and more. Unfortunately it can lead to things like overdose deaths, some signs of overdose include:
- Paleness in the face
- Limp body
- Blue lips and fingernails
- Vomiting
- Depressed breathing and heart rate
- Unconsciousness and more
One of the main for overdoses is the high potency of certain opioids, such as fentanyl.
Fentanyl
One of the biggest reasons that the opioid crisis and drug epidemic are causing a large number of drug overdose deaths in the country is due to the rise of fentanyl in the United States. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever approved for treating severe pain. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, which is one of the reasons that many people are dealing with overdose issues.
In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl increased by nearly 50 percent from 2016 to 2017. Roughly 28,400 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids in 2017.
Finding Indianapolis Rehab
It is important to understand that addiction, whether it is opioid addiction, alcohol addiction, or something else, is a disease and people who deal with substance abuse problems need professional help in order to give them the best chance to overcome these problems. If you or a loved one were suffering from another type of disease such as cancer or asthma, you wouldn’t try to solve the problem on your own, you would seek out a doctor and get professional help.
This is where rehab centers can help.
There are a number of options available to you when you are searching for rehab. Indianapolis is one local option available to people in the Indiana area. There are many treatment centers available to help you, but it is best to know a little bit more about these facilities before anything.
The best drug rehabs will have a few things in place to put their patients in the best position to succeed and achieve long-term sobriety. Some of these things include medical detox, evidence-based therapies, and more.
Detox is important as many people who enter rehab won’t be able to safely overcome the withdrawal symptoms that they will face early on. However, medically assisted detox can help with this and ensure that someone is able to safely overcome these issues. It is a much better option than an at-home detox which can be very unsafe and lead to life-threatening situations.
Along with this, it is important that rehab centers are using evidence-based therapy methods so that patients know that they treatment they are getting is backed by science and is proven to work. These types of therapies will help patients learn more about addiction and develop strategies to deal with urges and cravings that will pop up so that they can avoid relapse.
Overall there are numerous things that you should look for when searching for a drug and alcohol rehab facility.
Next Steps
Substance abuse and addiction are serious problems and if you are worried that you or your loved one is struggling with drugs or alcohol, it is best to seek out professional help. There are many rehab facilities in Indianapolis that can help, Landmark Recovery is one treatment center that is dedicated to providing our patients with the highest form of care and equipping them with the tools and knowledge that they need to achieve long-term sobriety.
Landmark’s goal is to help one million families over the next 100 years and we are uncompromising in our pursuit of this goal. If you know someone that is dealing with substance abuse problems, Landmark is here to take your call. Landmark has a Louisville and Indianapolis rehab waiting to help. Please reach out to our admissions team today if you would like to learn more about your personal path forward.
Choose Recovery Over Addiction
We're here 24/7 to help you get the care you need to live life on your terms, without drugs or alcohol. Talk to our recovery specialists today and learn about our integrated treatment programs.
