Opioid Epidemic, Changing Statistics

America currently leads the entire world in consumption of opioids. By leading the world, I do not mean 20-30% of total opioid consumption. Studies have shown the United States single-handedly consumes as much, if not more, than 80% of the entire world's opioid supply. Billions of dollars each year are made prescribing pain medication. Prescription pain relievers are commonly prescribed by doctors to help relieve pain and suffering. The dawn of an age where pain relief is literally as easy as an office visit away has been an incredible blessing for those who live each day enduring pain.

However, the potential for abuse of opioid narcotics and then dependency can be a real struggle for individuals. What may have started out as simple pain relief medication following an injury, could turn into an individual not feeling that they can make it through a day without a pain pill.

Why should you care? So what if people turn to pain medication to live their daily lives? The problem could be as close to home as your own family and friends. By problem I mean that every day individuals overdose on prescription pain medication and die. In the course of a year, thousands of lives are lost in America due to overdosing. Loved ones that you may have never known were even taking pain medication could end up taking too much and not having the chance to wake up to another beautiful day. Babies are born every day already withdrawing from opioids that their mother had in her system during pregnancy. These small babies have their whole body seizing in pure pain and agony with unconsolable cries.

What will you do about it? Will you stand by and let people die? I firmly believe that education regarding the dangers of taking too much pain medication is a good starting point. Pass along this information to others. If you know someone who struggles through the day without pain medication, there is help. Pain clinics specialize in reducing pain, while also helping patients get to safe levels of medication. If you personally struggle with taking pain medication at the actual prescribed dose, let your doctor know. They want to see you happy, healthy, and pain free.

I would love to see us partner together to help end the opioid epidemic currently facing America. Together we can be a part of reducing this problem and seeing to it that more people live another day.