A new large-scale study reveals yet another heartbreaking finding when it comes to opioid addiction. Over the last seven years, diagnoses have skyrocketed by nearly 500 percent – and, what’s more alarming, many aren’t getting the treatment they need.

Researchers from the Blue Cross Blue Shield study gathered data on members from 2010 to 2016 and found that those “with an opioid use disorder diagnosis spiked 493 percent” – yet the delivery of medication-assisted addiction treatment grew by just 65 percent.

“Opioid use disorder is a complex issue, and there’s no single approach to solving it,” Dr. Trent Haywood, senior vice president and chief medical officer for BCBSA, said in a statement. “It will take a collaborative effort among medical professionals, insurers, employers, communities and all levels of government working together to develop solutions that effectively meet community needs,” he added.

More on the Opioid Epidemic

A few more scary facts about the abuse of opioids in the United States:

• In 2015, 20.5 million Americans had a substance abuse disorder, and approximately 10% of those people were addicted to either pain relievers or heroin, according to The American Society of Addiction Medicine.
• At least 91 people die every single day in the U.S. from an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• More people die from drug overdoses in the U.S. than guns or car accidents, says the CDC.
• Women 45 and older have higher rates of abuse than men.
• Overdose deaths for women due to prescription painkillers have jumped more than 400 percent, while for men it has increased by 265 percent.
• Three in four new heroin users start by abusing prescription drugs, according to the National Institutes of Health.
• The use of medication-assisted treatment (buprenorphine, naloxone and suboxone) was least common in states across the American South and Midwest, where addiction rates were highest.

Opioids: Not Worth The Risk During Recovery
If you have a history of addiction or are working a program of addiction recovery, then you likely know the risks of prescription narcotics. Please be sure to inform your doctor of your medical history and think long before using opioids to treat a minor injury.

Treating Opiate Addiction
Seabrook is proud to be on the front line combating the nationwide opioid epidemic and helping our clients to achieve a lasting sobriety. To learn more about our multifaceted medical approach to alcohol and other drugs, including opiate detoxification, call today: 856-455-7575.