Heroin Addiction A Growing Epidemic - 1474 Words

Heroin addiction is a growing epidemic, especially here on Long Island. People of all ages, gender, race, and ethnic backgrounds struggle with this addiction. Heroin is a highly addictive analgesic illegal drug, that many people abuse. The disease of addiction is a powerful illness, that is difficult to recover from. Many wonder if there will ever be a cure. Addicts go through many stages of recovery, and many do not make it through treatment, and unfortunately relapse. Now that it is a common issue in the United States, healthcare workers face many issues regarding caring for patients with addiction, whether it may be in a hospital or rehabilitation setting, or a mental institution. It is a nurse’s responsibility to be aware and knowledgable about this serious disease and how to care for patients who are withdrawing from the drug. One of the most common treatments for heroin dependent patients is methadone. This treatment involves a long-term use, which is a opioid antagonis t, as an alternative to heroin. â€Å"Methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) is the most well established treatment for heroin dependence, providing improvements in abstinence, health, employment, criminal involvement, hospitalizations, rate of immunodeficiency virus onset and mortality† (Stephen et al., 2011, p. 624). Unfortunately, methadone itself is an opioid as well, so there is also a chance of dependence with taking it. With that being said, since you are just replacing one opioid with another, it isShow MoreRelatedThe Ironical History Of Substance Abuse1218 Words   |  5 Pagesand Medical Corps amputations also added huge numbers of veterans from both sides to the growing morphine epidemic—so many, in fact, that the epidemic became known as the â€Å"soldier’s disease.† The addiction resisted available treatments, and doctors despaired of effectively managing the growing drug problem. In fact, many doctors found their medical access to the drug an irresistible gateway to their own addiction. The public and the government tolerated the public sale of opioid drugs, allowing inRead MoreThe Problem Of Heroin Addiction Sweeps Small Towns  ¨ And David Muir Reporting Breaking Point Heroin1059 Words   |  5 PagesHeadlines such as  ¨Heroin Addiction Sweeps Small Towns ¨ and David Muir Reporting Breaking Point Heroin in America ¨ (ABC 20/20 March 2016) are only two of hundreds of such headlines that gives credence to this epidemic. This is taking a heartbreaking toll on communities across America. Heroin is a drug that does not discriminate based on sex, age or ethnic backgrounds. A user can be your neighbor, a family member and even someone who has affluence status. The fastest growing segment of society isRead MoreChasing Heroin Is A Documentary Giving Us Insight Information On The Epidemic Of Drugs Essay1533 Words   |  7 PagesChasing heroin is a documentary giving us insight information on the rapidly growing pande mic of addictions to drugs, notably heroin. The heroin epidemic is rising at an alarming rate and cities are struggling to find solutions. The CDC reports that 27,000 people die each year due to heroin overdoses. The jails are filled with offenders, that once released go out and use again, continuing a cycle of insanity without producing answers. Youths experiment with drugs, which is nothing new, but theRead MoreThe Problem Of Heroin Addiction Sweeps Small Towns  ¨ And David Muir Reporting Breaking Point Heroin1064 Words   |  5 Pages Headlines such as  ¨Heroin Addiction Sweeps Small Towns ¨ and David Muir Reporting Breaking Point Heroin in America ¨ (ABC 20/20 March 2016) are only two of hundreds of such headlines that give credence to this epidemic. This is taking a heartbreaking toll on communities across America. Heroin is a drug that does not discriminate based on sex, age or ethnic backgrounds. A user can be your neighbor, a family member and even someone who has affluence status. The fastest growing segment of society isRead MoreA Brief Note On Hero in And Its Effects On The Body And Their Families Essay1608 Words   |  7 PagesUniversity September 22, 2015 5. Heroin is a highly addicting drug that cause irreparable damage to the body and their families, here is the molecular structure of heroin(Image by Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015) More and more young adults have become victims of heroin overdoses in the past 10 years, why? In recent new accounts, this crisis has been attributed to bad batches of this illegal drug coming from various sources. In Ohio the Heroin epidemic has put law enforcement and law makersRead MoreThe Problem Of Drugs And Alcohol Abuse765 Words   |  4 Pagesalcohol is a problem that can cause long-term effects. I desire to learn more about the issue and help individuals with addiction problems now and in future. Research Different research disciplines such as economics, social psychology, and neuroscience, illuminate this issue from different perspectives. For instance, some neuroscientists suggest that the addiction process is dependent on different determinants ranging from the type of drug to the individual, and environment. In BostonRead MoreDrug Epidemic In America Essay828 Words   |  4 PagesThe drug epidemic in America is a growing problem and continuing to take hundreds of lives everyday, particularly opioids. These highly addictive drugs are taking the world by storm and claiming thousands of life with no remorse. The pharmaceutical industry is making millions off the addiction and pain of the American people causing a widespread of drug overdoses and deaths all across the United States. According to The New York Times, â€Å"Public Health officials have called the current opioid epidemicRead MoreThe Heroin Epidemic Of America1565 Words   |  7 PagesThe heroin epidemic in America has been an issue for decades. According to narconon.org, the heroin epidemic truly began in the Wild West during the 1800’s. Many scholars believe that Chinese immigrants brought the drug to America. Morphine is a derivative of heroin, and during the civil war, many soldiers, both northern and confederate, was injured and became addicted to the drug after being treated with it. It was from opium that morphine, a derivative, was developed as a pain killer in approximatelyRead MoreHeroin: the Devastating Thrtuh1386 Words   |  6 PagesHeroin: The Devastating Truth April Matthews COM/172 08-11-2014 UoP Heroin: The Devastating Truth The United States is in the grips of one of the worst heroin epidemics in its history, due in part to a flood of cheap doses of the drug. In some regions, heroin is deemed highly available by local police in more than three times the number of communities as it was just seven years ago. This drug has taken many lives in the pastRead MoreThe Gateway Drug1517 Words   |  7 Pagesa second chance at life, but without access to proper treatment, these users will continue living in the cycle of addiction until either finding enough strength to pull through the recovery process or falling victim to life’s only certainty prematurely. In response to the ever-growing opioid epidemic in the United States, many elected officials, health-centered agencies and addiction support groups have been advocating for friends and family members to arm themselves with naloxone, an opioid antagonist