Treatment Referral Routing Service
(Suicide/Opioid Hotline)
1-800-273-TALK (8255)

ADDICTION

KNOWS NO BOUNDS:

It is not now – nor has it ever been - an ethnic
or racial phenomenon, nor is it constrained by
socioeconomic status or education level.

WHAT ARE OPIOIDS?

Opioids cover a huge variety of drugs, ranging from legal drugs such as fentanyl, codeine, and morphine to illegal drugs such as heroin and opium. Opioid addiction is on the rise among adolescents.

THE OPIOID CRISIS

  • Approximately 20.1 million Americans are addicted to opioids. That’s equivalent to the population of Florida.
  • 66,324 people died of an overdose from January - May 2017
  • Delaware, Washington DC, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania saw the highest increases in opioid overdoses in 2017
  • There are upwards of 1.9 million nonfatal opioid overdoses in 2017
  • Opioid overdose ER visits soared 30% from July 2016 to September 2017
  • Approximately 180 people die of opioid addiction every day.

WHAT CONSTITUTES OPIOID ABUSE?

Misuse of prescription drugs means taking a medication in a manner or dose other than prescribed; taking someone else’s prescription, even if for a legitimate medical complaint such as pain; or taking a medication to feel euphoria (i.e., to get high).* The term nonmedical use of prescription drugs also refers to these categories of misuse

THE THREE CLASSES OF MEDICATION MOST COMMONLY MISUSED ARE:

  • Opioids—usually prescribed to treat pain
  • Central Nervous System [CNS] Depressants (this category includes tranquilizers, sedatives, and hypnotics) used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders
  • Stimulants—most often prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

SIGNS OF OPIOID ABUSE:

Physical signs that someone may be abusing an opiate include:

  • Noticeable elation/euphoria
  • Confusion
  • Marked sedation/drowsiness
  • Constricted pupils
  • Intermittent nodding off, or loss of consciousness
  • Slowed breathing

Other signs of opioid abuse include:

  • Doctor shopping (getting multiple prescriptions from different doctors)
  • Shifting or dramatically changing moods
  • Extra pill bottles turning up in the trash
  • Social withdrawal/isolation
  • Sudden financial problems

WITHDRAWAL MIMICS FLU SYMPTOMS:

  • Headache/ Body Ache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Runny Nose
  • Sweating
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Inability to sleep

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Tealdrops is a public charity that turns your donations into life saving prevention education and awareness tools. 

Our Next Event

       Tealdrops Day         January 22, 2024

Where:  Alice B. Warren Community Center in Lewisville, NC 27023

When:  From 6-8 PM 

Why:  BECAUSE EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO KNOW THE DANGERS OF INITIAL USE, MISUSE, ADDICTION AND OVERDOSE. 

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Take the Pledge to protect prescription drugs from diverted into initial use and misuse, which may lead to addiction and overdose.