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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Make a Donation to Tealdrops to help us create education, awareness and prevention tools to teach children the dangers of misuse and abuse of prescriptions.

"Tealize DC"

Sign-up For the Event in DC to realize an end Opioid Abuse! September 12, 2019 on the Washington Mall.

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 w withSign-up for the "Bucket List Challenge!"  Share your loved one's bucket list and dreams. Celebrate their life by chosing something they never had the chance to do, doing it in their memory, then share your experience with us.

Take the Pledge

Act Now! Take the Pledge to protect prescription drugs from being misused or abused.