Effects of Opioid Addiction on the Family & How a Treatment Center in Arizona Can Help
The opioid epidemic continues to widen and shows no signs of slowing down. As it grows, its effects are felt at every level; nowhere is it more disruptive than in the family. Here we will take a look at the impact of opioid addiction on the family and how an opioid addiction treatment center in Arizona can help.
Treatment Center in Arizona Takes a Look at Opioids By The Numbers
To fully understand the scope of the opioid epidemic, look at the numbers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in terms of dollars spent, the total “economic burden” of prescription opioid misuse is $78.5 billion a year. Over 10.3 million people abused prescription opioids in the year 2018 alone. But, in perhaps one of the more staggering statistics, there are over one hundred deaths per day caused by an opioid overdose.
Effect of Opioid Addiction on Families
Opioid addiction leads to problems like lost jobs, addiction treatment, and criminal justice issues. These three things alone can be significant stressors in and of themselves. However, they also cause any number of family tensions, and this is in addition to whatever strain occurs on an interpersonal level within the family. Users may lose the trust of their family members, fall out of touch with those closest to them as the addiction take precedence in their lives. Arguments and fractions within the family may take hold as battles break out about the best way to handle the addiction.
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Opioids’ Effect on Children
Perhaps the most significant impact of the opioid crisis falls on the children of opioid users. Children suffering early traumas are more prone to mental health disorders and ultimately face their own battles with substance abuse. According to the National Institutes of Health, a 2015 study has found that children exposed to opiates during pregnancy prove to have behavioral issues and attention problems. These children often require therapy and end up needing specially licensed and trained foster families. Many states report that they are struggling to recruit foster families just needed to house the children affected by opioids in some form or another. Indirectly, neglect is also a massive issue in the opioid fight—it is the leading reason for foster care entry. The negligence is all too often a result of substance abuse.
Opioids’ Effect on Newborns & Pregnant Moms
From 2000-2009, the number of pregnant women using narcotics increased by five times. As a result, newborns–the most innocent of family members–are at risk of being born addicted. Those who are born addicted suffer a condition known as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). The condition leads to congenital disabilities. Many of the infants who are born addicted experience severe withdrawal symptoms demonstrated at birth. The symptoms vary, ranging from the mild—nausea and vomiting–to more severe symptoms like tremors or seizures.
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Getting Help with a Treatment Center in Arizona for Opioid Addiction
Opioid addictions can tarnish every facet of family relations. Regardless of where you fall within the family dynamic, if you or someone you know would like help beating an addiction to opioids, Desert Cove Recovery can help. We are always happy to help for the sake of the individual and the sake of the entire family. A simple call could change your life and the lives of the most influential people around you for the better. We have a number of treatment options and plans.
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