Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Treatment Rates Increase for those Addicted to Benzodiazepines & Narcotic Painkillers

A recent survey found that the number of people who have entered treatment for addiction to benzos such as Valium and Xanax as well as narcotic painkillers such as Oxycodone has increased more than 500% in the past ten years. The overall increase in substance abuse treatment admissions during this period of time was just 4 percent as reported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Reports have concluded that more than 33 thousand people received treatment for co-occurring addictions to both narcotic painkillers and benzos in 2010 alone. This figure is a sign of the increased need for specialized treatment centers that can treat multiple addictions in conjunction with one another. Substance abuse of this magnitude is truly an alarming situation and a danger that all members of the treatment community must be made aware of.

Dual addiction is common when a person is addicted to benzodiazepines.

SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde states, “ When patients are battling severe withdrawal effects from two addictive drugs, new treatment strategies may be needed to meet this challenge. These findings will help us better understand the nature and scope of this problem and to develop better approaches to address it.”

The report also confirmed that nearly 40% of those who were suffering from these dual addictions began using both drugs within the same year. For those who did not begin using the drugs in the same period of time, most became addicted to narcotics painkillers prior to becoming addicted to benzodiazepines. Many of the patients who require treatment for these addictions suffer from a psychiatric disorder which must also be addressed during treatment.

How Treatment Centers can Help

Many treatment centers are already equipped to handle co-occurring disorders such as mental illness and addiction but there is little research and evidence behind the number of facilities that can actually treat dual addictions as well as co-occurring mental health disorders too. The rise in addiction to these two drugs paired with mental illness can create great challenges in the treatment community but there is hope. Treatment centers can work with patients to reduce the negative effects of withdrawal, provide education and support for mental illness and put together an action plan that helps that patient stay sober.

If you or someone you know is addicted to narcotic painkillers, benzodiazepines, or both, contact Treatment Centers today to find a local addiction treatment facility that can help. Though the addiction may be difficult to treat, there is help available to you!

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Researchers Pinpoint How Smoking Causes Cancer

Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researchers have pinpointed the protein that can lead to genetic changes that cause lung cancer. Researchers discovered that the production of a protein called FANCD2 is slowed when lung cells are exposed to cigarette smoke. Low levels of FANCD2 leads to DNA damage, triggering cancer. Cigarette smoke curbs….

The Business of Opium in Afghanistan: Drug Addiction

Afghanistan supplies virtually all of the world’s illegal opium. Last year, the country’s drug trade was a $4-billion business, half of which alone was produced in the south where the fighting against the Taliban insurgency is the fiercest. Getting Afghanistan to rid itself of poppy is a pillar of U.S. policy there, because the Taliban….

Working hard, drinking harder

When does a glass or two at the end of the day spill over into high-functioning alcoholism? After work every day you either go to the pub or return home to crack open a bottle of wine. Twice a week you might drink so much alcohol that you suffer memory loss. You spend much of….

Clinicians call for action to stem alcohol misuse

Public sector professionals have joined forces to call on the government to take tougher action to reduce harmful drinking. A survey of over 1,000 doctors, nurses, teachers, police and public health consultants shows the overwhelming majority wants tougher rules on alcohol. The joint survey was carried out on behalf of Alcohol Concern, the UK Faculty….

Living With An Alcoholic

Alcoholism is a disease that plagues America. It is often known as a family disease because it affects the whole family, not just the drinker. It can be tough for non-drinkers to live in the same home as the alcoholic. Often the family tries to deny the problem and continue to pretend that their chaos….