Why Are More Women Abusing Opioids?

 

As the opioid addiction crisis continues to cripple the country, more studies are underway to determine some of the causes behind these dependencies. Of course it’s hard to pinpoint one single underlying factor, but there are some interesting trends that have been emerging regarding painkiller abuse and gender. In the case of women, for example, certain research has shown that domestic violence may play a role in why females begin using.

 

Nabila El-Bassel is a professor of social work at Columbia University. In article for the academic site The Conversation, she discussed examples and stats that may lend credence to the physical abuse theory. El-Bassel also touched upon the slippery slope many addicted women face and how an opioid dependency can quickly evolve into heroin needles and the potential for HIV contractions.

 

“Research has repeatedly indicated that drug use is associated with partner violence, specifically against women, who may be particularly susceptible to such violence when under the influence of opioids,” El-Bassel wrote. “Living with substance use disorders puts these women into a number of contexts that expose them to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases that jeopardize their survival in many ways.”

 

Another harsh reality is that domestic violence can lead to painkiller prognoses. It’s a sad fact, but there are many abused women who need to be hospitalized for their injuries; breaking bones and receiving brutal concussions. A common treatment method for that has been opioid prescriptions, in the hope that they can reduce the severe physical ailments. So, in essence, the household violence could ultimately lead to a woman’s first exposure to opioids.

 

El-Bassel also brings up the fact that abusive male spouses sometimes purposely feed addictions to assert more control. A common technique will be undermining a woman’s attempt to get sober and preying on sensitive emotions. It is ultimately done as a form of dominance.

 

One other alarming stat brought up by El-Bassel was the fact that women are nearly three times less likely to receive the life-saving naloxone treatment during an overdose. In her opinion, it was because women may be devalued and there could be a gender barrier involved that first responders may not be aware of.

 

El-Basel finished her piece with some recommendations on how society as a whole can help to change the stigma.

 

“Women who use drugs face multilayers of stigma and disbelief, preventing them from disclosing problems such as partner violence,” she wrote. “Staying in treatment is difficult for women when services are designed and delivered by men who may not know how to create an environment of trust for women. These issues must be changed if we are serious on addressing the opioid epidemic among women.”

 

Addiction Dangers For Teens And Children

 

Though we may not like to admit it, the years between middle school and college often represent our first introduction to drugs and alcohol. For many this is considered a time of experimentation and, truth be told, it can be where lifelong addictions begin to form. Unfortunately there are much more dangerous substances out there today then there were a generation ago; which is leading to an increased amount of overdoses among children and teens.

 

Forbes recently touched upon this topic, putting forth some alarming new stats relating to youth in America. One major red flag concerns the country’s growing opioid addiction epidemic, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of adult lives. Well within the teen and preteen set, this crisis has taken a serious toll as well. New research has revealed that nearly 9,000 high schoolers have died from painkiller overdoses within the past two decades. This includes prescription drugs, as well as illicitly manufactured opiates like fentanyl.

 

The age group that was most impacted was teens between 15 to 19 years old (basically prime high school age). Within the study period of 1999 to 2017, their OD fatality rates shot up by 252 percent. Even more tragic was the significant amount of deaths tied to children aged 0-4. Yes the crisis is wreaking havoc on them too, primarily because of negligent parents who leave their substances in places where young toddlers can gain access.

 

Forbes also revealed that heroin use is on the rise among teens and poses one of the biggest threats when it comes to OD’ing. Using needles also opens up a host of other risks, including the contraction of Hepatitis C and HIV. Other stats from the study pointed to males being the primary teenage overdose victims (roughly 73 percent), most of whom were identified as non-Hispanic white.

 

Another research point that we found interesting was the fact that most of these youth-related overdose deaths occurred at home. This could open the door to multiple scenarios. Perhaps these children were getting into their parents’ stash? Perhaps they were experiencing isolation or other types of teenage angst? Whatever the reasoning, it proves how essential alert parenting can be in an era like this. Though it may seem uncomfortable, we highly encourage anyone with children in the house to ask questions and pay attention to behavioral changes.

 

And of course, as Forbes emphasized, let’s do our best to keep the kids as educated as possible on the dangers of these drugs. Melissa Moore, Deputy Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, told the site that children of all ages should be made aware of addiction and the recovery resources that are available to them.

 

“I really want to emphasize the importance of providing evidence- based drug education for young people that builds their critical thinking skills,” she explained. “This study underscores the importance of making harm reduction services available to anyone who needs them, and the importance of lowering barriers to treatment for all age groups,”

 

Going Public With Addiction

For most people, addiction tends to be a very private affair. Those who are close to someone suffering prefer to “keep it in the family” and avoid discussing their problems with friends and extended relatives. And while that is perfectly acceptable, there is something admirable about a person who shares their story for the greater good; particularly if they’re a public figure. This month CBS news anchor Angela Kennecke decided to do just that, opening up about her daughter’s overdose with millions of viewers across the country.

There is no doubt that it took a tremendous amount of bravery for Angela to come forward. She openly admitted that she is private person, but felt this was an important story that parents needed to know about. As Kennecke explained, the OD happened this past May. Her 21-year-old daughter Emily had been battling a serious opioid dependency, but kept it hidden from her mom and dad. That happened to be a point that Angela emphasized, as she was regretful that she didn’t notice more warning signs.

“I knew that Emily was casually using marijuana, but never imagined that she would be injecting opioids,” Kennecke explained on CBS This Morning. “It was the most shocking thing to me. Needles? Middle-class kid, privileged, all these opportunities and things like that. It’s hard to explain addiction. It’s hard to understand. My child ran out of the doctor’s office once when she was going to get a shot.”

Obviously the shock drove Angela into a deep depression, leading her to step away from her anchoring duties for several months. When the time came to return to the desk, Kennecke decided that she would open up about the loss and work towards becoming a public recovery advocate.

“I thought I can let this loss, this devastation destroy me, or I can do something about it,” Angela continued. “I thought I have to talk about it. I have an obligation to talk about it. My number one reason to talk about it is to erase the stigma around addiction, especially the use of heroin and opioids.”

And true to her word, Kennecke has taken swift action. Most recently she has set up a fund called Emily’s Hope, which helps others afford treatment. She also has taken to the lecturing circuit, speaking to high schools and colleges about the dangers of addictions.

We certainly admire Angela’s outspokenness and are happy to lend our own support to other parents impacted by addiction.

You can watch Angela’s full CBS interview below…

YouTube video

A Warning For Addicted New Moms

We know how it easy it is to fall prey to an addiction. And how that addiction can overpower you, even interfering with parenting and raising a family. New moms who may have put their cravings on hold during a pregnancy can quickly fall back into the trappings after a healthy baby is born. This, however, can be an extremely dangerous time to re-ignite a habit, particularly when issues like postpartum depression creep in.

New data from The Sarasota Herald Tribune is showing that women who use opioids are at much greater risk of an overdose during the first year of their baby’s life. This could relate to moms who restart their dependencies after nine months of pregnancy or those who become first time users after childbirth.

As study rep Davida Schiff told The Herald Tribune, pregnancy can be a time when women feel empowered to kick their addiction. But old habits can easily return, especially during the emotional ups-and-downs that accompany caring for a newborn.

“Pregnancy seems to be a time for change. Women tend to make healthier decisions during pregnancy. So, for women with an opioid addiction, it can be a motivating moment,” Schiff explained. “Where things fall apart is postpartum.”

The study itself monitored 4,000 Massachusetts women who had battled an opioid addiction before pregnancy (and some during). When it came to overdoses, the highest percentage occurred seven to twelve months after their baby was born. Issues listed that caused this group to use again included sleep deprivation, stress and depression.

And for the record, there is a definite increase in pregnant women who abuse opioids. The article goes on to say that the amount of moms-to-be who use has quadrupled in the past 15 years (killing nearly three million).

As far as postpartum is concerned, that stat accounts for nearly 15 percent of all women who give birth. And when it comes to minority moms or those living in poverty, that stat can be as high as 40 percent.

Schiff added that more welfare checks and continued health visits could be a key to overcoming this problem. Coming home from the hospital and feeling a loss of control or safety could easily trigger women who have used in the past.

“We should capitalize on the positive emotions women feel during pregnancy,” Schiff concluded. “I believe it is important to sustain their care or enhance it during the postpartum period, which is arguably the most challenging.”

We at inneractions know how very real postpartum depression and addiction can be for women in America. If either of these issues are plaguing you or someone you care about, know that we are always available to help.

Huge Spike In Babies Born To Addicted Moms

There is no doubt that an addiction can seriously cloud a person’s judgment. And America’s growing opioid crisis is a prime example of that. According to a new article from The New York Times, painkiller dependencies among women have gotten so bad that mothers-to-be are continuing to use, putting their unborn babies at serious risk.

One of the most alarming stats from the article concerns the amount of infants born to dependent mothers. Citing data from The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Times is reporting that there are now 6.5 addicted babies per every 1,000 births (which is quadruple the number from 10 years ago).

Not surprisingly, the blame is primarily being placed on the opioid crisis. CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield sees it as a call to action for political leaders to take stronger action against the growing epidemic.

“The devastating impact of the opioid epidemic on families across the U.S. now includes the very youngest,” Dr. Redfield told the Times. “Each case represents a mother, a child, and a family in need of continued treatment and support.”

Dr. Redfield went on to share the thorough research that went in to the CDC’s analysis. His team dug through 15 years of data from 28 states. Back in 1999, the ratio of addicted newborns was 1.5 out of every 1,000 (a far cry from where it stands today). There was also a specific call out to Vermont, which had the highest spike of all. In that particular state, there were 48.6 cases of opioid use disorder for every 1,000 deliveries.

And keep in mind, these included only the babies who lived. Heavily addicted moms have been responsible for countless miscarriages and stillborn births during this timeframe. The severe cases of live births have also resulted in brain damage, respiratory problems and severe seizures throughout these children’s lifetimes.

One other topic brought up by the study is the fear and embarrassment these dependent mothers may feel during their pregnancies. Dr. Elizabeth E. Krans, a professor of Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, was also interviewed for the piece and expressed concern that these women may be hiding these addictions from their doctors because they’re scared of being arrested.

“Pregnancy is a really important time. Women are often worried that about the health of their baby, but they’re also fearful of judgment,” Krans said. “Pregnant women are fearful that people will treat them negatively or, in the worst cases, remove their babies,”

The important thing to emphasize is that treatment is available during all stages of a pregnancy. Trained professionals from established practices will know what tools can and should be used to help expectant moms ween off their cravings. If this is a situation you or someone you care about is dealing with, please reach out right away for help.

Pets Have Become Unwilling Pawns In The Opioid Crisis

This latest news story was especially hard for us to report on, but we feel that it’s an important message to get out into the public. Tragically as America’s painkiller addiction epidemic worsens, more and more people are purposely injuring their pets to receive prescriptions. Part of this research comes from veterinarians, who have been seeing a spike in suspicious dog and cat injuries.

Based on new data attained from The University of Colorado, 13 percent of vets across the U.S. now claim to have encountered a client who appeared to have purposely injured their pet. Even worse, 44 percent said they were aware of opioid abuse by a regular client. The bottom line is: this crisis has just about hit rock bottom.

It is appalling to think that innocent animals are now being abused to get opioid prescriptions. And keep in mind, the amount given to animals isn’t even substantial (which means these people have reached lowest of the lows with their addiction).

Interestingly, there was another component revealed by this study as well. Not only are patients breaking the law to get their hands on more opioids; apparently veterinary staffers are doing the same. Nearly half of all vets surveyed suspected that someone on their staff was also addicted (be it a technician, office worker or receptionist). 12 percent believed that someone in their office could be selling part of their practice’s supply on the black market.

One big problem that this research addressed was the lack of opioid education among veterinary professionals. Unlike doctors, vets don’t undergo the same type of painkiller prescription training. They also are unfamiliar with how to handle an overdose. And the fact that they have the power to dispense these painkillers, makes this type of learning exercise vital.

“In conversations with these doctors, they often ask: ‘Well, what do we do? We need to treat pets who are in pain but we also need to know how to identify and handle suspicious behavior.’” study author Liliana Tenney told the website, Gizmodo.com. “But there’s not a lot of resources or training right now to direct these veterinarians.”

Well for the record, state laws mandate that any medical provider (including veterinarians) who stocks opioids must disclose their prescriptions to an online reporting system. Tenney believes that vets don’t have the same type of pressure as doctors when it comes to logging these in.

And, of course, any and all suspicious pet injuries need to be examined very closely and reported, if need be.  To help implement a positive change in the industry, Tenney and her team have created an online education course which we recommend sharing with all local vets.

Overdose Warning Issued For Anti-Anxiety Meds

Anxiety issues are something we cover frequently. We know how common and crippling they can be and how people have found comfort through certain prescription medications. Well, last month some of those products came under fire due a drastic increase in the amount of overdoses they’ve been causing. Just like opioids; the initial intent behind these drugs is good, but they can also easily become habit-forming and abused.

Interestingly, painkillers and anti-anxiety meds do have somewhat of an intertwined connection. Research gathered by DrugAbuse.com showed that over the past three years, 23 percent of the people who died from opioid overdoses also tested positive for benzodiazepines (which include anxiety and insomnia drugs like Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Klonopin). There is also the alarming stat of 14 million “benzo” prescriptions last year, which is double the amount from a decade ago.

Naturally this is making the conversation shift when it comes to prescription regulations. Though the opioid epidemic is receiving a large share of news coverage (as it properly should), benzo abuse has yet to hit the mainstream radar. That may soon change, according to a new article on TheFix.com.

Several prominent researchers and scientists are speaking out about benzo abuse, hoping to avoid a widespread catastrophe like what has been seen with the opioid crisis. Dr. Anna Lembke, an addiction specialist at Stanford University, urged Fix readers to start spreading the word about the potential dangers of anti-anxiety meds.

“We have this whole infrastructure set up now to prevent overprescribing of opioids and address the need for addiction treatment,” she explained on the site. “We need to start making benzos part of that. What we’re seeing is just like what happened with opioids in the 1990s. It really does begin with overprescribing.”

Other advocates have spoken out in support of benzodiazepines, illustrating that they have shown true success when it comes to anxiety and insomnia problems. But almost everyone agrees that they should be used as short-term solutions and not an ongoing prescription that is constantly being refilled.

And the fact that they are quite easy to attain worries people like Dr. Lembke.

“When taken in combination with painkillers or illicit narcotics, benzodiazepines can increase the likelihood of a fatal overdose as much as tenfold,” she added. “With heightened public awareness of the nation’s opioid epidemic, state and local officials should really insist that these anti-anxiety meds start sharing some of the scrutiny.”

Supporting Mothers Impacted By Addiction

We all know that an addiction doesn’t just affect one person. It can cause great devastation to their inner circle as well. This includes close friends, co-workers, siblings and, very often, parents. With the opioid epidemic wreaking havoc across the country, you can imagine how much “collateral damage” occurs when a young person overdoses, gets jailed or (worst of all) loses their life. Because of these instances more and more family support groups are emerging, particularly ones that focus on women and mothers.

TheFix.com recently published an article that covered this trend and the healing powers of groups such as these. One in particular is based in Plainville, Massachusetts and calls itself Unconditional Love. These are moms who meet every Saturday to discuss just how painful coping with the opioid crisis can be.

Since forming four years ago, Unconditional Love has become one of the most well regarded female family support systems on the east coast. Hundreds of strong women have passed through its halls, with stories that cover every stage of the crisis.

Founder Robin Hamlin made it her personal mission to organize this type of outlet, particularly because she experienced the devastation of addicted child firsthand. Her son Brian ultimately became a casualty of the crisis, passing away back in 2014.

“Families that are battling this disease, we suffer in silence,” Hamlin explained on the site. “The fact that we can have love and kindness from somebody makes a world of difference.”

Her story mirrors so many other mothers across the country. Brian had not been drawn to drugs or alcohol during his youth. He lived a very clean life until a college sports injury led to a powerful painkiller subscription. Hamlin chronicled the ups and downs of that experience, making a point to honestly share her story with all members of the group.

A common trait that many of the mothers have is self blame. Though they had no hand in their children’s addiction, the fact that it occurred (and for some, led to death) leaves them with an overwhelming sense of guilt. And though the support group can’t always relinquish those feelings, most attendees have found it extremely therapeutic and a way to talk through their emotions.

“We all have our own journey and our own ways of dealing, and I got something from each and every one,” group member Linda Irvin added. “It helped me get up in the morning and do something, even if it was just get up.”

At inneractions, we too offer support for the families of those caught up in addiction (as well as people battling dependencies). In our opinion, it is a crucial step in the healing process because no one deserves to deal with this pain alone.

New Teen Addiction Trends Identified

The teenage years have often been thought of as a time of experimentation and, tragically for many, the first introduction into addiction. In decades past, alcohol, marijuana and hallucinogens have been the substances of choice. But, a new study is highlighting some interesting changes within that sect. According to data released by USA Today, popular drugs from years’ past are declining in popularity with high schoolers, while other new dependencies are on the rise.

Gathered by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the research included survey answers from nearly 15,000 students and covered a wide variety of topics. Beyond addiction, there were new stats related to bullying, “coming out” and sexual activity. CDC director Kathleen Ethier found a lot of the data encouraging, but honed in on a few new dangerous findings.

“We are seeing real improvements in some areas, but real concerns in others,” she explained. “But ultimately, schools, communities and parents do need to create more places where students feel safe and connected.”

On the positive side, pre-teen sexual intercourse has declined by 54 percent since 1991. Condom use has become prominent during this era as well, potentially limiting the amount of teenage STDs. The study also found that suicidal thoughts were down, declining 29 percent over the last 20 years.

Now as far as addiction goes, there were both good and bad stats to come out of the research. One encouraging find was that cocaine, heroin, inhalant, methamphetamine and ecstasy use was down by 23 percent over the past 10 years.

The negative news was related to (no surprise) opioid and prescription painkiller use. Coinciding with the devastating crisis impacting this country, the CDC findings concluded that pill abuse, such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin, was up by 14 percent. This proved to be a very concerning stat to Ethier.

“Opioid use among teens appears to be quite substantial,” she added.  “There is no doubt about it. It’s high – we didn’t expect it to be that high.”

And one other important caveat to all of this information deals with who they surveyed. Keep in mind that these were active students, not young people who may have dropped out or fallen off the grid. Certainly when you take those numbers into account, you’d expect to see much higher activity on the addiction front.

We certainly know that addictions can be devastating at any age. If there is a young person in your family who may be facing a serious issue, please reach and get them help.

Alarming New Stats About Women And The Opioid Crisis

Tragically, this country’s opioid crisis holds no bounds and it is mercilessly ripping lives (and families) apart. Tens of thousands of Americans are succumbing to painkiller and heroin overdoses each year, with women playing an increasingly larger role. According to new statistics released by Forbes Magazine; U.S. females now account for 33 percent of all opioid-related fatalities, which is an alarming jump from where that stat sat earlier in the decade.

The total number of women who died from an opioid-related overdoses last year was 42,249. Back in 1999, when the crisis was in its infancy, the stat was a mere 8,050. And worse yet, the figures are expected to rise significantly again when 2018’s tallies are counted.

How bad is this situation? So bad, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have officially recognized the threat that this crisis is having for American females. They, themselves, released a statement about it earlier in the year. “Prescription painkiller overdoses are an under-recognized and growing problem for women,” a rep from the organization said. “And the gap between women and men is closing quickly.”

The Centers went on to emphasize which segments of American women are now most at risk. Their research showed that U.S. females between the ages of 25 and 44 are the most susceptible to forming an opioid addiction. Interestingly though, they singled out women aged 45 to 54 as having the highest likelihood for a fatal overdose.

There is also the pregnancy component. In our opinion this deserves a very high level of attention, as mothers who use are putting multiple lives at risk. Recent opioid stats show that in 2012 alone, more than 20,000 infants were born with signs of addiction withdrawal.

Forbes writer Aparna Mathur did a great job of digging not only into the statistics, but also the reasons as to why female opioid abuse is rising so fast. One major point is that females may be more likely to be prescribed painkillers and for longer periods of time. Other theories have to do with caregiving and issues like postpartum depression and anxiety. This alone could place women at a greater risk of substance abuse.

Clearly we cannot stereotype or speculate about all of the reasons behind this shift, but the facts are the facts. 42,000 women lost to this crisis is reason alone to bring this topic to the forefront. While there certainly needs to be steps taken at a national level to combat opioid abuse, we at inneractions want to do our part too. That is why we proudly offer Sobriety Groups For Women on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Our door is always open and we highly encourage anyone who needs help to reach out. (818) 571-9841