Resurgence Behavioral Health Responds to California Cities That Have Lost More Residents to Drug Overdoses than COVID-19

Costa Mesa, California -

Los Angeles, CA – Drug overdose deaths continue to surpass crisis levels in many areas but especially in California, where two metropolitan areas are seeing record numbers of deaths due to the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Resurgence Behavioral Health, an addiction treatment center in Costa Mesa, California, is responding with support for those drug-ravaged regions.

In Riverside County, located outside Los Angeles, the number of fentanyl deaths has risen by 800 percent in the last five years. District Attorney Michael Hestrin told a nationwide TV audience that, “in 2022, more than 500 people are expected to die from fentanyl poisoning.”

The numbers are even more alarming in San Francisco, where fentanyl poisoning has claimed more lives than COVID-19 – more than double the COVID death toll there. San Francisco Mayor London Breed has vowed “tough love” for anyone breaking the law but also proposed expanded access to treatment.

Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that is legitimately prescribed as a painkiller, but dealers add it to illegal street drugs like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and increasingly, counterfeit prescription pills made to look exactly like Xanax, OxyContin, Adderall, and more. Manufacturers and dealers cut their drugs with fentanyl because it’s cheaper and easier to produce than drugs that come from agricultural sources like heroin and cocaine. Fentanyl is also easier to traffic. It’s as much as 500 times more potent than Morphine so very small amounts of fentanyl can be smuggled for large profits. Experts agree the increasing prevalence of fentanyl in the US drug supply is the major factor fueling an epidemic of drug overdoses across the nation.

While COVID deaths are eclipsed by fentanyl overdoses, public health experts blame much of the drug tragedy on the pandemic. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13% of Americans reported they had started or increased substance use as a way of coping with the stress and isolation of the pandemic. In addition, social-distancing practices, while enacted with good intent, made recovery harder for many addicts because they lost their support networks.

Additionally, more drug users were using alone due to social distancing measures, which increases the risk of overdose death since there isn’t someone to administer first aid and call for help. With in-person socializing and community-based programs temporarily closed, fewer in-person recovery resources were available.

Resurgence believes the most effective solution is quality addiction treatment to help people stop using drugs. Public health experts have often called for greater access to treatment and a shift in thinking: to see addiction as a disorder, not a crime. In fact, Resurgence finds that addiction is often only a symptom of a more profound mental health or emotional condition such as anxiety, depression, or trauma-related disorders.

The Resurgence program usually begins with medically assisted detox to ease the symptoms of withdrawal in a safe, medically monitored setting. Care then continues through residential and outpatient rehab. In the rehab phase, Resurgence provides evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders involving alcohol, drugs, and prescription painkillers. Treatment is customized for each client, with an individualized treatment plan designed to meet each person’s unique, specific needs. A multidisciplinary, integrated approach is employed using several treatment modalities, such as short- and long-term goal setting, educational interventions, awareness building, sponsorship, and community support. Clients learn new strategies for dealing with stress and emotional problems. Therapy continues with aftercare, sober living homes, and long-term follow-up programs that ease the transition into new lives free of harmful substances.

Recovery is a long-term experience that takes hard work and dedication to building a new life free of chemical solutions. The first step is always the hardest, but those who take it will find support and caring on their journey.

Anyone in need of help with a substance abuse disorder or related mental health issue, for themselves or a loved one, can begin the process by visiting Resurgence Behavioral Health or calling (855) 458-0050.