ReVIDA Recovery® Discusses How Opioids Are Impacting Tennessee Residents

ReVIDA Recovery® Johnson City, a behavioral health center in Tennessee, is highlighting how dire the state of affairs surrounding opioid addiction has become in the state.

The introduction of prescription opioids like OxyContin® (oxycodone) in the 1990s was heralded by medical professionals across the nation as a breakthrough in pain management. However, as the years have gone by, the United States has been forced to recognize the opioid epidemic as a national emergency.

According to recent statistics shared by ReVIDA Recovery®, over 1.46 million opioid prescriptions were filed at the University of Tennessee Medical Center alone in 2018. The startling number doesn’t include the opioids obtained illegally and consumed across the state. To add more context, Tennessee prescribed approximately 83 prescriptions per 100 people in 2017 compared to the national average of 59.

The stark reality of the extent of the opioid use disorder problem in Tennessee becomes much bleaker when one considers the number of overdose deaths. Tennessee has over 38 deaths per 100,000 people compared to the nationwide average of just over 14. Knox County has a mortality rate of 65.9 per 100,000 with Green County, Sullivan County, and Cocke County coming at around 40 deaths per 100,000 people.

There is also a correlation between the number of hard labor jobs, such as coal mining, held by the state’s residents and the addiction to opioids. As the risk of injury increases, so does the chance of being prescribed opioids for pain mitigation, leading to long-term opioid use. According to ReVIDA Recovery®, a study of 46,000 workers in the state who experienced a workplace injury and were previously opioid-free, found that 4% are now living with opioid use disorder.

The distribution of opioid overdoses over age groups shows that the problem is not limited to a particular generation. While Tennessee residents over the age of 70 comprised less than 2%of all fatal overdoses, among those aged 30 to 70 years old, the numbers are fairly evenly distributed.

The spokesperson for ReVIDA Recovery® talks about what Tennessee can do to reduce the harm that opioid use has wreaked on local communities by saying, “everything from age, poverty, education level, and family history can start someone down this path with terrible long-term consequences. Recovery, though a long and hard battle to be fought, remains possible. The steps ReVIDA Recovery® is taking to help the good people of Tennessee include destigmatizing substance use, providing educational, easy-to-access information on substance use, making life-saving medication more easily accessible, and partnering with the community to offer resources to all.”

ReVIDA Recovery® offers services to help those managing an opioid addiction get started on the path to recovery and healing. Its Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs use a combination of medication and traditional therapy to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and show patients the path forward. The center’s Suboxone® (buprenorphine) treatments have been proven to reduce opioid cravings and help prevent potential relapse.

Finally, Tennessee residents can also opt for the center’s outpatient programs, where they go through a 12-step process to learn how to manage their triggers and find healthy coping mechanisms. The team at ReVIDA Recovery®, consisting of medical professionals including licensed therapists and care coordinators, will be available to support patients every step of the way.

Readers in Tennessee and Virginia who want more information about the services offered by ReVIDA Recovery® Johnson City can send in their queries to generalinfo@revidarecovery.com or contact its toll-free number (844) 762-0743 to talk with its admissions specialists.