The Opioid Crisis is a Mental Health Crisis

On my first day of volunteering as an EMT, my squad received a call for a cardiac arrest patient. When we arrived at the local motel, the patient had already died from a heroin overdose. In the following weeks, there were more overdose calls. A mother of two overdosed in her motel room bathroom. An adult male overdosed inside a convenience store restroom.

The economic stress, social isolation, and anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a surge in the number of drug overdose cases and deaths. The opioid crisis, however, is more than a public health crisis. It has become a mental health crisis. Over 10 million Americans grapple with opioid addiction and more than 100 of them die from an overdose each day. It is critical that we learn more about the opioid crisis to bring about change and awareness. 

How did it start?

OxyContin was released in 1996. Powerful pharmaceutical companies lobbied lawmakers and doctors across the nation in an attempt to introduce this new and profitable drug to the market. Opioids, as marketed by these multi-billion dollar companies, were effective, safe, and at low risk of addiction. As a result, prescription opioids became widespread before the extent of their addictiveness was fully uncovered. Overdose death numbers climbed, and the opioid crisis was born.

The introduction of illicit heroin and fentanyl added fuel to the fire. These drugs were less expensive, more widely available to the public, and offered a stronger high than that of prescription opioids. With the COVID-19 pandemic, desperate users created drug cocktails using whatever they could find. Today, opioid overdose deaths have never been higher. According to the CDC, overdose deaths from prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl have increased over six times since 1999.

Impacts

The opioid addiction crisis has become an enormous social and economic issue for the nation. Not only does drug abuse decrease the value of life, but it has tremendous costs in other sectors as well. Opioid misuse account for over 35 billion dollars in healthcare costs, 1.94 billion dollars in annual hospital costs, and 92 billion dollars in lost productivity. There are additional costs that stem from incarcerating drug users or providing substance abuse treatment. The opioid crisis has substantial weight on the US economy that will only worsen without action.

The Addiction Cycle

Those who misuse opioids can develop a physical dependence within weeks. Opioids deliver a temporary, yet powerful surge of positive emotions to the user. In addition, long-term use creates a tolerance that, paradoxically, slows the body’s production of endorphins and increases sensitivity to pain. Withdrawal symptoms are another deterrent in discontinuing opioid use— symptoms include pain, chills, cramps, diarrhea, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and intense cravings. The opioid crisis disproportionally affects low-income communities and those combating mental illnesses, such as depression or mood disorders.

Systemic Issues & Solutions

The structure of the United State’s health-care system plays a significant role in the overprescription of opioids. Prescription opioids are a quick fix for pain and offer a cheaper alternative to pain-management therapy solutions. Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses cannot be fixed with a drug that provides a temporary boost of positive neurotransmitters. Treating opioid addiction and mental health has two requirements: treatment that is not dependent on prescription medication and open conversation around mental health.

This may be easier said than done, however. The stigma around mental health makes it difficult for those who struggle with addiction to reach out to others and ask for help. In addition, prescribing medication has become a cursory acknowledgment of deep-rooted struggles of those fighting pain management or struggling with a mental illness. By gaining awareness of the growing drug crisis and reaching out to those who may struggle with a mental illness, we can save our community from a national drug crisis that has already claimed too many lives.

Guest Bogger: Celine Jeun, MHA Intern

Celine is a recent graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy who is on a gap year. She is an intern at MHA and a trained crisis worker at ContactLifeline. She aims to reduce the stigma around depression, addiction, and other mental illnesses. You can find her baking an olive oil cake, going on a sunset run, cuddling her two cats, or listening to Lorde.