International Overdose Awareness Day

The annual International Overdose Awareness Day campaign began in 2001. In the years since then, government and non-governmental agencies worldwide have worked to raise awareness about drug overdoses and the issues surrounding them.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, over half a million people died from drug overdoses internationally in 2019. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics also reported that over 100,000 people in the United States alone died due to drug overdoses in 2021. This is an increase of more than 8,000 deaths since 2020.

Many of these deaths may be fueled by factors such as economic uncertainty, increased rates of anxiety and depression, and insufficient mental health resources. Additionally, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl have become more available since the COVID-19 pandemic as access to other drugs such as heroin has decreased.

People who regularly use drugs have also become more likely to do so alone since the beginning of the pandemic. This greatly increases the risk of overdose, as there’s no one present to call 911 or administer life-saving treatments such as naloxone in the event of an emergency.

You don’t have to face addiction or mental health issues alone. If you’ve developed a substance abuse problem, Flushing Hospital’s Division of Addiction Services provides a safe space for drug withdrawal and offers access to psychiatric assistance, substance abuse counseling, and care from our medical team. Our Reflections treatment program also offers helpful holistic techniques for curbing addictive behaviors.

To learn more about our addiction services, call Flushing Hospital Medical Center at (718) 670-5693 or (718) 670-5540. For more information about the Reflections program, call (718) 670-5078.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Flushing Hospital Offers Information About Opioid Overdose Kit

Earlier this month, United States Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams issued a national advisory encouraging more Americans to have access to, and carry the opioid overdose reversing drug Naloxone, which can save the life of someone overdosing on opioids.

This is the first Surgeon General advisory issued in more than a decade, which exemplifies how serious the opioid crisis is in the United States.  America’s top doctor stated that “the situation is all around us.” adding “knowing how to use Naloxone and keeping it within reach can save a life.”

The opioid epidemic has killed over 250,000 people over the past decade and the problem is growing. In fact, the number of Americans who died from an overdose has doubled from 21,000 in 2010 to over 42,000 in 2016. It is estimated that we lose 115 people in the United States every day to an opioid overdose, or one person every 12 ½ minutes.

The rise in opioid overdoses is largely attributed to an increase in prescription medications, heroin, and most notably synthetic drugs, such as Fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin.

Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, can be administered either as an injection or as a nasal mist, and is currently carried by emergency medical technicians and police officers, but because over three quarters of the opioid overdoses occur outside of a medical setting, it is important to empower civilians to help. Dr. Adams believes making naloxone more available in communities across the country is critical to reducing overdose death and research has shown that when Naloxone and overdose education is available to the public, overdoses decrease.

What should remain clear is that making Naloxone readily available to the public is not intended to serve as a long-term treatment option. According to Dr. Seeth Vivek, Chairman of Mental Health and Addiction Services at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Flushing Hospital Medical Center, “Critics need to understand that addiction is a chronic disease and they should look at this recommendation the same way they look at other life-saving measures, such as CPR training, the Heimlich maneuver, or access to an epi-pen to treat an allergic reaction.”  Administering Naloxone should be considered an emergency intervention to suspend the effects of an overdose, but it needs to be the bridge to long term services and support that can lead to a complete recovery.

Flushing Hospital offers both inpatient and outpatient addiction services programs. To learn more about our  Reflections outpatient program, please call 718-670-5078. To learn more about our inpatient Chemical Dependancy Unit, please call 718-670-5540.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.