October is substance abuse awareness month, and at Cooperative Recovery, that means a lot to us. The month of October was declared substance abuse prevention in 2011 by President Barack Obama, and since then, every October we take a step back and take a bigger look at the nationwide substance abuse epidemic. Of course, addiction does not limit itself to the month of October and is an issue we fight to solve 365 days a year. Nonetheless, this October, we’d like to take a minute to assess the gravity of this worldwide issue.
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, there have been more than 700,000 overdose deaths in the United States since the beginning of the 21st century. They also found that opioids are a factor in 7 out of every 10 overdose deaths. In Tennessee alone, there are over 2,000 overdoses per year. The overdose rate in Tennessee is 50% higher than the national average.
Often, people don’t understand how prevalent this issue is in the states. Anyone could be suffering from addiction and substance abuse. It can afflict your coworkers, friends, family, and even your children, and sometimes it’s not obvious.
We alone at Cooperative Recovery cannot stop the opioid epidemic. It is a complicated, multi-faceted problem. But we like to help as many individuals as we can. We aim to help any and all individuals who are struggling to overcome their addictions and lead healthy lives free of substance abuse.
Are you struggling with substance abuse? Or do you know someone who is?
This is your sign to get help.
There is no shame in struggling with substance abuse. Addiction IS a disease, and along with treating addiction, one of our main goals is to break the stigma that it is not. There are many physiological and genetic factors involved in addiction and we take those into account in our medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs. By tackling both physical and mental health issues that cause and result from addiction, we aim to create a comprehensive treatment.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to assist and have many resources at our disposal. This Substance Abuse Awareness Month, take the first step towards healing.
