Opioid Use Stigma

Q & A with Santé’s Medical Director, Melissa Pennington, D.O.

 

WHAT ARE OPIOIDS?

Opioids are a group of drugs that require a prescription and include man-made narcotics such as fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, the illegal drug heroin, and many more.

 

What is stigma?

A negative thought or belief about another individual or group that is negative or holds them to an often non-mutually agreed upon standard.

 

How do you calculate the financial burden from opioid overdose?

The current United States opioid overdose epidemic is a complex, multifaceted, public health emergency that urgently requires strategic interventions. The economic burden of opioid use disorder is estimated to be over one billion dollars annually in the U.S. when accounting for healthcare and treatment, criminal justice, lost productivity, and value of life lost costs.¹

This is roughly 20K times than an average new car costs⁶, 200 times more than having a 30 second Super Bowl commercial⁸, ten times more than a Mega Millions Drawing⁷.

In addition to dollars, a comprehensive picture takes into account prevalence and finality of associated consequences. Over 70% of the 70,630 overdose deaths in 2019 involved an opioid. From 2018 to 2019, there were significant changes in opioid-involved death rates²:

• Opioid-involved death rates increased by over 6%.
• Synthetic opioid-involved death rates increased by over 15%

 

Why don’t people seek treatment for Opioid Use Disorder?

A survey by the American Psychiatric Association indicated that 1/3 of those surveyed knew someone with an opioid use disorder (OUD). Yet the stigma surrounding OUD means that fewer than 20 percent of patients have access to treatment¹.

Dr. Melissa Pennington, Santé Center for Healing’s Medical Director commented on people’s unwillingness to seek treatment for OUD. “The underlying cause of patients’ opioid use disorder is very complicated, and stigma around their opioid use creates barriers for people to access care. Those who do not understand addiction may blame the individuals themselves for their lack of self-discipline. But opioid use is more than personal choices, as external factors out of someone’s direct control could also have an impact. For example, a medically recommended use of opioids due to injuries could progress into an opioid addiction. As healthcare providers, we need to use person-centered language and deliver messages emphasizing evidence-based solutions, which will help individuals recover and return to productive and fulfilling lives.”

Stigmas cause challenges for those who are stigmatized, with reduced employment and educational opportunities, as well as marital and social problems. Many people have negative attitudes toward people with OUD and want to put distance between them³. A recent study has shown that only 28% percent of Americans are willing to work with someone with OUD on their jobs, and only 16% of Americans would accept someone with OUD to marry into their families. Isolation, discrimination and prejudice are obstacles to social inclusion, which make people with OUD less likely to seek substance abuse treatment and maintain sobriety⁴.

The stigma on addiction extends to a stigma on treatment as well, as only 49% of Americans believe that there is an effective long-term treatment for opioid use disorder. However, FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are effective in helping people overcome addiction, stay in recovery longer, and prevent relapse⁵. As half of Americans do not believe effective treatment exists, it is necessary to raise awareness, break stigmas to reduce treatment barriers and increase delivery of medications to people diagnosed with OUD, which the majority of Americans with opioid use disorder do not receive³. Therefore, on an individual level, we need to treat people who have been diagnosed with respect, avoid using stigmatizing language, develop a scientific understanding of the illness, and encourage our loved ones to seek help when needed.

 

WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU’RE ADDICTED TO OPIOIDS? 

Santé Center for Healing provides integrity-driven, evidence-based, and personalized long-term recovery plans customized for those suffering from substance use disorders, mental health, trauma, problematic sexual behavior, co-occurring disordered eating and other compulsive behaviors. Founded in 1996, Santé’s mission is to provide long-term recovery because left untreated, addiction is a fatal disease.

 

 

Photo: Designed by Freepik

 

For More on Social Media:

 

Sources

1. University, U. S. (n.d.). Reducing Stigma Towards Opioid Use Disorder Treatment. Retrieved October 31, 2021, from https://extension.usu.edu/heart/research/reducing-stigma-towards-opioid-use-disorder-treatment
2. Stigma Reduction. (2021, August 19). https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/stigma/index.html
3. Guiding Principles for Addressing the Stigma on Opioid Addiction | Bloomberg American Health Initiative. (2019, December 5). Retrieved October 31, 2021, from https://americanhealth.jhu.edu/news/guiding-principles-addressing-stigma-opioid-addiction
4. Opioid Resources—Reducing Stigma Campaign. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2021, from https://www.michigan.gov/opioids/0,9238,7-377-88148-512727–,00.html
5. Adams, Z. W., Taylor, B. G., Flanagan, E., Kwon, E., Johnson-Kwochka, A. V., Elkington, K. S., Becan, J. E., & Aalsma, M. C. (2021). Opioid Use Disorder Stigma, Discrimination, and Policy Attitudes in a National Sample of U.S. Young Adults. Journal of Adolescent Health, 69(2), 321–328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.12.142
6. Henry, J. (2021, October 31). Average New Car Price Tops $45,000, Used Car Price Over $25,000. Forbes Wheels. https://www.forbes.com/wheels/news/new-car-price-tops-45000/
7. Powerball and Mega Millions Lottery Results. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.usamega.com/
8. Sauter, M. B. (n.d.). Super Bowl commercials: Ads cost $5M+ for 30 seconds now. Here’s how much they cost over the years. USA TODAY. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/02/06/super-bowl-commercials-cost-for-every-year-game-played/115437118/