Opioid addiction is a serious issue across the country, including Texas. For many people, opioid use starts with painkillers or prescription drugs that are legal. However, these are highly addictive medications, and if not taken exactly as prescribed a person can get hooked quickly.
Over half of the overdose deaths in Texas are a result of opioid use. In most instances it’s the result of heroin or fentanyl, but that isn’t always the case. That’s why drug and alcohol treatment for men, women and adolescents now includes painkillers and prescription drugs that can lead to the use of other, more deadly opioids.
The opioid crisis may not be as bad in Texas compared to the rest of the country, but the fact of the matter is it’s an urgent situation that is taking lives of Texans every day.
How Many Texans Abuse Painkillers and Prescription Drugs
One of the most troubling drug statistics in Texas has been the dramatic increase in non-medical use of prescription drugs. The Texas Department of State Health Services found that the number of adults in Texas that used painkillers for non-medical purposes increased significantly in recent years. Around 779,000 people reported prescription opioid use from 2009-2010. That number jumped to 830,000 people from 2016-2017.
Other eye-opening painkiller and prescription drug use statistics include:
- Approximately 4.5% of Texans 12 years old and older report misusing prescription pain relievers. That works out to be around 1 million people.
- Approximately 6.7 per 1,000 Texans 12 years old and older have opioid use disorder (OUD).
- One in 7 high schoolers in Texas report using prescription opioids for non-medical use.
How Many People in Texas Overdose on Painkillers and Prescription Drugs
Despite having lower opioid prescribing rates than the national average, Texas has still seen its fair share of overdose deaths. The opioid overdose death rate in Texas between 2000-2016 nearly tripled. The opioid overdose rate went from 1.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 to 4.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2016. Statistics show that in 2016 alone 1,375 Texas died from opioid use.
Prescription drug addiction recovery is difficult without professional help. Treating someone who’s addicted to painkillers or prescription drugs can require the use of medications. There could also be co-occurring disorders that make treatment more complex. Often alcohol rehab for men includes screening for co-occurring disorders and the use of other drugs like prescription painkillers.
If you’d like to learn more about men’s addiction recovery resources for painkiller and prescription drug use, Any Length can provide the information you need. Contact our team at any time for personal assistance.