Confronting the Stigma of Opioid Use Disorder—and Its Treatment
The death of Philip Seymour Hoffman from a heroin overdose tragically adds another name to the list of celebrities who have lost their lives to addiction. Increasing numbers of overdoses from prescription opioids and a more recent increase in heroin-associated fatalities have caused heartbreak in communities across the country. More than 30 000 deaths from unintentional drug overdose were reported in the United States in 2010, the most recent year for which data are available.1
Studies say medications can assist people in getting off opioids, but isn’t that just using another pill? Perhaps getting to the source of the drug use would be a first step.