When we think about leading causes of death in the United States, we probably think about heart disease or perhaps a type of cancer; however, a recent investigation by the New York Times states that drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under 50 year-of-age. That’s right, more than gun violence, car accidents and heart attacks.  Parents are burying their children from Overdose deaths in epidemic proportions.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine states in its 2016 Facts & Figures report that “Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 52,404 lethal drug overdoses in 2015. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 20,101 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 12,990 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2015”; and according to the CDC “91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose (prescription opioids and heroin); from 2000 to 2015 more than half a million people died from drug overdoses”.

This allows us to have a clear picture of the epidemic the United States and the world in general is facing, and what’s worse is that drug related deaths continue to rise every year. West Virginia saw an increase in drug related deaths of 12% from 2014 to 2015; while New Mexico, according to records by the CDC, is the state that has held the top spot in the number of drug deaths in the past 15 years.

There is not ignoring the fact that drug trafficking is only part of the problem. The real issue though is addiction is an illness that we should be paying closer attention to. The majority of us has a friend or relative that is dealing with a drug addiction; many others, sadly, have lost someone due to drugs; families are torn, friendships and lives destroyed. We spend to much money on enforcement rather than recovery

Recovery is possible, and it is something we should all get more involved with, learning and educating others on the different forms of addiction, its signs, its effects, and educating ourselves on the different treatment options available is a must if as a society we want to win this battle against substance abuse.

“A drug or alcohol addiction requires specific treatment, just like any other illness, professional help is needed and it has to be personalized depending on the addiction and the characteristics of the patient; a patient who is addicted to prescription pain killers, for example, requires a therapy different from a person who uses cocaine. Drug overdose can be caused by either accidental overuse or by intentional misuse and therefore it is important that recovery involves a comprehensive treatment that deals not just with physical recovery but also emotional and psychological support”, explains Anthony Feeny, the executive at Costa Rica Recovery, a professional rehabilitation center in Costa Rica that provides different treatment models; “when dealing with drug addictions family members or the patients support group also need help, to properly understand and deal with particular situations in a healthy way” he concluded.

Early data from 2017 already suggests that drug overdose deaths will continue to rise this year.

Drug addiction recovery centers such as Costa Rica Recovery are an excellent alternative for many, not only is treatment more affordable than in the United States (under $4,000), but it has been proven that when a patient removes him/herself temporarily from their regular environment it helps them focus on recovery.” Once someone is addicted, there is no reasoning that will make them stop. The goal is to get them far enough away where they won’t be able to obtain the drugs and they can begin to seek treatment. Until you get rid of the accessibility of the drugs, treatment is almost impossible”, explains the Costa Rica Recovery site.
Drugs don’t discriminate, it can affect anyone.

Don’t wait, don’t waste time “hoping” that your loved one will find a way out of the dark tunnel; waiting can have fatal consequences. Get information and help today. Call toll free from the United States 866-804-1793 ; if you are in Costa Rica dial 8348-6369 or Click Here for additional information.