Last Updated: November 10, 2022

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says Ohio is one of the hardest hit states for opioid dependence and deaths due to overdose. Emergency rooms throughout the Buckeye State work under pressure as more people with addiction problems seek urgent care.

Education, helpful programs, overdose intervention, and drug rehab in Ohio are all integral components of a comprehensive solution. Working together, medical professionals and addicts could get the relief that they need.

Opioid-Related Addiction and Overdose Spike in Ohio

During January and February of this year, Columbus officials registered one overdose death each day, according to NBC News. Rural Ohio towns are at least as hard hit as the capital.

The Ohio Department of Health calls it a bonafide “public health crisis.” In 2013, 84 people died from the Fentanyl, alone. By 2014, the number had jumped to 526. That is according to the testimony of Debra Houry, M.D., given this year to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight Investigations. Houry said in 62 percent of Fentanyl and heroin-related deaths, there was a prior history of prescription opioids.

Ohio Takes on Big Pharma

In reaction to the crisis, the State filed a lawsuit against major drug companies, Purdue Pharma, Endo, Cephalon, Allergan and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. In part, the suit asserts that opioids are the “main source of unintentional drug overdose in the state.” It goes on to hold drug manufacturers responsible for getting “thousands of Ohioans . . . addicted to opioid pain medications.”

The suit also lays blame on drug company sales representatives and doctors who they claim use their position to promote the benefits of long-term opioid use. The state seeks millions in damages as well as an injunction to prevent drug companies from participating in “deception and misrepresentation in drug marketing.”

E.R.-Based Support and Emergency Overdose Prevention Help

In response to a 52 percent increase in E.R. visits due to opioid overdose and other opioid-related emergencies, hospitals across the state are taking several measures to help patients find programs beyond emergency care. Support coaches, emergency overdose prevention medication such as Naloxone, and guidance to drug rehab in Ohio are part of a multi-pronged approach.

One such coach, Charlie Stewart, is a recovering addict. The Columbus Dispatch says he helps patients register for programs such as Medicaid, when opens avenues for medically supervised detox. Drug rehab is the next step.

Drug Rehab in Ohio Transforms Lives

Drug detox is only the beginning of sobriety for Ohioans. An effective treatment program helps prevent the too-common slide back into a pattern of drug abuse, which is one of the concerns expressed by the patients Stewart helps. Customized programs treat the whole person, not just the symptoms of abuse and addiction.

Drug rehab in Ohio offers these possibilities and more as a framework for a multidisciplinary approach that fits the patient:

• Medical detox
• Residential treatment
• Partial hospitalization treatment
• Intensive outpatient treatment
• Outpatient treatment
• Aftercare
• Co-occurring disorder identification and treatment

Ohio is a national leader in opioid addiction and fatal overdose. Fortunately, addiction recovery and long-term sobriety are possible through compassionate, comprehensive treatment and individualized care.

Maybe you or someone you care about needs help finding the path to a healthier future. If so, The Recovery Village of Columbus is here for you. Contact us to learn more.