Answer Addiction

Tag: drug overdose

  • Fentanyl Present In 90% Of Drugs, Massachusetts Officials Warn

    Fentanyl Present In 90% Of Drugs, Massachusetts Officials Warn

    The synthetic opioid is found more in combination with cocaine and benzodiazepines than heroin.

    Officials in Massachusetts are warning the public that the presence of the deadly synthetic opioid, fentanyl, is increasingly common in all types of illicit drugs in the state—not just in heroin or other opioids—raising the overdose risk for users of cocaine and other illegal substances. 

    “If an individual is using illicit drugs in Massachusetts, there’s a very high likelihood that fentanyl, which is so deadly, could be present,” said Dr. Monica Bharel, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health, according to New England Public Radio. “Anybody using illicit drugs should understand the risks, carry naloxone, and access treatment.”

    The state’s quarterly report found that fentanyl is present in 90% of overdose deaths in Massachusetts. It is found more in combination with cocaine and benzodiazepines than with heroin. In 2014, fentanyl was found in less than 30% of overdose deaths in the Bay State. 

    Because fentanyl is becoming more prevalent in cocaine and benzodiazepines, officials are advising family members of people who use illicit drugs to carry naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug. People who do not use opioids regularly are more susceptible to fentanyl overdose because they have not built up an opioid tolerance. 

    Because of this, the state is urging healthcare providers to help all drug users get into treatment, not just those who report that their primary drug of choice is an opioid. 

    “When analyzing opioid overdose deaths, we have become aware that a significant portion of the deaths are associated with concurrent cocaine use,” the state wrote in a letter to providers. “We believe this information is useful for you in your clinical work. Additionally, patients should be aware that polysubstance use can NOT be a reason for refusal for admission in the treatment system.” 

    The report also showed that overdose deaths are declining in Massachusetts for the third straight quarter, even as such deaths continue to rise nationally. This could be due in part to the rising rates at which EMTs in the state are administering naloxone, as well as public health campaigns, Bharel said. 

    “In Massachusetts we have a multi-pronged approach,” she said. “This is about prevention, raising awareness in our communities, and raising awareness among our prescribers.” 

    However, not all demographics are seeing the improvement. Hispanics are disproportionately likely to die of an overdose in Massachusetts, and the overdose rates for black men continue to rise. 

    “While the results of our efforts are having an impact, we must double down on our efforts to implement treatment strategies that meet the needs of the highest risk individuals and communities,” Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said in a statement.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Ex-Boyfriend of Bethenny Frankel Dies From Apparent Overdose

    Ex-Boyfriend of Bethenny Frankel Dies From Apparent Overdose

    Dennis Shields appeared on several “Real Housewives of New York” episodes alongside Frankel.

    Dennis Shields, who dated the Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel, was found dead in his apartment in the Trump Tower from what police sources reported as a suspected overdose.

    The 51-year-old, who appeared in several episodes of the Bravo reality show, was reported to have asked his assistant to administer the overdose reversal drug Narcan at around 9 a.m. on August 10; the New York Police Department confirmed that they responded to a 911 call that morning in regard to an unconscious male, who was pronounced “deceased on scene” by emergency medical services. 

    The medical examiner’s office stated that a report on the cause and manner of Shields’ death will be released after completion of an investigation.

    Shields was the CEO of the litigation-funding firm LawCash and oversaw several other finance-related companies. He had known Frankel for nearly three decades through her friendship with his wife, Jill Shields, and began dating her after their separation in 2016.

    Their relationship traversed on-and-off arcs for several years, which was showcased on Real Housewives, and while the couple was reportedly apart at the time of Shields’ death, a source reported that they remained close.

    As both TMZ and the New York Post reported, a spokeperson for the NYPD confirmed that officers responded to a 911 call for an unresponsive male at Shields’ corner apartment on the 42nd floor of Trump Tower at approximately 9:19 a.m. on the 10th.

    Sources told TMZ that Shields had asked his assistant to give him a dose of Narcan before slipping into unconsciousness. The medication failed to revive him.

    Emergency medical responders reported that Shields was pronounced dead at the scene; though cause of death was not given, sources told TMZ that oxycodone may have been involved in the overdose. According to the New York Times, it is not clear if the drug was prescribed for Shields.

    In a statement to People, Shields’ estranged wife, Jill Shields, said, “We are all heartbroken. Dennis was, and will always be, the love of my life. His spirit lives on in our children and our future grandchildren.” She also posted photos of Shields and their four children on her Instagram account.

    Frankel also took to Instagram to pay tribute to Shields. She posted a photo of Shields laying beside her dog with the caption, “Rest In Peace my sweet babies who gave me endless unconditional love. #nowandforever.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • EDM Star Illenium Pens Message About Heroin Addiction Struggles

    EDM Star Illenium Pens Message About Heroin Addiction Struggles

    The producer and EDM artist became sober after a heroin overdose six years ago.

    Producer and electronic dance music (EDM) artist Illenium revealed to fans his struggle with heroin dependency that helped to inspire his current single “Take You Down.”

    The open letter, which was posted on his Twitter feed and website, detailed the impact that his dependency had on his career and personal life, as well as an overdose that occurred six years ago.

    Having gained sobriety after the overdose, Illenium wrote that he hoped listeners that might be going through similar issues “find peace in their struggles” and thanked those that had shared their experiences with him.

    Born Nicholas D. Miller in Chicago, Illinois, Illenium has enjoyed a rapid rise to stardom, beginning in 2013 with a self-titled EP and later, his studio album debut with 2016’s Ashes.

    It was quickly followed by a second album, Awake, in 2017, and collaborations with fellow EDM artists Kill the Noise and Mako on the single “Don’t Give Up on Me,” and with Excision (“Gold (Stupid Love)”). Miller issued the statement about the song and his experiences on August 1, two days before the official release of “Take You Down.” 

    In the letter, Miller cites stories from his fans about their own personal struggles as the impetus for sharing his experiences with them.

    “Some of you have said my music changed your life, helped you through depression, addiction, a lost love one, the list goes on,” he wrote. “Honestly, I feel bad because you don’t know how much that truly means to me, because I’ve been there, too… In the depths.”

    According to Miller, his issues with opiates began at a young age, and culminated in an overdose six years ago—approximately a year before the release of his self-titled EP. “I was trapped in [dependency], no passion, no direction, and truly hated myself,” he wrote.

    But with gaining sobriety—which came after the overdose—and the ascent of his career, came a sense of salvation through his music. “I’m not telling you to preach or say how I found some magical cure or that everyone needs to live like I do,” he wrote. “I’m just sharing my story and relating because music saved my life, too.”

    Although he noted that “Take You Down” is about his dependency, Miller also wrote that the track is about the toll taken on families and those who love the individual who is in crisis.

    He also stated that the song is also about his mother, who “never gave up on me and always continued to see the good” in him. Miller concluded the letter by thanking his fans for sharing their lives with him, as well as the fervent hope that they know “that anything can be overcome.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Demi Lovato Releases First Statement After Overdose Reports

    Demi Lovato Releases First Statement After Overdose Reports

    “This illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.”

    After 12 days in the hospital following an apparent overdose, pop star Demi Lovato finally released a statement regarding the incident.

    “I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction,” the 25-year-old recovery advocate said on her Instagram on August 5. “What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.”

    Lovato was released from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Saturday night. She was admitted to the hospital on July 24, after EMTs were called to her Hollywood Hills home. TMZ reported that she was revived with Narcan, the drug that is administered to reverse opioid overdose.

    Lovato has since been recovering from health complications following the reported overdose.

    “I want to thank God for keeping me alive and well,” the singer continued in her recent statement. “To my fans, I am forever grateful for all of your love and support throughout this past week and beyond. Your positive thoughts and prayers have helped me navigate through this difficult time.”

    Lovato has become a prominent voice for the recovery and mental health support community. The singer celebrated six years of sobriety in March, before releasing a new single titled “Sober” in June, in which she apologizes for a recent relapse. 

    “I want to thank my family, my team, and the staff at Cedars-Sinai who have been by my side this entire time. Without them I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to all of you,” Lovato continued.

    A source told People that Lovato will receive “continued care at an in-patient rehab facility.”

    The singer ended her Instagram statement with a promise to continue working on her recovery.

    “I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery. The love you have all shown me will never be forgotten and I look forward to the day where I can say I came out on the other side. I will keep fighting.”

    Lovato’s impact on mental health and recovery awareness is revealed in a simple search of the social media hashtag #HowDemiHasHelpedMe.

    After news of the singer’s hospitalization, fans have used the hashtag to pay tribute to the positive impact that Lovato’s dedication to reducing the stigma of living with substance use disorder or mental health issues has had on them.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Keith Urban & Other Celebs Offer Demi Lovato Recovery Advice

    Keith Urban & Other Celebs Offer Demi Lovato Recovery Advice

    Kelsey Grammer and Mackenzie Phillips are among the celebs who offered words of encouragement to the pop star.

    Pop star Demi Lovato is expected to make a full recovery after landing in the hospital last Tuesday for an “apparent overdose.” CNN reports from a source close to the singer that the next step will be to enter a recovery program.

    News of Lovato’s apparent overdose was especially striking; as the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer and Disney Channel alum has made a name for herself as a champion of mental health and recovery support. She celebrated six years of sobriety in March.

    Fellow celebs in recovery have offered words of encouragement as the dust settles from last week.

    While appearing on The Today Show in Australia, country singer Keith Urban, who has over a decade of sobriety, shared that it would benefit Lovato to have “good people around her and a willingness to want to live a different way if that’s what she wants to do.” He added, “It’s all up to her.”

    The “Blue Ain’t Your Color” singer spent time at the Betty Ford Center in Palm Springs, California in 2007 for alcohol. “I wish I’d gotten sober many years earlier than I did, but it is what it is,” he said in March.

    Kelsey Grammer, star of the classic sitcom Frasier, could also relate. “Forgive yourself. That’s about it,” he advised Lovato. “Somebody told me a long time ago, a pretty smart guy, [that] ‘Any kind of addiction is really the result of unsolved grief.’ And that has held true for me as I’ve gone through life ever since and that’s why I give that piece of advice.”

    Grammer said last summer that alcohol and drugs were his way to cope with a series of family tragedies, including the murder of his father during a home invasion.

    He was finally able to move on, with the help of the proper treatment. “I just put [that pain] where it is: in the past. But it’s a pain that you can always stumble into again—it’s with you 24/7, especially in the case of tragic death, and there have been a few of those. It’s just a part of life. Maybe I learned a little earlier than most, but it’s just the way it goes.”

    Actress and recovery counselor Mackenzie Phillips also put a word in. “You’re talking about someone’s life. You’re not talking about a breadwinner, you’re talking about a human being who’s struggling with a real, real problem. And so people need to just let her do her thing and get well.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Lawmaker Fights For Addiction Treatment That Her Mom Desperately Needed

    Lawmaker Fights For Addiction Treatment That Her Mom Desperately Needed

    “When my mother asked for help and there was no place to go, it was one of the most hopeless feelings I ever had. That was the moment that inspired me to do this work.”

    After winning a seat in the Colorado state legislature in 2012, Brittany Pettersen tried her best to focus on her blossoming career. For her own health, that involved limiting her contact with her mother, Stacy, who had been living with active addiction for decades. 

    “As a family we have been preparing for my mom’s death our entire lives,” Pettersen told The LA Times. Stacy’s addiction was so severe that at one point she overdosed 20 times in 16 months. 

    Still, Pettersen’s colleagues in the legislature knew nothing of her mother’s situation, and Pettersen couldn’t bring herself to work on addiction and recovery issues professionally. 

    “I honestly never wanted to touch the issue of opioids because it was too personal,” she said. “I felt like if I can’t help my mom how can I help anyone else?”

    Last August, Stacy overdosed yet again. She was resuscitated in the emergency room of a hospital near Denver and then moved to the intensive care unit. There, Stacy finally asked for help. Yet all her Medicaid would cover was three days of detox. Pettersen was heartbroken and furious. 

    “When my mother asked for help and there was no place to go, it was one of the most hopeless feelings I ever had,” Pettersen said. “That was the moment that inspired me to do this work. My mom’s been using drugs for more than 30 years, she needs more than three days of detox. That’s a joke.”

    Luckily, Pettersen was able to get a court-order that put Stacy in a treatment program for two months involuntarily. Now, Stacy has been sober for seven months, and Pettersen has decided to share her family’s story in order to advocate for better addiction treatment services in Colorado. 

    Pettersen is now working on legislation that would require Medicaid in Colorado to cover impatient and residential drug abuse treatment programs, rather than just covering three days of detox. Although the change would cost Colorado an estimated $34 million, it would bring in about $100 million in federal dollars, Pettersen said, in addition to cutting costs of emergency services. 

    “It takes upfront costs to get out of a crisis,” she said.

    In April, Stacy testified in front of the Colorado state legislature in support of the bill. 

    “Hello, my name is Stacy Pettersen. Some of you know me as Brittany’s mom,” she said. “My last 30 years have been tragic for my family and me, but I am here to tell the unexpected ending—that I am alive and have been sober for over seven months because I finally got the help I needed.”

    Later, she talked about her hopes for recovery, including making amends with her children after decades of neglect. 

    “I’d like to try and repair the damage I’ve done to my children,” Stacy said. “I want to make the most of the time I have left and be the best mom I can be.”

    View the original article at thefix.com