Waismann Method® Founder Advocates for Greater Awareness and More Effective Drug Treatments as Opioid Related Deaths Surge
Los Angeles, Calif. (PRWEB) March 01, 2017 -- A sharp uptick in fatal opioid-related overdoses occurring in clusters over the past six weeks has spurred an urgent call for awareness. Clare Waismann, founder of the Waismann Method® for rapid opioid detox, is advocating for an expansion of specialized medical care and mental health services for victims of the opioid epidemic.
“There was a 280 percent increase in opioid overdose deaths from 2002 to 2015, and numbers appear to be continuing to rise in the first two months of 2017,” said Waismann. “This month alone, we have seen two prominent clusters of opioid overdose deaths in the news. There was a cluster of 18 deaths in Cleveland, Ohio, followed by an astounding 52 overdoses in a 32-hour period in Louisville, Kentucky. Improving accessibility to effective treatments is one of the keys to lowering fatalities from opioids. We need to combine efforts and take immediate action before more people die.”
Public health officials believe that the recently reported deaths are related to heroin laced with powerful synthetic opioids. Unlike heroin, which is produced from the poppy plant, synthetic opioids are manufactured in a laboratory setting. Synthetic opiates such as fentanyl or carfentanil may be hundreds of times more potent than heroin. Additionally, because the production of drugs occurs in unregulated labs, their purity and potency are not regulated. When heroin is laced with even a small amount of these substances, it can be fatal.
“People purchasing heroin on the streets are usually unaware that the drug may be laced with much more powerful substances,” stated Waismann. “As a result, people unintentionally overdose or even die. However, these tragic deaths are often the result of a much bigger unsolved problem. We need to identify the factors that are causing so many men and women to become addicted to opioids. By understanding and responding to these underlying factors, we can actually start treating the problem at its root.”
The United States consumes 80 percent of the worldwide supply of prescription opiates. Rampant over-prescribing and misuse of these medications causes some individuals to develop an opioid tolerance, dependence and subsequently, an addiction. Furthermore, a 2015 CDC report concluded that people who abused prescription opiate pills were 40 times more likely to also abuse heroin. The need to fill the overwhelming cravings caused by drug dependence and addiction leaves these individuals vulnerable to overdose, especially when purchasing street heroin that may be tainted with fentanyl or carfentanil.
“While many factors are contributing to America’s opioid epidemic, the social stigma we place on addiction is one of the largest obstacles. After more than two decades of work in this field, I have repeatedly found guilt and fear of social judgment to be the biggest factors keeping individuals from getting the help they need,” said Waismann. “To help, we need to improve public education while increasing awareness and availability of effective drug detoxification and treatment options. From there, we need many more available resources for emotional support. Individualized mental healthcare is a critical component in empowering individuals to stop relying on drugs to self-medicate their pain and distress.”
The Waismann Method® team has provided patients with one of the most successful medical opiate detoxifications available for almost two decades. Specializing in Anesthesia Assisted Rapid Detox, the center takes a personalized and comprehensive approach to treating opiate dependence, using a combination of scientifically informed medical detoxification protocols. Following the inpatient hospital care, patients are provided access to an exclusive recovery retreat. At the retreat, the psychological, emotional, and social components that may fuel opiate addiction can be individually assessed and assisted. Above all, the Waismann Method® focuses on providing safe, effective and compassionate opioid treatment in order to give individuals their best chance at achieving a healthy and long-lasting recovery.
For more information, please visit https://www.opiates.com.
Rachel Coulson, Tyler Barnett PR, http://www.tylerbarnettpr.com, +1 (323)937-1951, [email protected]
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