All substances – both legal and illicit – have some form of side effects. Even simple, over-the-counter cold medicine can cause adverse reactions. Though reactions to medications deemed as “safe” are rare, there can always be the chance of severe side effects. These can be as severe as resulting in life-threatening consequences. In 2022, over […]
The ache in your chest is that of grief, knowing your loved one has seemed to choose Percocet® (oxycodone/acetaminophen) over their family. You thought you saw the signs, but in the end, you were unaware of how serious the situation was. You are not alone. The prescription opioid dispensing rate in Scott County was 140.4 […]
“If you can quit for a day, you can quit for a lifetime.” – Benjamin Alire Sáenz Opioids have been a topic of discussion for years, with both prescription and illicit opioids taking over lives. There has been loss, grief, and heartbreak surrounding this epidemic, and so many Tennessee residents have been affected. In 2022, […]
Opioids can take over the mind and body, causing a myriad of negative side effects. Many of these are well-known, as we have witnessed the opioid epidemic affecting millions of families and loved ones. But what about the lesser-known effects – the ones that may have indicated your loved one was taking opioids sooner? What […]
We all know the opioid epidemic takes so many lives each year. In just December of 2023 alone, almost 400 Tennesseans were hospitalized from an opioid overdose. This excludes heroin, which caused over 60 hospitalizations in the same timeframe. What about those fellow Volunteers who were not as fortunate? How many more numbers out there […]
“You can’t defeat the darkness by keeping it caged inside of you.” – Seth Adam Smith The fear of accidentally overdosing may be at the back of your mind, but the idea of having to go through withdrawal keeps you in the cycle of heroin use disorder. At least three Tennesseeans die from opioid-related overdoses […]
Substance use often doesn’t stem from wanting to “try drugs to look cool.” The truth behind it is more complex. Addiction can stem from loneliness. Trauma. Anxiety. Hardships. That feeling of having nowhere to turn to find relief – so, what could trying a dose of heroin hurt? All of a sudden, you have a […]
Life After Opioids: Navigating Rejoining the Workforce in Recovery Opioid use disorder takes over millions of lives every year. Making the choice to seek treatment can be empowering, and reclaiming your life from opioids will feel rewarding and freeing. But opioids have been the center of your world for the past months or even years […]
She was not heroin. He was not morphine. They were not codeine. She was a mother. He was a brother. They were friends and family members. Those we have lost to an opioid overdose were not a problem, they were people. They had names, faces, lives, and people who cared. They live on in memories […]
Do you worry about a loved one taking Suboxone? That if they take too much, they might return to using opioids again? It’s understandable to be worried, especially if you are unfamiliar with Suboxone and how the treatment process works. But the truth of the matter is, it’s highly unlikely for your loved one to […]
