Heroin is a potent narcotic derived from morphine. The morphine is made from the seed pod of poppy plants. Heroin is an analgesic and is in the class of opioids, and it works in the brain the same way that prescription pain medication does. People use heroin because it can induce extreme euphoria quickly that […]
A recent guest opinion column published in the Johnson City Press May 15th, 2022 by ReVIDA Program Director – Jeremiah Lovelady I invite you to close your eyes for a minute. Think about someone who struggles with substance use disorder. Think about someone who has been in and out of the criminal justice system. Someone […]
Fentanyl is a man-made opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. It was originally developed for medical use, but has become a go-to for individuals looking to get high due to its low-cost and ubiquitous availability on the street. Because it’s such a powerful opioid, fentanyl is also misused in many illegal ways. Fentanyl […]
Subutex and Suboxone are medications to treat opiate use disorder (OUD). They are both approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Before (2002), when doctors began prescribing them, the standard opiate treatment was only Methadone. Unlike Methadone, however, they work because Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist. A partial agonist […]
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), is the universal manual to diagnose mental health issues. Because it is such a well-known standard, it has widespread influence over how disorders get diagnosed and treated. The DSM version 5 recognizes opioid use disorder as a sub-category of substance use disorders, a disorder […]
There are two types of fentanyl, known as synthetic opioids, pharmaceutical grade and illegally manufactured. The illicitly made fentanyl is typically more potent than the pharmaceutical. The pharmaceutical is for people with severe pain, usually in late cancer stages or post-surgical procedures. Fentanyl analogs are occasionally more lethal than fentanyl and are involved in more […]
Heroin use may be pleasant at first, but it can lead to all kinds of unpleasant problems. A life can quickly be turned upside down as heroin takes center stage. For the person living with heroin addiction, the desire to use feels ever-present. In contrast, from an outsider’s perspective, it may be difficult to know […]
Along with the rise of the nationwide opioid epidemic, we have also seen the rise of specific kinds of opioids. One opioid that has proven to be the most dangerous, and specifically the most deadly, is fentanyl. Fentanyl is fairly cheap to make and distribute. So one of the reasons it has become so dangerous […]
Fentanyl and synthetic fentanyl are the most common drugs associated with overdose deaths. There are over 150 people who die every day from an overdose of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Unfortunately, deaths from an overdose of synthetic opioids are on the rise. According to the Knoxville Police Department, in 2021, there were 457 suspected […]
Buprenorphine (Suboxone®) is a medication that can provide much relief to those wanting to overcome opioid dependency. If you’re taking buprenorphine (Suboxone®), you may wonder: What are some of the reasons a person may want to taper off buprenorphine (Suboxone®)? How do I taper off buprenorphine (Suboxone®)? If you’re less familiar with buprenorphine (Suboxone®), you […]
