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.…

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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.…

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…