Most Young People Don’t Seek Opioid Treatment After Overdose

Opioid overdose and addiction is the leading cause of drug deaths in America today. The recovery process of opioid addiction is a long and difficult journey. Although there are many resources available to help with this, many young people who are addicted to opioids do not turn to treatment options after an overdose.  Why is the pattern for youths to not receive treatment?  Especially since opioid addiction rewires the brain and the treatment plan typically includes medication and behavioral intervention.  One study drills deeper into the facts. JAMA Pediatrics expanded on this subject with astonishing findings, such as less than 20% of opioid-addicted youth received a diagnosis after a life-threatening overdose. What could be the reasoning people under the age of 22 aren’t being treated properly? One idea is a lack of Pediatricians’ knowledge in youth addiction. For more detailed statistics read the full article of the study here.