First Responders and New Jersey Rehab Centers Rely on Naloxone to Save Drug Overdose Victims
An opioid overdose reversal drug called naloxone is used an average of 21.8 times per day in New Jersey, equating to roughly more than one use per county on a daily basis, according to local news sources. Officials are saying this data on naloxone use proves that the Garden State is not excluded from the nationwide opioid epidemic. At present, first responders and New Jersey rehab centers are saving the lives of opioid overdose victims using naloxone, then encouraging victims to get help and become clean.
If you are addicted to heroin and/or painkillers, get help right away to reduce your risk of suffering an accidental overdose. Call our 24/7 confidential helpline at 888-414-2380 for more information about local drug rehab centers that can help you overcome dependence on opioids.
Using Naloxone to Revive Opioid Overdose Victims
First responders in New Jersey use Naloxone to revive victims of opioid overdose.
Naloxone is a nasal spray that immediately blocks opioid receptors in the brain and revives overdose victims within seconds — including those who are no longer breathing. While naloxone is highly effective at reviving overdose victims, the drug isn’t always effective on victims who have taken highly potent opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil. In some cases, first responders must use several doses of naloxone to revive certain overdose victims.
Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is used most frequently in southern New Jersey, which also has the highest per-capita death rates associated with opioid use. A local news source reports that more than 128,000 New Jersey residents were addicted to heroin or prescription painkillers last year. State officials are predicting that 2016 will produce the highest admission rates yet for rehab centers that treat heroin and opioid addiction.
Treating Opioid Addiction at Rehab Centers
Opioid dependence and addiction is often very difficult for individuals to overcome on their own without medical help. Withdrawing from heroin and opioids can lead to general pain and discomfort, as well as nausea, vomiting, and hallucinations, in some cases. These withdrawal symptoms, along with cravings, often cause opioid addicts to relapse and increases the risk for an overdose.
Overdose victims saved by naloxone are given another chance to survive and overcome addiction with help from rehab centers in New Jersey that treat opioid addiction. The staff at opioid rehab centers are trained to help patients detox and overcome dependency on heroin and opioids in safe, comfortable, therapeutic environments. Some rehab centers even offer medications that ease opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
In addition to helping patients overcome physical dependency on opioids, rehab centers offer a number of other therapies and treatments that address underlying causes of addiction. For example, an individual who became addicted to opioids as a result of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder can undergo counseling to address both conditions. Following addiction treatment, recovering addicts can re-enter society feeling happier, healthier, and armed with the information they need to avoid relapse and stay clean.
Are you struggling with addiction to heroin and/or painkillers and live in New Jersey? Understand that you should never have to overcome addiction on your own, and that there are several nearby rehab centers that can help. Call our 24/7 helpline at 888-414-2380 for help with finding New Jersey rehab centers that offer opioid addiction treatments.
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