Latest news with #substanceAbuse
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Housing First intervention associated with reduced opioid overdoses
Opioid use disorder (OUD) has become a mounting public health crisis in the US, often disproportionately affecting individuals in the most vulnerable socioeconomic statuses. The homeless population has recently shown particularly high rates of OUD and opioid addiction, which has provoked debates over the most effective strategies for treating substance abuse while humanely and equitably promoting public safety in afflicted areas. Among the most controversial approaches is the Housing First philosophy, which posits that providing free or low-cost living accommodations for people experiencing homelessness facilitates addiction treatment, especially if accompanied by pharmacotherapy and mental health counselling. In the June 2025 edition of JAMA Network Open, Isabelle Rao and Margaret Brandeau simulated the effects of Housing First interventions on OUD overdoses and mortality under various conditions. The study concludes that a Housing First approach to OUD patients experiencing homelessness, whether accompanied by treatment or not, leads to a reduction in both overdoses and mortality. GlobalData epidemiologists forecast growth in the 12-month diagnosed prevalent cases of opioid addiction with OUD from over 739,000 to approximately 773,000 between 2025 and 2033. Successful implementation of interventions such as Housing First may reduce severe injury or death in this growing patient pool, particularly among those experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Rao and Brandeau modelled various scenarios in which a nationally representative patient population of 1,000 adults with OUD experiencing homelessness were either provided with free or affordable housing or none over five years. Additionally, these populations were simulated to receive methadone therapy under both housing conditions. As displayed in Figure 1, total overdoses over five years were notably lower among individuals provided with housing, at 464 per 1,000 population in those exposed to the Housing First intervention and 533 in the unexposed group over five years. This pattern was found among both fatal and nonfatal overdoses. Similarly, all-cause mortality simulation showed 132 deaths per 1,000 population among housed OUD patients compared to 186 among those without housing (Figure 2). The authors attribute the lower mortality rate to the significant reduction in fatal overdoses in the housed population. In addition to the improvements in health outcomes for OUD patients provided with housing, the cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that a Housing First policy would be more effective when compared to the status quo due to direct and indirect cost benefits from curbing homelessness and OUD overdoses. The work by Rao and Brandeau offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing polemical debates over homelessness and opioid addiction in the US. As officials seek solutions for the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals suffering from these social and medical conditions, data such as that of the authors is critical in order to guide or refine policy solutions. However, Housing First should be only one component of a wider suite of actions to curb opioid addiction, including education of healthcare providers and patients, enforcement of limitations on irresponsible prescribing habits among physicians, and increasing the availability of life-saving treatments such as naloxone. In the absence of such comprehensive, concerted effort, the opioid crisis will continue to have a sizable impact on countless American communities. "Housing First intervention associated with reduced opioid overdoses" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Housing First intervention associated with reduced opioid overdoses
Opioid use disorder (OUD) has become a mounting public health crisis in the US, often disproportionately affecting individuals in the most vulnerable socioeconomic statuses. The homeless population has recently shown particularly high rates of OUD and opioid addiction, which has provoked debates over the most effective strategies for treating substance abuse while humanely and equitably promoting public safety in afflicted areas. Among the most controversial approaches is the Housing First philosophy, which posits that providing free or low-cost living accommodations for people experiencing homelessness facilitates addiction treatment, especially if accompanied by pharmacotherapy and mental health counselling. In the June 2025 edition of JAMA Network Open, Isabelle Rao and Margaret Brandeau simulated the effects of Housing First interventions on OUD overdoses and mortality under various conditions. The study concludes that a Housing First approach to OUD patients experiencing homelessness, whether accompanied by treatment or not, leads to a reduction in both overdoses and mortality. GlobalData epidemiologists forecast growth in the 12-month diagnosed prevalent cases of opioid addiction with OUD from over 739,000 to approximately 773,000 between 2025 and 2033. Successful implementation of interventions such as Housing First may reduce severe injury or death in this growing patient pool, particularly among those experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Rao and Brandeau modelled various scenarios in which a nationally representative patient population of 1,000 adults with OUD experiencing homelessness were either provided with free or affordable housing or none over five years. Additionally, these populations were simulated to receive methadone therapy under both housing conditions. As displayed in Figure 1, total overdoses over five years were notably lower among individuals provided with housing, at 464 per 1,000 population in those exposed to the Housing First intervention and 533 in the unexposed group over five years. This pattern was found among both fatal and nonfatal overdoses. Similarly, all-cause mortality simulation showed 132 deaths per 1,000 population among housed OUD patients compared to 186 among those without housing (Figure 2). The authors attribute the lower mortality rate to the significant reduction in fatal overdoses in the housed population. In addition to the improvements in health outcomes for OUD patients provided with housing, the cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that a Housing First policy would be more effective when compared to the status quo due to direct and indirect cost benefits from curbing homelessness and OUD overdoses. The work by Rao and Brandeau offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing polemical debates over homelessness and opioid addiction in the US. As officials seek solutions for the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals suffering from these social and medical conditions, data such as that of the authors is critical in order to guide or refine policy solutions. However, Housing First should be only one component of a wider suite of actions to curb opioid addiction, including education of healthcare providers and patients, enforcement of limitations on irresponsible prescribing habits among physicians, and increasing the availability of life-saving treatments such as naloxone. In the absence of such comprehensive, concerted effort, the opioid crisis will continue to have a sizable impact on countless American communities. "Housing First intervention associated with reduced opioid overdoses" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man was left in coma with 'devil eyes' after five-day cocaine-fuelled session that almost killed him
A man was almost killed by a five-day cocaine bender- leaving him in a coma and with such bloodshot eyes that elderly people thought he was the 'devil.' Dave Mullen, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, snorted his first 'naive' line of the Class A drug on his 17th birthday after being offered it in a pub. The former carpet fitter admitted he got a taste for it while drinking on football away days and lads' holidays. But the occasional dabble quickly spiralled into an addiction by 19 that at his worst saw him sink 15 pints a day and snort thousands of pounds worth of cocaine in seven-day benders. A shocking photo taken in August 2021 shows Dave with bloodshot 'devil' eyes after waking up from a coma in ICU following a drug-induced psychosis. His eyes remained such a startled red months later that when he went back to work, completing a job in an old people's home, a man chased him with a bible fearing he was the devil. Despite almost dying, Dave admits he only managed a few months sober before falling back into his dangerous habits for three more years. It was only after a hospital trip in March 2024 where doctors said he could die that he decided to quit and on March 3rd began his path to sobriety. Dave is now 15 months sober from alcohol and drugs and says he's finally been able to escape the 'prison' he'd lived in for 15 years. The content creator is now sharing his story to warn others about the dangers of substance abuse. Dave said: 'Cocaine goes hand-in-hand with alcohol and at a weak or naive moment as I was young [17], someone offered me a line and I took it. 'I would get some [cocaine] for the weekend football and before long this was turning into an addiction and it wasn't for enjoyment anymore. 'I was going on lads' holiday to Ayia Napa at 17 and it was like the Inbetweeners 'lads on tour' and it was just relentlessly pushed down your throat as soon as you hit an age. 'At 19 I noticed it had become an addiction. It was clear not only to me but my friends and people around that I had a bit of a problem with it. 'Every year it got worse and worse and would affect so many people around me due to the mental health episodes I would have. 'I would go through periods to escape my mental health and I would just go out for five, six, seven days and I would just be gone. 'It's a difficult one as I always found a way that I could put myself in a situation where I could get it [cocaine] for free or for very cheap, but the amount I would do would be thousands of pounds worth. While addicted to cocaine, Dave says he suffered many mental health episodes, lost friends and struggled to keep a job. When he ended up in hospital in August 2021, he says people thought this was his turning point as he was so close to death - but it took another hospital trip to be the wake-up call he needed. Dave said: 'In my case, those photos I've shared where I ended up in intensive care was not my turning point. 'This was a result of a four or five-day bender and I ended up going into a drug-induced psychosis and I completely lost my mind. 'I was completely blind and had no vision. Six weeks later my eyes were still bloodshot and my eyes were like this for two months.' Since going sober, Dave has swapped his cocaine addiction for the gym and has set up a TikTok page to document his sobriety journey. He says he has been left with a lot of mental trauma following his years of drug use but says a constant runny nose is his only physical set-back so far. He says he has been left with a lot of mental trauma following his years of drug use but says a constant runny nose is his only physical set-back so far In the future, he hopes to set up a support group under the name 'Dark Days 2 Brighter Ways', to help others suffering with addiction. Dave said: 'I want to spread awareness as it really did ruin my life. '[In March 2024], they told me I was going to die again and something about walking out of that hospital alone, I said I didn't want to do this anymore. 'I was trapped in a life that was a prison with no enjoyment. 'I would have walked out of the hospital and gone straight to the pub but I thought to myself, 'I'm not going to have a drink today'. '15 months later and I'm here and I have a TikTok account and I still haven't looked back. I feel completely reborn and I'm now excited for my future. 'I don't think we're educated enough about the dangers of these drugs or alcohol. 'We're told the drugs are illegal but in this day and age no one really pays attention to the law and doesn't care if it's illegal. 'I think my story and the pictures in particular show that it's dangerous and I don't want cocaine to be so normalised and acceptable in society.'
The Sun
23-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
My cocaine bender left me BLIND – I had ‘devil eyes' for months and was chased by a man with a bible
A PARTY animal was almost killed by a five-day cocaine bender - leaving him in a coma with such bloodshot "devil eyes" for months. Dave Mullen snorted his first "naive" line of the Class A drug on his 17th birthday after being offered it in a pub. 9 9 The former carpet fitter admitted he got a taste for it, sniffing it while drinking on football away days and lads' holidays. But the occasional dabble quickly spiralled into an addiction by 19, that at his worst saw him sink 15 pints a day and snort thousands of pounds worth of cocaine in seven-day benders. A shocking photo taken in August 2021 shows Dave with bloodshot eyes after waking up from a coma in ICU following a drug -induced psychosis. His eyes remained red for months afterwards. And they were so startling that when he went back to work, completing a job in an old people's home, a man chased him with a bible fearing he was the devil. Despite almost dying, Dave admits he only managed a few months sober before falling back into his dangerous habits for three more years. It was only after a hospital trip in March 2024, when doctors said he could die, that he decided to quit and begin his path to sobriety. Dave is now 15 months sober from alcohol and drugs and says he's finally been able to escape the "prison" he'd lived in for 15 years. The content creator is now sharing his story to warn others about the dangers of substance abuse. Dave, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, said: "Cocaine goes hand-in-hand with alcohol and at a weak or naive moment as I was young [17], someone offered me a line and I took it. "I would get some [cocaine] for the weekend football and before long this turned into an addiction; it wasn't for enjoyment anymore. Inside Europe's 'cocaine capital' where gangsters bomb cafes, gun down children & X in terrifying wave of drug violence "I was going on holiday to Ayia Napa at 17 and it was like The Inbetweeners 'lads on tour' - it was just relentlessly pushed down your throat as soon as you hit an age. "At 19 I noticed it had become an addiction. It was clear not only to me but my friends and people around that I had a bit of a problem with it." Things only got worse over the next few years, which Dave puts down to " mental health episodes". "I would go through periods to escape my mental health and I would just go out for five, six, seven days and I would just be gone," he added. "I always found a way to put myself in a situation where I could get cocaine for free or very cheap, but the amount I would do would be thousands of pounds worth." While addicted to cocaine, Dave says he lost friends and struggled to keep a job. When he ended up in hospital in August 2021, he says people thought this was his turning point as he was so close to death - but it took another hospital trip to be the wake-up call he needed. Dave, now 34, said: "In my case, those photos I've shared where I ended up in intensive care was not my turning point. "This was a result of a four or five-day bender. I ended up going into a drug-induced psychosis and I completely lost my mind. "I was completely blind; I had no vision. "Six weeks later my eyes were still bloodshot and my eyes were like this for two months." 9 9 9 Since going sober, Dave has swapped his cocaine addiction for the gym and has set up a TikTok page (@darkdays2brighterways) to document his sobriety journey. He says he has been left with a lot of mental trauma following his years of drug use but a constant runny nose is his only physical set-back so far. In the future, he hopes to set up a support group under the name Dark Days 2 Brighter Ways to help others suffering with addiction. How cocaine destroys your health, face and life The nose One of the most recognisable signs of cocaine overuse is a collapsed nose. The drug is snorted via the nose. Because it is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it narrows the blood vessels, blood flow is reduced. As the nasal tissue becomes starved of oxygen in the blood, it becomes damaged. FRANK, a national drug advisory service, says: 'Over time, snorting cocaine damages the cartilage in your nose that separates your nostrils. 'Heavy users can lose this cartilage and end up with one large nostril and a misshapen nose.' Users may also have difficulty with breathing and damage to nasal passages can also lead to chronic sinus infections. The mouth and facial deformity Chronic cocaine use doesn't only affect the nose - it can also harm the roof of the mouth or the hard palate, causing palatal perforation, according to UK Addiction Treatment Centres. Palatal perforation can lead to severe issues, such as difficulty speaking or voice changes, problems with eating and drinking and higher risk of infections due to the open gap between the nose and mouth. With the potential loss of nose cartilage, destruction of nasal tissue and sinuses and the mouth, the face may change shape with chronic cocaine use. Use of the drug can also cause the face to bloat and eyes to become bloodshot. Mental health Regular use of cocaine can dampen a person's mood. It can make them feel depressed, run down, anxious or paranoid, FRANK warns. It says: 'Cocaine can bring previous mental health problems to the surface too, and if a relative has had mental health problems, there might be an increased risk for you.' Infections Constant cocaine use will weaken your body's immune system. This makes it harder to fight off any infection - or blood-borne diseases that may occur when sharing needles. Heart The heart comes under a lot of pressure from cocaine use. It increases blood clots, which in turn can lead to heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms, strokes and deep vein thrombosis. 'It can also cause inflammation and death of the heart muscle, deterioration of the heart's ability to contract, as well as aortic ruptures, angina and permanently increased blood pressure,' says the Priory Group. Life-ruining The impact of cocaine use goes beyond obvious health issues. It can cause social withdrawal, financial problems, loss of job or reputation and risky behaviour, such as unsafe sex or driving when high. If you or someone you know is struggling with cocaine use, seeking professional help is crucial to prevent further harm. Try visiting Talk to FRANK, the NHS website, Narcotics Anonymous or Cocaine Anonymous. Dave said: "I want to spread awareness as it really did ruin my life. "[In March 2024], I was told I was going to die again and something about walking out of that hospital alone - I said I didn't want to do this anymore. "I was trapped in a life that was a prison with no enjoyment. "I would have walked out of the hospital and gone straight to the pub but I thought to myself, 'I'm not going to have a drink today'. "Fifteen months later and I'm here. I have a TikTok account and I still haven't looked back. "I feel completely reborn and I'm now excited for my future. "I don't think we're educated enough about the dangers of these drugs or alcohol. "We're told drugs are illegal but in this day and age, no one really pays attention to the law. "I think my story and the pictures in particular show that it's dangerous. "I don't want cocaine to be so normalised and acceptable in society." 9 9 9 9
Associated Press
19-06-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
The Freedom Center: Providing Integrated Treatment for Bipolar Disorder and Substance Abuse in Maryland
BUCKEYSTOWN, MD, UNITED STATES, June 19, 2025 / / -- The Freedom Center Maryland Drug & Alcohol Rehab, a trusted leader in addiction and mental health treatment in Maryland, continues its commitment to offering integrated care for individuals suffering from co-occurring bipolar disorder and substance use disorders (SUDs). Located in Buckeystown, Maryland, The Freedom Center provides a safe, therapeutic environment where individuals can receive dual diagnosis treatment that addresses both mental health and addiction challenges simultaneously. With a dedicated team of psychiatrists, licensed clinicians, and addiction professionals, The Freedom Center ensures that each client receives compassionate and comprehensive care tailored to their unique needs, guiding them toward long-term recovery and emotional wellness. Comprehensive Dual Diagnosis Treatment Services The Freedom Center's dual diagnosis program focuses on the complexities of co-occurring disorders—particularly bipolar disorder and substance abuse—using evidence-based methods that promote holistic healing and long-term recovery. Services are offered through flexible treatment tracks, including inpatient, outpatient, and partial hospitalization (PHP) programs. Key services include: ✔ Psychiatric evaluation and medication management ✔ Integrated therapy for bipolar disorder and addiction ✔ Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) ✔ Holistic therapies, including mindfulness and stress-reduction techniques ✔ Family counseling and education ✔ Relapse prevention planning ✔ Peer support and group therapy ✔ Case management and aftercare coordination The center's dual diagnosis program is designed to stabilize mood disorders while addressing the underlying causes of substance abuse. Through integrated care, individuals can regain control of their mental health and overcome the cycle of addiction. Addressing the Complexity of Bipolar and Addiction Bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed or misunderstood, leading to ineffective treatment when coupled with substance abuse. The Freedom Center's experienced team recognizes that mood instability, impulsivity, and emotional distress often drive substance use in individuals with bipolar disorder. Their coordinated approach ensures both conditions are treated in tandem, reducing the risk of relapse and improving overall outcomes. Whether a client is experiencing manic episodes, depressive episodes, or rapid cycling, The Freedom Center provides individualized support and psychiatric care to help stabilize symptoms and foster healthy coping strategies. Get Help Today If you or a loved one is struggling with bipolar disorder and substance abuse, The Freedom Center in Buckeystown, MD, is here to help. Through our integrated, evidence-based programs, clients can find hope, healing, and a path to recovery. The Freedom Center – Buckeystown, MD Address: 3521 Buckeystown Pike, Buckeystown, MD 21717 Phone: (888) 530-5025 Hours: 24/7 Website: About The Freedom Center The Freedom Center is a premier addiction and mental health treatment provider offering comprehensive services across Maryland. Specializing in dual diagnosis care, The Freedom Center is dedicated to helping individuals with co-occurring disorders like bipolar disorder and substance abuse reclaim their lives through evidence-based treatment, compassionate support, and personalized care. Admissions Office The Freedom Center Maryland Drug & Alcohol Rehab Buckeystown +1 (888) 530-5025 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube TikTok X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
