The Opioid Crisis

The number of deaths in the U.S. from prescription opioid overdose has more than quadrupled in the last 15 years and the number of deaths due to heroin and fentanyl use and overdoses has surpassed these numbers. The DEA released a National Heroin Threat Assessment Summary in 2015 after they had issued a nationwide alert that identified fentanyl as a public health and safety threat. In this summary, they observed a spike in overdose deaths in several states, with Ohio, Maryland, and Massachusetts in the top three spots.

A recent report released by The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) revealed that the use of vaping devices has dramatically increased among America’s teens. In just one year, the number of 12th graders that reported using some type of vaping increased from 27.8 percent in 2017 to 37.3 percent in 2018. Within the same group, nicotine vaping increased nearly 10 percentage points and marijuana vaping increase 9.5 percentage points in one year.

There are many parts working together in our bodies and research has shown that those individuals needing treatment for more than one condition of the mind and body, die on average more than 10-25 years earlier than those that do not. Many medical professionals and researchers believe that this is an increasing trend and that the number of individuals with co-morbid conditions will continue in the years ahead.   Even more important, is that many behavioral health disorders are often overlooked by non-psychiatric physicians and general practitioners.

Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010, by President Obama. Since that time the Republican party has tried without success to repeal or partially repeal this program. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as of  2018, there were approximately 11.8 million consumers that selected or were automatically re-enrolled in Marketplace Healthcare plans.

Since the 1970’s our population has faced an increasing number of chronic health concerns. Many of these have been related to lifestyle choices that lead to the most common non-communicable diseases, including obesity, physical inactivity, sexual behavior, and substance use (tobacco, alcohol, and drugs). During this time, these “lifestyle diseases” have been addressed by looking at personal choices, behavior, and responsibilities. Recent research though suggests that an individual’s actions are strongly influenced by their own physical and social surroundings. Many of these studies have shown that alterations in one’s environment may be an effective tool for changes in behavior.