Over 1 in 6 Americans, adults and teens alike, suffered a substance use disorder in 2022. In the survey, alcohol and drug abuse involved roughly the same numbers of people: About 30 million had an alcohol use disorder, while 27 million had a drug use...
In response to the ongoing crisis of opioid misuse, U.S. doctors had already cut the amount of opioids they gave patients after surgery by 2022 to just a third of the amount given in 2016, new research shows. Read more...
The 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) was recently released, publicizing how people living in the United States reported their experience with mental health, substance use, and treatment related behaviors in 2022. Learn more...
Recently, Ascensa Health has seen an increase in clients needing treatment for synthetic opioids including Fentanyl and Isotonitazene. Isotonitazene (aka nitazene or "ISO”) is more potent that Fentanyl. In 2021, drug overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 and 75% of these deaths involved a synthetic opioid. Learn more...
Scientists are searching for effective alternatives to treat pain and are looking to develop prescription medications that do not lead to addiction. Learn more...
Now that Narcan (the opioid overdose reversing nasal spray medication) is available over the counter, it is important to know how to use the lifesaving medication. Learn more about the signs of an opioid overdose and how to administer Narcan. Learn more...
People can heal from an addiction—especially when they get the support they need to relieve withdrawal symptoms, navigate triggers, and make positive changes. This video explores why many people find it difficult to control or stop drug use and how research conducted and supported by...
Narcan is now approved by the FDA to be sold without a prescription. This will pave the way for the life-saving medication to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations, as well as online. Read more...
Researchers report they have created a vaccine to fight fentanyl addiction, in a potential breakthrough in the opioid epidemic. Read more...
In September, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and law enforcement partners announced the first significant seizure of rainbow fentanyl. So-called rainbow fentanyl began showing up on the streets on the West Coast in February and has gradually made its way across the country. Learn more...
Join us for our 60th Anniversary Voices of Recovery Luncheon on September 27, 2022 at Zoo Atlanta to celebrate our history and vision for the future of recovery in Atlanta! Learn about our decades of dedication to addiction treatment and hear an incredible recovery story...
Organizations that help those in long term recovery from drugs and alcohol are asking state lawmakers for $2 million to help fund Narcan for first responders, especially in more rural parts of the state. Read more...
A deal has been reached between members of the Sackler family and their company, Purdue Pharma, to settle thousands of lawsuits over their role in the U.S. opioid epidemic. Learn more...
A wearable device and paired smartphone app that could inject a lifesaving antidote for an opioid overdose might be on the horizon. More information...
Young adults who experienced trauma in childhood are more at risk for misusing prescription opioids, according to new research from the University of Georgia. Read more...
The COVID-19 pandemic likely influenced a dramatic increase in overdose death, as rates surged above 100,000 deaths from April 2020 to April 2021. Read this article to learn more about the current state of the opioid crisis during the ongoing pandemic. Read more...
The first experimental vaccine to be tested in the US for treatment of opioid use disorder is being studied in a clinical trial led by researchers at Columbia University. The vaccine is designed to prevent opiates from entering the brain, blocking drug effects and preventing overdose...
A new study that followed 1,100 recovering opioid users reveals that the risks associated with opioid relapse are different for men and women. Learn more. ...
A new policy from the White House aims to reduce barriers to obtaining Buprenorphine, an FDA approved medication used to treat opioid dependence. Today, an average of 1 in 5 pharmacies in the United States refuse prescription access to this treatment. More information....
Ascensa Health offers Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction at no cost to clients who do not have health insurance. For more information, please contact the MAT Coordinator at (404) 534-2192 or matcoord@ascensa.org. Learn more about our services here. ...
The coronavirus pandemic has put a spotlight on the crisis of mental illness and substance use disorders. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, approximately 1 in 5 Americans struggled with mental health issues, which have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. Read more....
Fareed Zakaria of CNN looks at why the pandemic has led to a sharp increase in opioid overdose deaths in the United States. Watch the video....
"Although deaths from opioids continue to command the public’s attention, an alarming increase in deaths involving the stimulant drugs methamphetamine and cocaine are a stark illustration that we no longer face just an opioid crisis." Read more...
Ascensa Health provides detoxification to anyone who is either uninsured or unable to afford treatment. Clients receive medically monitored detox treatment for stabilization of withdrawal symptoms. All withdrawal symptoms are resolved before a client moves to the next level of care. Find out more about...
People treated for an opioid addiction who were prescribed methadone or buprenorphine had an 80% lower risk of dying from an overdose than those in treatment who are not using these drugs. More on MAT....