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By John L. Micek
The numbers alone tell the story.
In 2016, 4,642 of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones died as a result of opioid abuse. And if current trends hold - and there's every reason to believe they will - the death toll will only climb in 2017.
The good news, if there is any, is that there is something you can do to help staunch this gaping wound in the hearts of too many Pennsylvanians.
As a part of our ongoing investigation into the causes of Pennsylvania's opioid epidemic, and our search for solutions, PennLive Opinion Editor John L. Micek recently sat down with an expert in the field.
In a frank and wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Sarah Kawasaki, the director of Addiction Services at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute explained the five signs of opioid abuse.
They are:
1. Are they committing to the obligations that they need to do every day?
"So, for instance, are they missing work? Are they missing health appointments? Are they not doing things that they were doing before?" Kawasaki asked. That list could also extend to such rudimentary tasks as paying bills on time or even showering, she said.
2. For medical symptoms of opioid abuse disorder:
Look for pinpoint pupils in the eyes or excessive fatigue. For other disorders, the inverse could be true: Look for wide eyes and excessive activities, she said.
3. Look for changes in behavior in general.
If someone you love is "all of a sudden acting completely differently," that could be a sign of a substance problem, she said. "Are they hiding things? That would be something to look out for," she said.
4. Are they spending a lot of time in isolation:
Are they cloistering themselves away from family and friends and loved ones? Or are they going places they've never gone before to look for things? Those could be telltale signs of a problem, she said.
5. If they're ignoring the basis of their personal health:
That could be a sign that they are in the throes of addiction, Kawasaki said.
Dr. Doug Pfeiffer
Center for Nutrition & Wellness
Upper Perk Chiropractic Center
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