How “Invisible Overdoses” Help Show the True Gravity of the Opioid Epidemic

There is another sad and maddening aspect of the opioid epidemic that has had a grip on the United States for the past five or six years. Unfortunately, the true figures for the number of people suffering overdoses may never be known.

This is because only a death by overdose is actually recorded as an overdose. If someone overdoses but is administered naxolene and—fortunately—their death is prevented, then the overdose is not recorded in the official figures.

Overdoses are thankfully not always fatal, but if you were to add these “invisible overdoses” to the number of opioid-related fatal overdoses, then you would have a much better understanding of the US’s opioid epidemic’s true gravity.

Many Potentially Fatal Overdoses are Being Prevented by the Administration of Naxolone

Many good Samaritans in America now carry naxolene wherever they go—usually in the form of Narcan, which is a brand name for naxolene in the form of a nasal spray. Should someone be experiencing an opioid-related overdose, Narcan can be sprayed into the nose of the person suffering the overdose.

Naxolene quickly binds to opioid receptors in the brain and prevents the opioids from affecting them, which reverses the potential overdose. During an overdose experience breathing is severely restricted, meaning the lungs are unable to get enough oxygen into the body and carbon dioxide out of the body. With insufficient oxygen and too much carbon dioxide, the body’s processes begin to shut down, and death is the result.

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, it is estimated that there has been a staggering 40% increase in the number of opioid-related fatalities. This rise has most likely been triggered by fentanyl—a synthetic opioid that is ten times stronger than heroin. Those with opioid dependency issues obtain fentanyl thinking it is heroin, and administer too strong a dose as a result—leading to an overdose and more often than not, death.

Unrecorded Overdoses Mask the True Extent of the US’s Opioid Epidemic

While it is of course fantastic news that potential opioid-related overdoses are being prevented, these “invisible overdoses” are masking the true nature of the US’s current opioid crisis.

If you would like to be free of your current opioid dependency, we here at Advanced Rapid Detox are here to help. We can rid your system of opioids in as little as three days. To learn more, please call us at (800) 603-1813, or contact us online here.