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As the opioid epidemic continues to wage war on the lives of countless Americans, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC, has worked to provide regulatory suggestions that doctors can use for treating patients. Unfortunately, the efforts made in 2016 had a devastating effect on an untold amount of people that struggle with chronic pain. As doctors continue to perform the balancing act of treating these patients while making efforts to prevent addiction, new regulations have been made to ease the burden of people in genuine need of comprehensive pain management. Banyan’s addiction treatment centers are breaking down the most recent 2022 CDC opioid guidelines.
The 2016 regulations sought to intensely decrease the nationwide number of opioid prescriptions to gain control of the spiraling opioid epidemic ravaged our country. Unfortunately, these rigid regulations took a drastic toll on the lives of chronic pain patients that were in genuine need of care. Many of these individuals had their prescriptions aggressively tapered or flat-out discontinued. Pharmacies and private insurers curtailed coverage for opioid medications, while the strict guidelines led certain state officials to intensely taper patients who had come to rely on these drugs to get through their days.
What is especially tragic about this situation is the fact that vulnerable people ended up paying for the addictions, mismanagement, and crimes of people that they likely never even met before. It has led to instances of systemic bias in the medical field, and studies have found that patients who have records of long-term opioid prescriptions were less likely to be accepted into a primary care office as a new patient.1 People had a stigma attached to them, some without even realizing it. Even more concerning are the experiences of people that were left to struggle through their chronic pain without much consideration for their condition.
According to the CDC, a survey of over 3,000 patients found that 84% of them reported a decreased quality of life and more severe pain. Even more troubling is the fact that 42% of those patients considered taking their own life.2 This is the last thing that these restrictions set out to do, but it serves as a reminder that at the core of these issues are real people with real struggles, and they deserve to be seen and treated.
What is reassuring is that these new regulations highlight a clear intent to change for the better and consider the repercussions that the original recommendations lead to.
Some of the 2022 CDC opioid guidelines include:3
This epidemic is far from over, but hopefully, these regulations will take a step in the right direction. In the meantime, many Banyan Treatment Center locations offer detox programs that can help patients overcome the often-uncomfortable symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
If you are in an opioid dependency, take comfort in the fact that our team of clinical professionals has your health and best interest in mind. Many Banyan addiction facilities offer opioid-specific treatment options that can comprehensively address the substance use disorder in question.
No matter the level of care that you require, we will be with you every step of the way. Remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we cannot wait to see how brightly you shine at the end of this journey.
To learn more about our opioid treatment options at our Banyan rehab locations, call us today at 888-280-4763.
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