According to the latest government report, the main motivation behind misusing prescription opioids is to relieve pain (62.3 percent). The other reasons for misusing opioids include getting high (12.9 percent) or relieving tension (10.8 percent). The tendency to use prescription opioids at one’s own volition or take a higher dosage than prescribed leads to opioid abuse. In fact, the misuse of prescription drugs has escalated to epidemic proportions in the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlighting the overdose death tally to be more than 64,000 in 2016.

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Overdosing on Prescription Opioids Shortens Lifespan by 2.5 Months
According to the latest government report, the main motivation behind misusing prescription
opioids is to relieve pain (62.3 percent). The other reasons for misusing opioids include getting
high (12.9 percent) or relieving tension (10.8 percent). The tendency to use prescription
opioids at one’s own volition or take a higher dosage than prescribed leads to opioid abuse.
In fact, the misuse of prescription drugs has escalated to epidemic proportions in the United
States, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlighting the overdose
death tally to be more than 64,000 in 2016.
Many experts
believe that the
outbreak of opioid
overdose was
significantly driven
by the increased
prescription of pain
medication. In
2012, enough
prescriptions were
written to provide
every adult
American with a
bottle of painkillers.
Moreover, legal
prescription drugs,
such as oxycodone
and hydrocodone,
and illegal drugs, such as heroin and fentanyl, are often involved in most overdose deaths.
According to a new analysis published in the medical journal JAMA, the misuse of prescription
opioids not only imperils an individual’s life but also shortens his or her lifespan by two-and-
a-half months.
Opioid-related overdoses lower life expectancy
From 2000 to 2015, the drug poisoning mortality rate more than doubled in the U.S. And, in
the case of opioids, it more than tripled. The analysis found that the increase in the number
of drug overdoses has resulted in reduced life expectancy, particularly among non-Hispanic
whites. The average life expectancy of Americans fell in 2015 for the first time, since 1993.
The researchers alluded to improper processing of death certificates to be the reason for
underestimation of the total number of opioids overdose deaths.
The death rates due to conditions, such as heart diseases, diabetes, etc., have significantly
declined from 2000 to 2015, bolstering the average life expectancy by two-and-a-half years.

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However, increases in deaths due to Alzheimer’s disease, suicide, etc., have negated some of
those improvements.
In 2015, the average life expectancy was at 78.8 years, diminishing by a month since 2014.
While women continue to live longer (81.2 years) than men (76.3 years), the estimates for
both genders were found to be lower in 2015 than 2014. However, life expectancy of both
sexes did not change at the age of 65 in 2015. On the adjustment of prescription drug abuse,
it was discovered that opioids reduce a person’s life expectancy by roughly two-and-a-half
months.
While the opioid epidemic was largely driven by legal prescription drugs earlier, it is being led
by heroin and illicit fentanyl in recent years. Such a significant shift in opioid crisis has played
a pivotal role in increasing overdose deaths. According to the CDC, fentanyl is forecasted to
be the leading cause of opioid overdose due to the doubling of the impact from about 9,945
in 2016 to 20,145 in 2017.
As an attempt to stem the tide of opioid menace, the Trump administration has declared the
opioid crisis as a national emergency. In addition, the Trump administration is also
collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to find innovative ways to implement non-
opioid and nonaddictive pain relief alternatives to manage pain.
Stand above the influence
Unlike other addictive substances, one starts abusing opioids right from the doctor’s
chamber. Due to the high level of addictiveness, people tend to become dependent on opioids
during the treatment for chronic pain. Therefore, there’s a significant risk of developing an
addiction even when these drugs are taken as per the prescription. Although the CDC has
released new guidelines for prescribing opioids in 2016 along with the mass production of
opioid antagonist drugs like naloxone and naltrexone, tackling the opioid crisis remains a
herculean task.
If you or your loved one is battling an addiction to opioids, it is imperative to seek help. The
Florida Prescription Addiction Helpline assists in accessing the best prescription drug rehab
centers in Florida that specialize in delivering evidence-based intervention plans. Call at our
24/7 helpline 866-292-3211 to know more about the drug addiction treatment centers in
Florida.