Winthrop Opioid Addiction Forum Led By Speakers From Law Enforcement, Maine Rehab Centers
An opioid addiction forum was recently held at Winthrop High School to discuss the opioid epidemic affecting local Maine communities. The event featured speakers from several different agencies invested in improving opioid abuse rates, including law enforcement, hospitals, and Maine rehab centers that offer addiction treatment. The purpose of the forum was to encourage agencies to work together toward preventing opioid addiction in Maine.
If you are addicted to opioids and live in Maine, understand there are several nearby rehab centers that can help you overcome addiction and dependence. Call our 24/7 confidential helpline at 888-414-2380 to speak with a caring addiction specialist who can discuss your rehab options.
Addressing Opioid Addiction in Winthrop
The opioid addiction forum focused mainly on prevention and treatment.
At the opioid addiction forum, Winthrop Police Chief Ryan Frost said he recently received a phone call from a drug offender he had arrested multiple times on charges associated with heroin use. Frost said that on the phone call, the man informed him he had been sober for two years and wanted to help local law enforcement address the state’s opioid epidemic. Frost said the man’s opioid addiction had originally stemmed from marijuana and alcohol use, and that he was amazed to hear that the reformed addict was doing well.
A speaker from the Maine Attorney General’s Office said as of June 30, opioid overdose deaths in Maine had already doubled from the previous year. John Dovinsky of the Winthrop Ambulance Service said responses to drug overdoses increased by 29% from last year. Donna Strickler of the Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Center in Winthrop said sexual assault victims were up to 10 times more likely to use marijuana, cocaine, and other substances than those who weren’t victimized.
Dovinsky also mentioned that people from all walks of life abuse opioids, from neighbors, to family members, to respectable figures in society. Other speakers mentioned research and study findings that pointed toward early marijuana and tobacco use being linked to later drug use, including opioid use. The forum was the second of its kind to take place in Winthrop.
Treating Opioid Addiction at Maine Rehab Centers
Maine residents who suffer from addiction can overcome dependence and achieve sobriety at rehab centers that specialize in treating their addiction type. Since opioids alter brain chemistry, quitting abruptly can lead to physical cravings and severe withdrawal symptoms that cause pain and discomfort. But individuals who seek treatment at opioid rehab centers have access to medication-assisted treatments that combine medication with counseling for the best sobriety outcome.
Medications such as methadone and buprenorphine mimic the effects of opioids while blocking feelings of pain relief and euphoria. This allows recovering addicts to withdraw safely and slowly from heroin, fentanyl, and other opioids without adverse side effects. Following the detox stage of rehab, patients go on to attend ongoing counseling and therapy sessions that address addiction and relapse, and that stress the importance of healthy living.
If you are addicted to heroin or another opioid, understand that you don’t have to overcome addiction on your own without help. Call our confidential helpline at 888-414-2380 to find local Maine rehab centers that can guide you successfully toward sobriety and a healthier, happier life.
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