Who Answers?
We are living in unprecedented times when it comes to addiction treatment. There are not only facilities and organizations that offer help for issues like opioid dependency, but now your primary care physician can prescribe medicine to treat the problem. So, why aren’t more people contacting their local doctors for help? Research suggests it’s often a simple lack of awareness.
One of the problems is that there is a disconnect between the people who need help with opioid addiction and the knowledge of how to get treatment. A 2023 survey showed that more than 80% of the people interviewed weren’t aware they could seek assistance from their doctors. Since more than 20 million people in the United States alone have an addiction issue, you might think this information would be more accessible.
Part of the miscommunication could be that until now, most of us have thought you must get help for any addiction in a facility, whether outpatient or inpatient treatment. While that can benefit many, it’s not always feasible for everyone. Fortunately, the changes in federal policy that removed some of the specialized training requirements for prescribing medications have helped pave a new path.
Now the number of physicians who can prescribe medications like buprenorphine has increased. This could present formidable financial savings to those who cannot afford either the treatment offered in centers or the time missed from work to get assistance.
What needs to happen to change the public’s perception of this potential game-changing benefit for opioid dependency? The predominant factor is more awareness. Once we know better, we can do better, and making the public more informed can dramatically alter the landscape of opioid addiction disorders. In this instance, knowledge truly is power.
The more people who know they can get help for their substance issues in the comfort of office-based care, the more likely it may be that the trajectory of this crisis will change. Although having the support and professional knowledge provided by addiction specialists may still be preferential to many facing opioid addiction, this will at least offer another avenue for assistance
