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According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, addiction to prescription opioid painkillers is real. Of the 21.5 million Americans 12 or older who had a substance use disorder in 2014, 1.9 million had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain pills.
Addicts aren't just the stereotypical shady figures hiding in dark alleys to get a fix. They are average people turning to health care providers for medication that is highly addictive. Mayo Clinic experts agree that an opioid epidemic exists in the U.S.
In this Mayo Clinic Minute, reporter Vivien Williams talks to pain medicine specialist Dr. Mike Hooten about the changing face of addiction.
View the complete series:
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Prescription drugs ─ the changing face of addiction
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Facts on fentanyl
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Avoid opioids for chronic pain
- Mayo Clinic Minute: 2 reasons not to share pain pills
- Mayo Clinic Minute: When are opioids OK to take?
- Mayo Clinic Minute: What opioids do to your guts
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How to stop popping painkillers
Journalists: This broadcast-quality video pkg (1:01) is in the downloads. Read the script.
