Heroin addiction has reached epidemic proportions in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2016, Atlanta’s 11 Alive News featured an in-depth investigation into the growing heroin problem facing Atlanta’s teens and young adults. In fact, in episode one of “The Triangle,” 11 Alive reported a nearly 4000% increase in heroin use over a six-year period.

The Triangle refers to a mapped area of communities in Atlanta that form a triangle. It includes Fulton, Dekalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett counties. In 2017, the investigation into the Triangle was updated to include an even greater number of Atlanta suburbs than initially thought. The opiate epidemic is spreading.
The story of opiate addiction within Atlanta’s Triangle has gripped the city. Heroin use has become so pervasive that nearly everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by it.

Opiate Addiction Among Teens

Atlanta’s heroin epidemic is killing our youth. The CDC reports that heroin-related deaths increased in number 5 TIMES between 2010 and 2016. Nearly every high-school or college-aged student has been exposed to, or knows someone who has been exposed to heroin use.

Often, teens are introduced to opiates in pill form and then resort to heroin because it is cheaper and readily available. At Breakthrough Recovery Outreach, we are trying to make an impact by contacting Atlanta’s school administrators to talk to them about the importance of reaching middle-school and high-school age children early.
Like nearly all people with substance abuse problems, most heroin users initiate their drug use in their early teens, usually beginning with alcohol and marijuana. There is ample evidence that early initiation of drug use primes the brain for enhanced later responses to other drugs.

Educating Atlanta’s Teens on the Dangers of Opiate Addiction

The 11 Alive investigation into The Triangle in Atlanta revealed that schools are trying to teach teens early about the dangers of opiate addiction and heroin use. Early intervention and education can make a difference.
Parents, too, need to actively educate their children about the dangers of opiate abuse. If you are a parent or have a teenaged family member, please feel free to refer them to NDA for Teens. NDA for Teens is the National Institute of Health’s “National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens.” Here you’ll find information that helps foster healthy, preventative conversations with teens. The website provides answers to questions teens may not know, such as:

• What happens to your body when you use heroin?
• Can you die from a heroin overdose?
• How many teens use heroin?
• What should I do if I know someone that needs help?

Addiction to Prescription Opiates – Another Danger

Prescription drugs like Oxycontin, Percocet, Norco and other opiates are highly addictive and often abused.
Patients of all ages may be prescribed opiates for surgery and other valid reasons. It is critical to understand using a prescription opiate in succession for a month or longer increases the risk of potential addiction.
Older patients who have been prescribed opiates to treat chronic pain are also at risk for addiction. To combat prescription opiate abuse, the American Medical Association has created a task force to reverse the opioid epidemic. As part of their plan, they have created an “End the Epidemic” campaign that supports comprehensive treatment for pain and substance use disorders. The campaign website directly refers page visitors to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAHMSA) treatment centers around the U.S.
These treatment centers are the first step in opiate recovery. They offer medication-assisted treatment, such as Buprenorphine, which is commonly used to help addicts reduce and quit the use of heroin and prescription painkillers.

For Opiate Addicts, Residential Treatment Can Help

Addiction crosses all age, social, and economic barriers. In 2016, the CDC reported that males aged 25 – 44 had the highest heroin death rate.1 Addicts suffering from opiate and heroin addiction around the U.S. and within Atlanta’s Triangle need urgent help.

Breakthrough Recovery Outreach is committed to helping combat Atlanta’s opiate epidemic. We believe successful treatment should include a multi-faceted approach that combines the best of medical science with robust psychological and holistic coping tools.

Immediate treatment may include detox at an in-patient drug treatment facility. Addicts who check in for detox are generally advised to seek long-term aftercare services. Aftercare is our specialty, and we are passionate about it.

Aftercare services, including residential treatment facilities, offer opiate addicts the best chance to remain clean and sober. Long-term care gives addicts time to break old habits and replace them with new and healthy ones. Breakthrough Recovery Outreach provides a sense of community and belonging, supportive mental health services, and a comprehensive plan that includes participation in a 12-step program.

Breakthrough Recovery Outreach is a State licensed, CARF-accredited facility that encompasses a holistic approach to treatment. Our sober-living residence offers Intensive Residential Treatment, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Out-Patient, and Community Outreach Services. Our clients engage in daily group therapies, weekly individual and family therapy sessions, all of which are facilitated by a licensed therapist.
Some of the groups our patients participate in are:

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Anger Management Meditation and Yoga Music Therapy Qi Gong, Life Skills

Addiction Education Medication Education Nutrition and Health Co-Occurring Disorders Stress Management

Recovery is Possible

Opiate addicts feel hopeless, but THERE IS HOPE. With comprehensive treatment and a team of medical professionals that care, they can recover and go on to live happy, productive lives.

If You or Someone You Know Needs Help with Addiction, We’re Here

If Atlanta’s opiate epidemic has impacted you or someone you love, please call us at 770-493-7750.
Let’s work together to get you or your family member on the road to recovery! Learn about our long-term residential drug treatment center options Here.