Public Health Issue Talking points Recording

Michelle Tinsky discusses the opioid addiction issue in Virginia Beach. There has been a significant increase in fatal opioid overdoses in recent years. The main cause is the excessive prescription of opioids for pain relief without proper follow-up from physicians. Treatment options include medication-assisted therapy, counseling, and support groups. In case of an overdose, call EMS or 911. It is important to address this issue carefully and help those who may be addicted to opioids. Hello, my name is Michelle Tinsky and today I will be here talking about the opioid addiction issue that is going on in Virginia Beach and its community. There has been a number of fatal opioid overdoses lately and according to the Virginia Department of Health, the number of fatalities has gone up exponentially over the last several years. Virginia Beach has an opioid problem. Some could even say it's an epidemic and prescriptions are by far the biggest component. Medical professionals are giving these for pain relief and many don't understand that the drug itself causes you to become used to it and then requiring you to have more and more and a higher prescription in order to feel some kind of relief and then after a while, you just become heavily addicted to it and there's no real follow-up from physicians to make sure that this doesn't happen. There are treatment alternatives available. Those struggling with this addiction can seek a variety of services in the Virginia Beach area, including medication-assisted therapy, counseling, and various support groups. In the case of an opioid overdose, if you see that happening, please call your local EMS or 911 and if you know somebody that may or may not be addicted to opioids, please talk to them as carefully as you can and approach this subject easily, but it needs to be addressed before more harm is done. Thank you for your time and participation in today's speaking.