With the number of alcohol and opioid-related deaths rising nationally and statewide, the effects of addiction are too close to home to ignore.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of six Americans died of alcohol poisoning every day from 2010 to 2012 — and the number is even higher for opioid overdoses, which account for 91 deaths each day. Georgia ranks among the top 11 states with the most prescription opioid overdose deaths. Between 1999 and 2014, prescription opioid overdose deaths in Georgia increased tenfold to 549.
In 2014, 60 percent of the state’s 55 counties with drug overdose rates higher than the national average were located in rural areas with limited access to substance abuse disorder treatment or medication-assisted treatment. Opioids, primarily prescription pain relievers and heroin, are the main driver of drug overdose deaths, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
That’s why the regional behavioral health service Willowbrooke at Tanner is inviting the community to attend a free discussion on Tuesday, March 27, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Tabernacle Baptist Church, located at 150 Tabernacle Drive in Carrollton.
The program, Close to Home: The Sobering Truth About Alcohol and Opioids, will help those in attendance understand the prevalence of substance abuse, learn how to recognize the signs of addiction, and where to get help. It will feature current regional statistics related to alcohol and opioid use, signs and symptoms to watch out for, a list of local treatment options and support groups, and a question-and-answer session with a panel of behavioral health experts from Willowbrooke at Tanner and a drug education official with the Georgia Department of Education.
The panel will feature: Brian Gibson, LPC, a primary therapist; Meagan Thompson, MA, LPC, assistant director at Willowbrooke at Tanner; and Cheryl Benefield, program manager for Safe and Drug-Free Schools at the Georgia Department of Education.
Prior to the panel discussion, officers from the Villa Rica Police Department will give a demonstration on the effects of alcohol and opioid use. The event will also feature a representative from West Georgia Ambulance and an officer from the Carrollton Police Department who will provide a first-hand account of how the alcohol and opioid crisis has impacted west Georgia.
Information and resources will be available at the event. A beverage and dessert will also be provided. Registration is required at www.tanner.org/soberingtruth.
The March 27 discussion is part of Tanner Health System’s free Advancing Your Health Education Series, providing residents with access to free health information from the region’s leading health experts and covering a wide range of topics, including heart disease, orthopedics, women’s care and more. Other upcoming opportunities can be found in the “Classes and Events” calendar at www.tanner.org/calendar.
For more information or to schedule a free and confidential mental health screening, call Willowbrooke at Tanner’s 24-hour helpline at 770.812.9551. More information on Willowbrooke at Tanner is available at www.WillowbrookeAtTanner.org.