The Vulnerable Self: Trauma, Addiction, and the Pandemic Fallout

Helen Sairany, BA, PharmD, MBA, RPh, BCACP

This executive summary focuses on the alarming rise we have seen in substance use in Florida as well as the nation, a topic that could not be timelier. According to recent report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), more than 93,000 people died of a drug overdose in the United States in 2021 – the highest number of overdose deaths the country has ever recorded. Of these numbers, 7,579 people died from a drug overdose in Florida, making Florida number two in the nation for overdose deaths behind only California. This number is a 37% increase from 2019.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 17 million U.S. adults experienced both mental health and substance use disorder in 2020. In 2019 alone, there were

49,860 opioid-related deaths. Though Florida has struggled with substance misuse crisis for years, the pandemic only exacerbated these effects. Many studies have shown that the pandemic contributed to increased alcohol and drug abuse, suicide attempts, and calls to mental health hotlines, because of the isolation, disruption to routines, economic uncertainty, and the anxiety it created. As a result, both alcohol and drug use are up. Approximately 8% of Florida citizens are using illicit drugs at any given point in time, which comes out to be approximately 1.5 million Floridians. Pasco County Sheriff’s Office reported a total of 1,491 overdoses in 2020 which was a 71% increase from 2019. The former Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency to authorize the state to draw the funding from the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants, a program that was established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in April of 2017 and that was administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Agency (SAMHSA).

Unfortunately, many of these problems were reaching epidemic proportions even before COVID-19. Consider that, pre-pandemic, President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a national emergency, relying on the following statistics:

Each day, 140 Americans die of an opioid-related overdose.

Drug overdoses are the leading causes of injury deaths in America, surpassing the totals for either firearm or vehicle traffic deaths. Shockingly enough, sustaining this death toll is the equivalent of experiencing an event like 9/11 every three weeks.

In 2015, 27 million people reported current use of illegal drugs or abuse of prescription drugs. The staggering number of opioids prescribed in the U.S. in 2015 was enough for every American to be on medication around the clock for three weeks.

Americans are apparently in more pain than any other population in the world. At least, that is the conclusion that can be drawn from the startling findings from recent years: Approximately 80% of the global opioid supply is consumed in the United States, which accounts for only 5% of the world population. In the words of Vikesh Singh, assistant professor of medicine and director of the Pancreatitis Center at John Hopkins University, “If you include Canada and Western Europe [consumption of global opioid supply] increases to 95%, so the remaining countries only have access to about 5% of the opioid supply.”

The harsh reality that at least 140 people die from overdoses every day in the U.S. – two thirds of which are from opioids, isn’t new information, according to Dr. Gabor Maté, addiction expert and author of the book, The Myth of Normal. Dr. Maté says,

“We need to change the conversation to provide an effective response to the crisis. Dissuading people from taking drugs and treating addictive behavior isn’t the answer. Understanding and addressing the emotional pain and adverse conditions at the root of addiction would be significantly more effective.”

What do these scary statistics and findings mean for pharmacists, who are the most accessible providers in the country? It means we have a role to play, and as an association, we are obligated to provide our frontline heroes the tools and resources to fight this worthy fight. Here is what we have to share so far.

For the very first time, FPA is offering a live Summit on substance use Disorder, where we have selected sessions topics and recruited national experts in substance use disorder to tackle this timely topic. In addition, FPA’s Annual Convention Opening Keynote is dedicated to addressing this epidemic. We are honored to have the world renowned counselor, Jerry Moe, join us at FPA’s 133rd Annual Convention in Marco Island.

Make sure you mark your calendar so you can join us for FPA’s inaugural offering of FPA’s Summit on SUD from May 20 to May 21 and our Annual Meeting in Marco Island from July 5 to July 9. Registration to both events is live.

I look forward to seeing you soon!