Sad News about Carrie Fisher

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by superdog

I heard today that opioids right now are the cause for more deaths than all the most recent current offenders over the last decade.

Is it true?

I don't know. But it's clearly a big deal either way.

Curious that so many people are looking to fill the void.

Opioid-based painkillers are readily available (both legally/illegally) and often over-prescribed by MDs. As far as 'filling the void', there are countless avenues and paths. Some are deadly while others are commercialized spiritual scams.

[Canefan1]

Originally Posted by superdog

I heard today that opioids right now are the cause for more deaths than all the most recent current offenders over the last decade.

Is it true?

I don't know. But it's clearly a big deal either way.

Curious that so many people are looking to fill the void.

Sorry Seth,we were typing at the same time. I share your opinion.

[Dyim]

A lot of psychiatric patients 'self medicates' with alcohol and drugs. Thus addiction on top of that.

Both terrible diseases. And very difficult to treat.

[droptopman]

Always interesting to read people's thoughts on this subject. I have worked in the field for 20 years. Won't bore you with a bunch of technical BS.
If someone smokes their whole life and gets cancer people generally rally around them and have empathy. This tends to not be the case with a majority of folks who have substance use disorders.
Society just has a different view of this even though the science and brain pictures tells us it's a medical problem.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Just saying what I saw. CBS recently said the same thing.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/overdose...cans-under-50/

US media outlets occasionally pick up bad internet stories, then use each other as sources. Disease is the number one cause of death, though overdoses may be a leading cause of self inflicted fatalities.

[superdog]

Whatever. Princess Leia, Rest In Peace.

May she find the peace in death that she did not in life.

[Canefan1]

Going out on a limb here, but the opiate addicts who I lived amongst in a homeless shelter in Homestead got their heroine cheaper than prescribed opiates on the black market. I think it was 5 bucks.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Canefan1

Sorry Seth,we were typing at the same time. I share your opinion.

[droptopman]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

NBC might be off a tad. It's not even on the radar.

It is "accidental" deaths. Overdose, which they "call unintentional poisoning deaths" overtook accidental deaths which includes car wrecks and things of that nature. Last report from CDC is 2 years old but about 120 people die from overdoses daily. Number is most likely higher today.
It surprised me that the number one accidental death in the US is overdose.

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Disease is the number one cause of death, though overdoses may be a leading cause of self inflicted fatalities.

Chronic drug/alcohol abuse and addiction (along with its destructive effects on the human body) could be considered a disease of sorts. About the only ones who might disagree are those still clinging to some sort of morality/self-character pulpit. Chemical predispositions and family genetics are often key determinant factors.

[Canefan1]

For what it's worth, I have lived it and continue to live it(functioning alcoholism not opiates or pills but have been around both). Not proud of this by any stretch but what I type you can bet is real.

[cornerstore]

Drug Overdose Now Leading Cause of Injury-Related Deaths

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/846636

The article is two years old . The recent NY Times article refers to the new stats which show a huge jump in 2016 and upticking into 2017 . Primarily opiate related uptick in deaths.

[Canefan1]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Chronic drug/alcohol abuse and addiction (along with its destructive effects on the human body) could be considered a disease of sorts. About the only ones who might disagree are those still clinging to some sort of morality/self-character pulpit. Chemical predispositions and family genetics are constants in play.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by droptopman

It is "accidental" deaths. Overdose, which they "call unintentional poisoning deaths" overtook accidental deaths which includes car wrecks and things of that nature. Last report from CDC is 2 years old but about 120 people die from overdoses daily. Number is most likely higher today.
It surprised me that the number one accidental death in the US is overdose.

Found it (pea green squares).

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Chronic drug/alcohol abuse and addiction (along with its destructive effects on the human body) could be considered a disease of sorts. About the only ones who might disagree are those still clinging to some sort of morality/self-character pulpit. Chemical predispositions and family genetics are often key determinant factors.

That's not what the CDC is saying. These are unintentional fatality statistics.

[droptopman]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Found it (pea green squares).

Nice work. On my phone or I would have put up some links.

[Canefan1]

I'll refrain after this post. Marc's point if I'm not mistaken was that her death was "sad". Just like everything else in life, talk to 10 people and you can get 10 different opinions. I'm certainly not sad about this Gals passing just I wouldn't expect anyone to be sad of my passing. Took too much of your time already, thx.

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

That's not what the CDC is saying. These are unintentional fatality statistics.

Comprende Abdullah. In most cases, an OD is unintentional and an attempt to overcome some sort of resistance factor that the body had built-up due to chronic usage of a certain substance. Regardless of any pre-specified CDC categories, sub-categories, and clinical definitions, chronic alcoholism and drug abuse (along with their health-related repercussions) are reflective of an all encompassing disease that takes its toll physically, mentally and emotionally. HIV, Hepatitis C, blood poisoning, liver damage, strokes, heart attacks etc. are all life-threatening diseases and issues that can sometimes be traced back to chronic drug/alcohol abuse. Thus the causal factor can also be a disease in and of itself. Carrie Fisher died of a heart attack attributable to her long history of substance abuse. She was already ill and suffering from a disease prior to her eventual passing.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Comprende Abdullah. In most cases, an OD is unintentional and an attempt to overcome some sort of resistance factor that the body had built-up due to chronic usage of a certain substance. Regardless of any pre-specified CDC categories, sub-categories, and clinical definitions, chronic alcoholism and drug abuse (along with their health-related repercussions) are reflective of an all encompassing disease that takes its toll physically, mentally and emotionally. HIV, Hepatitis C, blood poisoning, liver damage, strokes, heart attacks etc. are all life-threatening diseases and issues that can sometimes be traced back to chronic drug/alcohol abuse. Thus the causal factor can also be a disease in and of itself. Carrie Fisher died of a heart attack attributable to her long history of substance abuse. She was already ill and suffering from a disease prior to her eventual passing.

You can make up any drivel you like, but the data is about unintentional fatalities, more specifically unintentional poisoning, not some all encompassing metaphysical disease.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Just saying what I saw. CBS recently said the same thing.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/overdose...cans-under-50/

CBS is potentially wrong. They claim to be basing their reporting on this NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...than-ever.html

Edit: I read the NYT article when it was first published, but I've also just read it again. It sounds like drug deaths actually are the leading cause of death for Americans under 50. NYT says so outright.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

NBC might be off a tad. It's not even on the radar.

They are correct, at least for the under-50 age group. Combining this chart with the other CDC chart you posted, we can see that it's true for the 0-44 age group but not true for 0-54 age group. 50 could feasibly be the cut-off year.

[AzHadEnuf]

Originally Posted by Canefan1

For what it's worth, I have lived it and continue to live it(functioning alcoholism not opiates or pills but have been around both). Not proud of this by any stretch but what I type you can bet is real.

Reminds me of the time after being clean & sober a couple of years, I proudly told my mom "Well at least I was a functioning alcoholic". Her reply, "Ralph you were a drunk with a job". OUCH! Wise women my mom.

RIP Ms. Fisher

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

CBS is potentially wrong. They claim to be basing their reporting on this NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...than-ever.html

Edit: I read the NYT article when it was first published, but I've also just read it again. It sounds like drug deaths actually are the leading cause of death for Americans under 50. NYT says so outright.

Look at the values in the mortality maps. Diseases represent quite a few more deaths than unintentional deaths.

[faldoc]

I was vaguely aware of opioid overdose but it came to the forefront when they required a DEA course to be taken by physicians at a recent medical meeting.

The number of OD Deaths has skyrocketed, tripling in recent years to over 30,000 a year, especially with potent drugs such as fentanyl in the mix.

Some of these dealers intentionally spike their drugs so they get a few overdoses in order to enhance their product reputation. Despicable.

It happens to families of all walks of life and it is sad.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by faldoc

I was vaguely aware of opioid overdose but it came to the forefront when they required a DEA course to be taken by physicians at a recent medical meeting.

The number of OD Deaths has skyrocketed, tripling in recent years to over 30,000 a year, especially with potent drugs such as fentanyl in the mix.

Some of these dealers intentionally spike their drugs so they get a few overdoses in order to enhance their product reputation. Despicable.

It happens to families of all walks of life and it is sad.

The company I deal with (Absolut) hasn't done that yet.

[Canefan1]

Originally Posted by MonBK

The company I deal with (Absolut) hasn't done that yet.

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by MonBK

The company I deal with (Absolut) hasn't done that yet.

Switch to Kentucky moonshine then.

[locutus49]

There is an opiod hysteria sweeping USA. These types of hysteria never end well for people with actual pain and cancer patients who need opiods.

Re Carrie, it is hard to do an intervention with a star who surrounds herself with enablers. I don't judge her, everyone deserves some empathy. Life is difficult.

[Demosthene]

Originally Posted by locutus49

There is an opiod hysteria sweeping USA. These types of hysteria never end well for people with actual pain and cancer patients who need opiods.

The term hysteria implies that it's exaggerated which is certainly not the case.

In Ohio for instance in 2016 alone, 2.3 million patients roughly 20 percent of the state’s population were prescribed opioids.
And if thats not a jaw dropping statistic I dont know what is.

[droptopman]

One thing on death rates that has always skewed the data. If an alcoholic is in alcohol withdrawal and has a seizure and a heart attack and dies from this. Statistically it will say cause of death "heart disease".

There are many diseases/medical issues that are exacerbated by addiction. In many cases the root cause of death is addiction, but the listed cause will be something else: heart disease, diabetes, blood infection, cancer and so on.