In the News
More Fatalities from Overdose than Traffic Accidents: The Overdose Epidemic
April 14, 2015
There are more fatalities from overdose than traffic accidents, says the New York Times. Epidemic is clearly the right word to apply to this ever-growing problem. Heroin is getting cheaper and easier to find. Dealers are getting more organized and smarter. And this isn’t an issue of the welfare class. It is an issue plaguing your neighbors, friends and family. It is an epidemic silently suffered by suburban Middle America, who hide the truths of overdose and pain out of fear and shame.
We need to act now to fight addiction, and articles like “Serving All Your Heroin Needs” from the New York Times are just one strong step in bringing this epidemic out of the shadows.
To read the original article from New York Times, click here.
Dr. Raj on Why Heroine Addicts Need More Than An Overdose Antidote featured by NBC News
December 26, 2014
The opiate-blocker naloxone is one of the year’s most celebrated drugs, breaking into the mainstream as a magic-bullet antidote that yanks overdose victims from the brink of death with a shot of nasal spray or an intravenous injection. Police take it on patrols. Emergency medical technicians keep it in their ambulances. Ordinary Americans are stocking their medicine cabinets with it. Because of it, hundreds of people who might have died this year from taking too much heroin, Oxycontin or similar painkillers remain alive.
But the lifesaving medication is not a cure.
Read Full Story on NBCnews.com
What does Dr. Raj have to say about the New York Times article highlighted the issues of treating substance abuse with medications?
October 20, 2014
Dr. Raj’s Opiate Task Force Meetings featured by the Asbury Park Press
July 8, 2014
Thank you to App.com for featuring information on our monthly Opiate Task Force Meetings and our distribution of Naloxone Kits. Naloxone Kits can be used to help revive a person experiencing an overdose, and are now approved in the state on New Jersey to be prescribed to anyone that may “be in a position to assist another individual during an overdose,” such as a concerned family member or friend.
Join us at our next meeting to learn more about Naloxone Kits and how you can help a loved one through a difficult time of addiction.
To read the original article from Asbury Park Press, click here.
Selfies Can Be a Linked to Body Dysmorphic Disorder
April 2, 2014
A boy in the UK was hospitalized after trying to commit suicide over failing to take the perfect selfie (a photo of himself, taken by himself). This may sound extreme to most, but the Selfie-mania was really a presentation of his Body Dysmorphic Disorder, in which an individual has a preoccupation with a perceived defect of their physical appearance. This disease requires treatment, as it can lead to obsessive, harmful behavior and suicide. I am glad this boy was able to get help, and wish him well on his path to recovery.
To read the original article from The Standard, click here.
Video Game Pulled from App Stores Because Addictive
March 31, 2014
The creator of Flappy Bird has pulled his game from Apple and Android App stores because of its addictive nature. When he saw the effects of his game on his fellow students and self, he felt the need to remove it from the public to curb the addictions. Though it was commendable of the creator to do, a true Video Game Addict will merely substitute this game for another game with similar reward-stimulating features. The creator is also considering bringing the game back, but adding a warning to the intro of the game. As many individuals do not take the concept of gaming-addiction seriously, a well placed warning may help spread the message.
To read the original article from Examiner.com, click here.
Heroin and Other Opiates are a Growing Problem in New Jersey
March 24, 2014
I am glad to see that New Jersey is beginning to take Heroin and Opiate addiction seriously. After a 2 year study resulting in an 88-page report, with 18 recommendations to bring about awareness and law reform, it will be interesting to see what the state will ultimately do over the next few years. Hopefully, they will focus on offering much-needed help to those interested in recovery and will help us bring awareness to the traps of drug abuse.
To read the original article from NorthJersey.com, click here.
Heroin: The Hidden Killer
February 26, 2014
It is an unfortunate reality that people are dying every day from Heroin usage, and few are aware that this is taking place right in their own backyard. In Newark, New Jersey alone, there were 1,827 reported heroin abuse cases in 2012. That figure counts only those who had been arrested or hospitalized as a result of the drug, not the thousands who take their lives into their own hands every day and have not yet been caught.
We should address this issue by teaching the dangers of heroin addiction, and helping those who suffer from the affliction. Thank you to The Patch for highlighting such a powerful issue in today’s society.
To read the original article from The Patch, click here.
Avoiding the Issue or Combating Addiction with Full Force?
February 7, 2014
Recently, the New York Times highlighted the issues of treating substance abuse with medications instead of full removal of the substance. Though the substitution method has helped many, there is still the risk of overdose if used improperly.
Watch the video above to hear Dr. Raj’s take on this issue and click here to read the original New York Times article.