According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the state ranks third in the country for prescription drug abuse, with about 70,000 Tennessee residents experiencing opioid addiction. In addition to opioids, the use of heroin and fentanyl is on the rise.
Even more alarming, the Tennessee Hospital Association states, “Every day, at least three Tennesseans die from an opioid-related overdose.”
To address this epidemic, organizations in Knoxville offer prevention programs and relief centers to help those in need. While starting a recovery program or counseling can initially seem daunting, Knoxville offers adequate resources to help.
Concord Recovery
Concord Recovery offers a safe environment for those looking for counseling. This organization specializes in addiction recovery with personalized treatment to ensure every patient feels welcomed and trusted.
Concord Recovery recognizes that addiction is not a choice and is a mental illness. The organization also takes pride in flexibility as they offer a telehealth option — a remote version of therapy.
Cedar Recovery
Cedar Recovery is best known for opioid recovery, as well as treating other addictions linked to opioids, such as heroin and fentanyl.
Given that cost may be an issue for some patients, Cedar Recovery accepts several forms of health insurance, which can be found on their website. This help center, located in South Knoxville, is convenient and accessible to students.
Savida Health
This opioid treatment center offers a plethora of treatment options like medication, psychiatric help and individual or group therapy.
Their trained clinicians take pride in offering “comprehensive and compassionate care” and FDA-approved Medication-Assisted Treatment.
Depending on whether patients are comfortable taking medication, they offer treatments like Vivitrol.
Vivitrol is an injectable medicine used to treat alcohol and opioid addiction. For opioids, the prescribed drug prevents relapses after the patient stops using.
More information about Savida Health can be found on their website.
Groups Recovery
Groups Recovery’s website states, “You’re more than your addiction — you deserve more than just treatment.”
Groups Recovery’s website also includes encouraging statistics. The center supports over 50,000 members, about 89% of patients stay clean each week, 44% of new patients join at the recommendation of an existing member, and it has an average of a 4.5-star rating on Google.
Groups Recovery emphasizes group therapy as the most effective addiction treatment, combining Suboxone — a type of medicine — with a community of individuals who can share their own experiences and feel less alone in their journey.
Metro Drug Coalition
Serving Knoxville for over 38 years, the Metro Drug Coalition strives to empower the city’s health and decrease addiction through “prevention, harm reduction, and recovery support.”
Harm reduction focuses on a health platform that supports individuals at their current level of needs, taking a more personalized recovery approach. According to their website, the antidote Naloxone is distributed as the treatment is scientifically proven to decrease risks.
Knowledge is power — the MDC serves as an educational platform with several events to educate the public through recovery coaching, prevention education in Knox County Schools, Naloxone training and mental health first-aid training.
Whether the addiction to opioids or opioid-related addictions is severe or not, Knoxville offers several areas of treatment. People are expected to feel unsure where to begin in the recovery process, but trying out these places is a great way to start the journey to a more sustainable, healthier life.
