As the National Institute on Drug Abuse notes, overdose deaths have grown 2.2-fold over the last few years. The biggest spikes in fatalities happened in 2006, 2011, and 2015. Opioid-related deaths, in particular, are on a steep rise. Many of these fatalities come from unintentional overdoses. Individuals don’t realize that taking more of the substance than their doctors indicate they should, can result in death. Sometimes these situations occur because users mix alcohol and other depressants with opioids. Since they act on the nervous system in the same way, they amplify each other’s effects. Typically, these overdoses involve the gradual slowing of breathing, which eventually stops and results in death by asphyxiation. Other figures show that young adults and older teens are among the most likely demographics to use. However, senior citizens, particularly those in their 50s and 60s, also show a rapid increase in drug abuse. Reasons for drug use run the gamut, but once an addiction takes hold, it takes professional assistance to stop. Did you know that of the nearly 23 million people with a drug problem, only about 2.5 million received help? These drug abuse statistics are worrisome, especially since you can’t overcome addiction alone.