All drugs of addiction produce a positive reward with efficacy and once the efficacy tapers off so do the effects from the drug. Despite the consequences that can occur from an addicting behavior, individuals like how the reward made them feel. Therefore, repeating the behavior over and over creates a cycle of addiction. Equally important, is the social concern from the mortality rate statistics from drug addiction listed from most to least overdose: opioid, cocaine, and benzodiazepines. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics and in
Figure 1. “More than 72,000 Americans died from drug overdose in 2017; 49,068 involve opioid overdose, 14,556 involve cocaine overdose; and 10,684 involve benzodiazepine overdose” (
National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). Within this commentary article, there will be suggestive research for an optimistic outlook on novel ways to approach our nation’s crisis. In addition, there will be some examples of the most common prescription drug types describing their mechanism of action. Finally, discussing the stages of drug addiction to reveal where relapse occurs so there can be better monitoring and documentation while help aiding with some of the Health and Human Services 5-Point Strategy, “Better addition prevention, treatment, and recovery services, better data, better pain management, better targeting of overdose reversing drugs, and better research” (
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018).