For Mental Health Awareness Month, Indivior Offers Hope for Opioid Use Disorder Recovery Through One Man's Inspiring Story

RICHMOND, Va., May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to increase understanding of the importance of mental health and to break the stigma associated with mental illness. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is one type of mental illness that affects a person's brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances such as legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications.¹ In addition, some people with SUD have co-occuring mental illnesses.² As SUD and overdose deaths reach an unprecedented high across America, one man's story provide a reason for hope.³

The number of people suffering from mental illness has been increasing in the U.S. with almost 1 in 5 adults experiencing some sort of mental illness in 2020, a problem that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.^4,5 According to the 2021 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report, approximately 5.7 million adults aged 18 or older with serious mental illnesses are affected by substance abuse, and 47.8% of illicit drug users have at least one serious mental illness.⁶ The need for access to effective treatments for both mental illness and SUD has never been more urgent.

Despite the increasing number of people struggling with SUD and opioid use disorder (OUD), Indivior seeks to project hope by sharing one man's personal journey to recovery. Through his story, Kyle of Kansas City wants to inspire others to seek help from family, friends, and healthcare professionals.

"After several years and recovery attempts, I was able to find a treatment plan that worked well for me, and I'm proud to say that I have not touched an illegal drug in over three years," said Kyle. "I tell my story to let other people suffering from OUD know that there is hope and a path forward. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You will be amazed at what you can do if you stay on the road to recovery." 

"Patient stories like that of Kyle fuel our passion and remind us of the importance of the work that we do each day. Through research, advocacy and education, we can help foster hope among patients and their families and help move more patients toward long-term recovery," said Christian Heidbreder, Chief Scientific Officer, Indivior.

About Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)  

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a chronic disease in which people develop a pattern of using opioids that can lead to negative consequences. OUD may affect the parts of the brain that are necessary for life-sustaining functions.⁷

About Indivior 
Indivior is a global pharmaceutical company working to help change patients' lives by developing medicines to treat substance use disorders (SUD) and serious mental illnesses. Our vision is that all patients around the world will have access to evidence-based treatment for the chronic conditions and co-occurring disorders of SUD. Indivior is dedicated to transforming SUD from a global human crisis to a recognized and treated chronic disease. Building on its global portfolio of OUD treatments, Indivior has a pipeline of product candidates designed to both expand on its heritage in this category and potentially address other chronic conditions and co-occurring disorders of SUD, including alcohol use disorder and cannabis use disorder. Headquartered in the United States in Richmond, VA, Indivior employs more than 900 individuals globally and its portfolio of products is available in over 40 countries worldwide. Visit www.indivior.com to learn more. Connect with Indivior on LinkedIn by visiting www.linkedin.com/company/indivior. 

References:

1. Substance Use and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/substance-use-and-mental-health#:%7E:text=A%20substance%20use%20disorder%20(SUD,drugs%2C%20alcohol%2C%20or%20medications.
2. The Connection Between Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Part 1. Part 1: The Connection Between Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)
3. American Medical Association. (2022, January 11). 2022 a critical year to address worsening drug-overdose crisis. https://www.ama-assn.org/about/leadership/2022-critical-year-address-worsening-drug-overdose-crisis
4. Mental Illness. (2020). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
5. COVID's mental-health toll: how scientists are tracking a surge in depression. (2021, February 3). Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00175-z?error=cookies_not_supported&code=657755a1-ee16-41be-b635-72d62d3d4931
6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP21-07-01-003, NSDUH Series H-56). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/  
7. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 18-5063PT5, Printed 2018.

SOURCE Indivior