Florida native refuses to give up his 20-year fight against addiction

President Obama announces Prescription Opioid, Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – President Barack Obama declared this week "Prescription Opioid and Heroim Epidemic Week" -- a declaration that one local man, who is fighting addiction, said is long overdue. 

In the last 10 years, health officials said they have been helping people fighting against an addiction to opioids and heroin. Pill mills have also been shut down in the last five years. However, the problem lingers as many are still addicted to opioids. 

Patrick Hamel, a Florida native, has been fighting addiction for 20 years. 

"Opioids, crack cocaine, basically, anything I could get my hands on that would take me away from my so called 'problems' that I caused, not that were given to me," Hamel said.

Hamel has been in rehab over a dozen times, but he is not giving up. 

"Early in my going to rehab, I would say 'No. I have a disease, blame it on that.' But you literally have to want to quit. You have to fight this fight you're fighting," Hamel said. "And a lot of people don't understand that it's tough. You are going through spiritual warfare." 

His fight to be drug free has brought Hamel to Beaches Recovery, a rehabilitation center that houses and treats about 74 patients a week.

The staff has seen an increase in heroin and opioid addictions -- the same drugs that Hamel is fight to break free from. 

Ryan Terry, a licensed mental health counselor, said the new wave of addiction to opioids began in the last 10 years. 

"It's in rural communities. It's in affluent communities. We call it an 'equal opportunity destroyer.' It seems to affect everybody regardless of socio-economics, race, ethnicity, gender," Terry said. "And that's really what we are seeing."

While Terry helps patients fight addiction, the Obama administration has begun a new fight through the Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, proposing spending about $1 billion for treatment and prevention of opioid and heroin addiction. 

During the Awareness Week, the White House will host a roundtable with parents affected by the epidemic. Federal agencies will also be taking several steps, including:

  • Expanding substance use disorder treatment in the TRICARE system to include coverage of intensive outpatient programs and treatment of opioid use disorders with medication-assisted treatment.
  • Establishing enhanced measures in conjunction with the Chinese government to combat the supply of fentanyl and its analogues coming to the United States.
  • Increasing the patient limit from 100 to 275 for practitioners prescribing buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorders. Since July, 1,275 practitioners have applied for and been granted waivers to prescribe at the increased limit—improving access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
  • Supporting distance learning and telemedicine programs that expand access to healthcare, substance use disorder treatment, and educational opportunities in rural communities.

Hamel said he also has the goal of helping others overcome drugs too. 

"I think, the biggest one for me, is to be able to help another alcoholic or addict. I don't have a bunch of letters behind my name to do it," Hamel said. 

To learn more about treatment options, visit the Beaches Recovery website.


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