Drug addiction is a significant public health concern in Austin, Texas, with far-reaching implications for individuals, families and the community as a whole. Drug addiction remains a critical public health issue in Austin, Texas, with recent data highlighting the severity of the crisis. In 2023, Travis County reported 440 accidental drug-related deaths, equating to 33 deaths per 100,000 residents, the highest rate among major urban counties in Texas.
Understanding the root causes of drug abuse and overdoses, the challenges the city faces and the solutions that have already been implemented is crucial for developing effective strategies to combat this issue. Together we can make a difference to put an end to the drug epidemic in Central Texas.
Causes: Why Drug and Alcohol Use Disorder is on the Rise in Austin
It isn’t any one thing that has caused drug use, abuse and overdoses to skyrocket across Austin in recent years. There are several risk factors contributing to the rising numbers in the city:
Proximity to Drug Trafficking Routes
Austin’s location near the U.S.-Mexico border, right in the path to Dallas, makes it a key transit point for drug trafficking. Mexican trafficking organizations dominate drug smuggling throughout Texas, bringing in substances like marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and now fentanyl. This accessibility increases the availability of illicit drugs in Austin.
Socioeconomic Factors
Over the years, Austin has made countless headlines because of the city’s fast growth. Austin went from an affordable mid-size city in the 1990s to a huge metropolitan area that’s now the most expensive place to live in Texas. Data from GoBankingRates found that a household needs $122,000 annually to live comfortably.
The growth hasn’t been all good. Issues such as poverty, unemployment and homelessness can lead individuals to use drugs as a coping mechanism. The stress associated with financial instability and lack of housing can drive individuals toward substance use and eventually addiction develops for some.
Lack of Support For Mental Health Disorders
There is a strong correlation between mental health disorders and substance abuse. Individuals suffering from conditions like depression, anxiety or PTSD may turn to drugs in an attempt to self-medicate.
In Travis County, nearly a third of people report struggling with mental health issues five or more days in a month. Unfortunately, the increase coincides with a shortage of mental health care providers in Travis County that has gotten worse in recent years.
Easy Access That Leads to Prescription Drug Misuse
In terms of opioid addiction, medicine that is legal is a major contributing factor for the overdose crisis across the entire nation. If prescribed opioids aren’t taken exactly as prescribed, individuals can become addicted and later transition to more readily available and powerful illicit substances such as heroin and fentanyl.
Currently, over 451,000 Texans have prescription drug use disorders. The vast majority started by taking medications that were prescribed to a friend or family members.
Challenges: Why Reducing Drug Use and Overdoses is an Uphill Challenge Austin
Environmental factors like proximity to the border, create a situation where drug abuse is more likely, however, Austin confronts several challenges that make addressing drug addiction more difficult.
Rising Overdose Rates Due to Dangerous Synthetic Opioids
Drug overdoses have become the leading cause of accidental deaths in Travis County, surpassing fatalities from falls and car crashes. This alarming trend underscores the severity of the crisis. Overdose deaths in Austin went from 10.1 per 100,000 in 2011 to 16.8 per 100,000 in 2021, to 33 per 100,000 in 2023. The deaths are largely due to opioids, particularly synthetic opioids.
The emergence of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl has become a serious challenge. These substances are often mixed with other drugs and are often more potent than their natural counterparts, making them more dangerous and increasing the likelihood of unintentional overdoses. In the Austin metropolitan area, 45% of overdose deaths are attributed to fentanyl.
For Austin health care providers and state officials it can feel like any progress that’s made doesn’t last long as more fentanyl is trafficked into the area.
People Not Seeking Help For Addiction Limited
In Texas, 77% of people who have a substance abuse disorder don’t seek help or enter a treatment program. Adults must enroll themselves in a program, which is highly unlikely when someone is deep in an addiction and constantly in an altered state. Some people attempt to white knuckle it on their own to avoid the stigma of entering a treatment program only to relapse due to withdrawal symptoms. For others, cost and lack of health insurance is a barrier that keeps them from seeking help.
Homelessness
There is a significant overlap between homelessness and substance abuse. Addressing addiction within the homeless population presents unique challenges, including providing stable housing and continuous support.
In Austin the homelessness rate has doubled between 2020 and 2024. It’s creating a serious challenge for local officials that are trying to curb the increase in drug addiction and overdoses.
Solutions That Are Making a Difference to Reduce Drug Use and Overdose Deaths
Can drug addiction be eliminated entirely. No, but officials, local organizations and community members are doing what they can to reduce it as much as possible. To combat drug addiction and reduce overdose deaths, Austin has implemented several initiatives:
Public Health Declarations
Recognizing the severity of the crisis, Travis County officials have declared drug overdoses to be a public health crisis. This declaration aims to raise awareness and mobilizes more resources that can be used to address the issue
Harm Reduction Strategies
Programs that provide clean needles through exchange programs, and safe consumption spaces aim to reduce the immediate harms associated with drug use as well as the spread of infectious diseases.
Austin Public Health and Austin-Travis County EMS also distribute overdose response kits containing naloxone (NARCAN), a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.
More Recovery Support Services
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission now offers recovery support services to individuals with a history of alcohol or drug abuse problems, including those with co-occurring mental health disorders and people who are struggling with withdrawal symptoms.
Addiction services, like those provided by Any Length Retreat, provide support from individuals with lived experience, assistance with basic needs such as housing and transportation as well as guidance through the recovery process from a mental health professional.
We’re also seeing more organizations like Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas that offer community-based addiction services. Faith-based rehabilitation programs focus on life transformation and rehabilitation for individuals struggling with addiction. There are also treatment and prevention programs involving families because addiction affects everyone around a person who is struggling with a drug abuse disorder.
Statewide Initiatives That Provide Assistance Locally
The Texas Targeted Opioid Response (TTOR) is a statewide public health initiative aimed at saving lives and providing long-term support to Texans with opioid and stimulant use disorders by expanding access to prevention, treatment and recovery services that are available locally.
Destigmatized Mental Health Services
For many years the stigma of mental disorders limited the help that was available. Now the comorbidity between mental health issues and the use of an addictive substance or multiple substances is well known.
The city has begun providing mental health services to address the psychological aspects of addiction. By treating co-occurring mental health disorders, these services aim to reduce the reliance on substances as a coping mechanism.
Educational Campaigns
Public education initiatives are underway to inform the community about the dangers of drug use, the signs of addiction and the resources that are available for treatment. The University of Texas at Austin’s “Operation Naloxone” is one such program. It educates and empowers the community to prevent opioid overdoses through training and distribution of naloxone. However, that is just one of six programs that are a part of UT’s SHIFT campaign.
Addressing drug addiction in Austin requires a multifaceted approach that tackles the root causes, overcomes the challenges and implements effective solutions that will make a difference. Through continued collaboration among government agencies, healthcare providers, community organizations and residents, Austin is working every day to reduce drug use and prevent overdose deaths, for a healthier and safer community.
If you need help overcoming an addiction in the Austin area, Any Length Retreat’s unique approach could be the solution. Give us a call at (512) 960-1440 to learn more about how we help men in all stages of recovery.
