Battling opioid addiction has long been an uphill struggle, but a groundbreaking solution, the NET Device, might just turn the tide. Serving as a beacon of hope for those trapped in the relentless cycle of opioid dependence, this device offers a non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical method to treat withdrawal symptoms. Recently, the Scott County Detention Centre in Kentucky became the first in the US to pilot this approach, demonstrating just how quickly progress can revolutionise drug recovery.

A Game-Changer for Opioid Withdrawal Treatment

Opioid addiction devastates communities across the UK and worldwide. Jailer Derran Broyles, overseeing Scott County’s detention centre, estimates almost half of his inmates are drug-dependent, with fentanyl, heroin, and morphine topping the list. The usual options for opioid withdrawal treatment often involve further medication, but the NET Device signals an innovative new era.

What makes this opioid withdrawal treatment truly remarkable is that the NET Device doesn’t require additional pharmaceuticals such as methadone or Suboxone. Instead, it utilises low-level electrical impulses, delivered through electrodes placed behind the ears. This stimulation encourages the brain to produce endorphins, the body’s own natural mood boosters and pain relievers, which are typically lacking in those addicted to opioids.

How this Device Functions

The NET Device (Neuro Electric Therapy Device) is worn by inmates, similar to how one wears a hearing aid, and is kept on day and night except when showering. It works much like a TENS unit, delivering continuous, gentle electrical stimulation. Clinical evidence and user reports suggest the device can significantly reduce, or even eradicate, withdrawal symptoms and cravings within two to seven days.

Healthcare professionals evaluate suitable candidates at Scott County Detention Centre during the booking process, and participants voluntarily choose to join the programme. Net Recovery Corp. oversees the administration of the NET Device, conducting twice-daily check-ins to closely monitor participants’ progress and well-being.

Crucially, this programme is funded through opioid abatement monies, with local government partnerships making the treatment accessible to those most in need.

Real Success Stories

For many, opioid withdrawal is a wall too high to climb unaided. Sarah Rucker, an inmate and long-term drug user, admitted scepticism before trying the NET Device. She had experienced years of failed recovery attempts and feared yet another disappointment. However, her experience was nothing short of astonishing. Within just 15 minutes of having the device fitted, she began to feel relief. “I don’t have any withdrawals. I don’t have any cravings,” Rucker stated, describing the process as giving her energy and a sense of hope she hadn’t felt in years.

Similarly, Teddy Edenstrom found his way off both street opioids and methadone maintenance through the NET Device, after years of living rough, repeated incarceration, and desperate cycles of treatment. Five days with the device left him free of cravings and feeling truly recovered, allowing him to reclaim his life and stability.

Net Recovery Corp’s own community liaison, Rebekah Mutch, is another powerful example. Once struggling with opioid dependence herself, Mutch used the NET Device over three years ago and says it fundamentally transformed her recovery, giving her mental clarity previously lost to addiction.

Why Detention Centres Are the Ideal Environment

According to Jailer Broyles, detention centres create a unique environment that can significantly aid the effectiveness of opioid withdrawal treatment using the NET Device. Isolating inmates from negative influences and immediate access to drugs provides a supportive backdrop for such an intervention. Unlike home or rehabilitation settings, the risk of immediate relapse is dramatically lowered.

The NET Device also removes the reliance on substitute opioids, historically used to wean individuals off street drugs. By bypassing pharmaceutical dependencies, it offers a fresh route for those desperate to start anew.

Expanding Access to Innovative Opioid Withdrawal Treatment

Following its promising debut in Scott County, interest in the NET Device is spreading rapidly. Other jailers across Kentucky are inquiring about bringing this technology to their own facilities. Net Recovery Corp. is actively working to broaden its footprint, especially in counties eligible for opioid abatement funds.

Far from an untested experiment, the NET Device was first invented in the 1970s by a Scottish surgeon to manage post-operative pain. Its more recent application for opioid withdrawal treatment builds on decades of safe use and research, further bolstered by the debut of the documentary “The Final Fix” in 2020, which has helped raise awareness of its potential.

NET Device Is a Tool, Not a Miracle

It’s important to acknowledge that, while the NET Device represents a giant leap forward in opioid withdrawal treatment, it is not a solitary answer to addiction. Sustained recovery requires ongoing support, therapy, and meaningful lifestyle change. For many, though, simply breaking through the agony of withdrawal and cravings is what makes long-term sobriety possible.

Sarah Rucker, while elated at her newfound clarity, is understandably cautious as she looks towards the next stages of her recovery. Real freedom from addiction will take work, but the NET Device has, at last, given her a very real chance. The early results from the Scott County Detention Centre strongly suggest that the NET Device could reshape how we approach opioid withdrawal treatment on a national and even international scale.

Source: News-Graphic