Andy Dick has sparked serious concern for his future after he was spotted slumped over on an L.A. sidewalk following a drug overdose on Tuesday, December 9.
While the comedian, 59, claimed he's now "100 percent fine" and was only using "crack cocaine" that could have been laced with Fentanyl, Richard Taite - the executive chairman of Carrara Treatment and Wellness - exclusively spilled to OK! that he believes the incident is much more serious than the star was letting on.
Andy Dick Was Likely Using Opioids When He Overdosed
Source: megaAndy Dick claimed he was using 'crack' when he overdosed on December 9, but an addiction expert believes he was also abusing opioids.
"From what's publicly visible, the slurred speech, the inability to remain conscious, and the fact that Narcan was used, Andy appears to be experiencing acute polysubstance intoxication with a strong opioid component. Crack alone doesn't present that way," he explained. "The body only collapses like that when opioids are suppressing the respiratory system, and the Narcan intervention all but confirms that an opioid overdose was unfolding."
Opioid Overdoses Can Lead to Serious Long Term Complications
Source: megaThe addiction expert revealed the actor was at an immediate risk of death if he overdosed on opioids.
An opioid overdose presents an "immediate risk of death," as it causes an individual to "stop breathing before anyone realizes what's happening.""Even when they survive, they can suffer oxygen deprivation that causes brain injury, heart complications and long-term respiratory issues," the host of the "We're Out of Time" podcast revealed. "Repeated overdoses accelerate physical decline and permanently change how the brain functions."Taite admitted, "people don't simply 'bounce back' from something like this. These episodes create lasting damage that increases the odds the next overdose will be fatal."
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How Should Andy Dick Be Treated After the Overdose?
Source: megaTo stay healthy, the comedian would need intensive therapy and an inpatient program.
Due to the actor's troubled past and previous rehab stays, Taite doesn't think traditional "outpatient treatment" would help Dick.
Instead, "He would need a highly structured inpatient program where detox is medically supervised and where therapy happens intensively and consistently."The wellness expert noted the treatment needs to address "trauma, mental health and the compulsive patterns underneath the addiction."
Source: megaThe star needs 'a complete rebuilding' of his life, insisted the expert.
"It also needs to include long-term planning: extended aftercare, sober living and ongoing clinical support because someone with his history doesn't just need a reset," he added. "He needs a complete rebuilding of the internal foundation his life rests on."Taite also highlighted of addiction: "Relapse isn't about weakness - it's the predictable return of a chronic medical condition that gets more dangerous each time the cycle repeats."Dick did acknowledge the severity of the recent situation, telling a reporter, "I jokingly said a little crack every now and then, not gonna kill anybody, but it killed me. It killed me. I died, you know, my lips turned purple."