Presley Gerber’s death sparks questions about overdose, withdrawal and rehab safety
Gerber had spoken publicly over the years about his struggles with substance use and mental health.
Nicholas Kardaris, Ph.D., CEO and chief clinical officer of the New York Center for Living in Manhattan and a clinical professor at Stony Brook Medicine’s School of Social Welfare, spoke with Fox News Digital about what families should know about relapse, overdose risk and seeking help for a loved one.
Recovery’s hidden risks
As Gerber’s official cause of death has not yet been released, Kardaris — who has not treated Presley Gerber and is not connected to the case — cautioned against drawing conclusions from the fact that he died at a rehabilitation facility.
Possible explanations could include an acute medical or cardiac event, an undiagnosed condition or a medication-related complication, he said.
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People in residential treatment facilities may have complex medical histories, and some conditions may not be immediately apparent when someone enters a program.
“Younger people can sometimes die suddenly, and we don’t know whether they had an underlying medical issue,” Kardaris said.
“It’s not impossible to have a medication-related event, particularly if someone has an underlying heart disorder,” he continued. “Certain medications can trigger a cardiac episode.”
Presley Gerber’s death at age 27 has renewed questions about overdose risk, withdrawal complications and the challenges of addiction recovery. (Instagram/David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Entering treatment does not necessarily mean that a person’s issues have been resolved or that no danger exists, Kardaris emphasized.
“People are in rehab because they’re struggling with addiction. It doesn’t mean they’re cured of their addiction,” he said.
While treatment facilities work to create a controlled environment, they cannot eliminate every risk associated with addiction, withdrawal, relapse or medical complications, according to Kardaris.
“Facilities take great pains to make sure substances don’t come in, but it’s not a perfect system.”
He stressed that this is a general observation about treatment settings and not an indication of what occurred in Gerber’s case.
When withdrawal poses a risk
Another potential risk during rehab is withdrawal itself, which can range from uncomfortable to life-threatening depending on the substance involved and the person’s level of physical dependence, according to Kardaris.
“People can die from withdrawal, but the substances that are most dangerous to withdraw [from] without proper medical supervision are benzodiazepines, such as Valium or Xanax, and alcohol,” he told Fox News Digital.
While opioid withdrawal can be extremely uncomfortable, it is generally not fatal by itself, the expert said.
Rande Gerber, daughter Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford and son Presley Gerber attend The Fashion Awards 2018 in partnership with Swarovski at Royal Albert Hall on Dec. 10, 2018, in London, England. (Getty Images)
Benzodiazepine withdrawal can trigger seizures, delirium and other life-threatening complications. The FDA warns that abruptly stopping or reducing drugs such as Xanax or Valium too quickly can cause serious withdrawal reactions, including seizures.
“Someone might disclose heroin use but not mention that they’re also withdrawing from a benzodiazepine, such as Valium,” Kardaris noted. “If they don’t receive medication to treat that withdrawal, they can have a seizure that can lead to fatal complications.”
“People are in rehab because they’re struggling with addiction. It doesn’t mean they’re cured of their addiction.”
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/presley-gerber-death-sparks-questions-overdose-withdrawal-rehab-safety