RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN (WGNS) – A new national study is shining a harsh light on what many Middle Tennesseans already sense in their own circles: midlife stress is taking a deadly toll. Tennessee now ranks fifth in the nation for drug‑overdose deaths among adults ages 35 to 44, according to an analysis of CDC data from 2019 through 2025. The study found that 105.72 Tennesseans per 100,000 in this age group die from overdoses each year. When you apply that rate to Rutherford County’s fast‑growing population, the math points to more than 400 overdose deaths annually—a staggering figure that hits close to home.
Researchers say the trend isn’t sudden. Adults in their late thirties and early forties have held the highest overdose‑death rate of any age group for more than a decade. In 2023 alone, 27,005 Americans in this bracket died from overdoses. Even though national totals dipped slightly in 2024, this age group still carried the heaviest burden.
Why midlife? The study points to a mix of pressures that many Rutherford County families know all too well: rising financial strain, caregiving for both kids and aging parents, chronic stress, and limited time for self‑care. Add in the unpredictability of today’s drug supply—especially fentanyl showing up in substances people don’t expect—and the risk climbs quickly…