Opioids are a broad group of pain-relieving medications, and they have a high potential for abuse. This article will talk about why opioids are addictive as well as how to prevent the risk of being addicted to this kind of drug.
Why Are Opioids Addictive?
Opioids are addictive because the drug works on the opioid receptors in the brain. Whenever you take opioids, it interacts with the brain’s reward system. You’ll start feeling intense feelings of pleasure and pain relief, which can entice you to use the drug repeatedly.
If you give in to using opioids, you will trigger the reward system again. Over time, your brain will start to associate using the drug with these positive feelings. This repeated use will also get the brain used to the substance and can lead to tolerance, where you’ll need a higher dose of opioids to achieve the same effects.
As you continue using opioids despite increasing tolerance, your brain and body will rely on the drug to function normally. When you try quitting the drug, you may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that make it difficult to stop using the drug altogether.
Opioid addiction is a serious problem as it has long-term health consequences on the brain and body. Once you think you or a loved one is struggling with opioid misuse, it’s best to get professional help right away.
How to Prevent Opioid Addiction
Since opioids are highly addictive, it’s important to know the different ways to prevent addiction and dependence. Following these tips can help:
Only Take Opioids When Necessary
If you’re planning to use opioids for pain relief or management, make sure that you only take them when necessary. Consulting a doctor for the best treatment option will also help you find alternative options for relief.
Follow Your Doctor’s Advice
Even prescription opioids have a high potential for abuse. People who have been prescribed opioids for pain management are at a higher risk of dependence on the drug. This is why you should always follow your doctor’s advice for using opioids.
Don’t try to take extra doses if you feel like the drug isn’t working for you. Instead, go back to your doctor to discuss alternative treatment options.
Explore Non-Opioid Pain Management Options
If possible, try exploring pain management options that don’t involve opioid use. These options may include the following:
- Non-Opioid Medications: Always try OTC pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) first before opting for opioids.
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapy helps strengthen weak muscles that may cause pain. It also improves flexibility and mobility so that daily activities are easier. You’ll learn about different stretching and mobility exercises for pain management during physical therapy.
- Exercise and Stretching: Regular exercise can strengthen your body and reduce inflammation and stiffness in muscles and joints.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Sometimes, therapy like CBT can help change your pain perception. It’s an approach that can teach you different coping strategies to handle pain better.
Seek Help Right Away for Opioid Misuse
Once the first signs of opioid misuse show up, seek help right away. Getting help sooner rather than later makes recovery more achievable. When you get professional help, you’ll learn different ways to manage your bad habits.
If the misuse has turned into a full-blown addiction, getting professional help will help you dig deeper and learn about the underlying causes of the disorder. Learning about what’s causing your addiction can make it easier to address the root of the problem and overcome it.
Risk Factors for Opioid Abuse
Opioids are already highly addictive drugs, but some people are at an increased risk of misusing opioids. Knowing these risks can help you protect yourself from a possible opioid addiction.
Some of the risk factors of being addicted to the drug include:
Family History of Addiction
Some studies show that people who have a family history of addiction are more likely to develop substance use disorder. The increased risk isn’t just because of inherited traits. When you grow up with a parent or sibling who uses illicit drugs, you get used to its presence. It may also be difficult to recognize the signs of abuse once you’re the one misusing the drug.
Social and Environmental Factors
When you’re constantly surrounded by people who use illicit drugs, you start normalizing this kind of behavior. You’re at a higher risk of developing an addiction if you feel like everyone around you is using drugs and that it’s acceptable to do so.
Early Exposure to Illicit Drug Use
Early exposure to using illicit drugs, whether it’s opioids or not, increases the risk of you developing substance use disorder. If you start experimenting with drugs at a young age, you may slowly try harder drugs such as opioids.
During adolescence, your brain is still developing, and using drugs during this time can disrupt the development happening at that age. Exposure to addictive substances can rewire brain pathways, and you might become more vulnerable to substance abuse in adulthood.
History of Mental Health Disorders
When you have struggled with mental health disorders in the past, you may look for different ways to escape these negative feelings. Unfortunately, one way many people try to escape the pain is through using illicit drugs, such as opioids.
If you are currently battling mental health disorders along with substance abuse, you’ll need a specialized treatment called Dual Diagnosis. This type of treatment is designed to address the symptoms of each disorder for a better chance at recovery.
Previous Opioid Medication
A previous prescription for opioids can also put you at an increased risk of substance abuse. Even when you take the drug under a doctor’s guidance, the risk of abuse is still there. There are instances when people who have been prescribed opioids start to seek stronger opioids, including illicit drugs like heroin or fentanyl when their prescriptions run out.
This is why it’s so important to follow your doctor’s prescription when taking drugs like opioids. If you feel like you need help tapering off the drug, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Many doctors and healthcare professionals are trained to help you stop opioid use so that you don’t start looking for it after treatment.
Does Stopping Opioid Use Cause Withdrawal?
Yes, stopping your use of opioids can cause withdrawal symptoms, especially if you’ve been using the drug for a long time and in high doses. Since the drug works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, the sudden absence of the drug can lead to unpleasant feelings.
Withdrawal will look different for everyone. Those who have been using opioids for a longer time may experience more intense withdrawal symptoms than those who have only used the drug for a shorter time.
The type of opioid used can also affect the severity of withdrawal. Short-acting opioids, like heroin, leave the body quickly, so withdrawal symptoms start sooner. Those dependent on this kind of opioid may start experiencing withdrawal symptoms within hours of stopping the drug. Long-acting opioids, like methadone, stay in the body longer. As such, withdrawal from it takes longer to start but can also last much longer.
Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
Here are some of the withdrawal symptoms you may experience if you stop opioids after a long time:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Restlessness
- Sweating and chills
- Nausea and diarrhea
- Fatigue and low energy
- Sleep disturbances
- Intense opioid cravings
- Rapid heart rates and blood pressure
How to Manage Opioid Withdrawal
The best way to try and manage opioid withdrawal is to receive professional help. During medically assisted detox, you’ll receive the proper assistance needed to manage the unpleasant symptoms that come when you stop opioid use.
In detox, doctors can prescribe medications like Suboxone or methadone to ease withdrawal symptoms. There will also be mental health professionals who can provide therapy to make the withdrawal process emotionally easier. When applicable, professionals can also help you taper off opioid use until your symptoms become more manageable.
Withdrawal from opioids is an extremely tough time, both physically and emotionally. The right care can help you safely get through this difficult period.
Symptoms of Opioid Use Disorder
People who abuse opioids will show different signs and symptoms that they’re struggling with an addiction. Here are some symptoms of opioid use disorder:
- Spending a significant amount of time thinking about opioid use.
- Neglecting responsibilities to continue using the drug.
- Isolating from friends and family to use the drug.
- Going to different doctors to try and obtain an opioid prescription.
- Financial problems from repeatedly buying opioids.
- Experiencing withdrawals when you try stopping opioids.
Short-Term Effects of Opioids
When you take opioids, your body will start to feel its different euphoric and pain-relieving effects. This comes from the drug blocking pain signals in the brain. The dopamine release once you take this drug also creates feelings of pleasure and relaxation.
Others may experience drowsiness and sedation as the brain slows down in activity. Using the drug may also result in slowed breathing since it suppresses the signals in the brain that control this activity. Constipation, nausea, and vomiting may all occur as well shortly after using the drug.
Long-Term Effects of Opioids
The long-term effects of opioid use are typically negative, as repeated use can take a toll on your mental and physical health. Here are some of those effects:
Cardiovascular Risks
Using opioids depresses the cardiovascular system, so repeatedly using this drug can put you at an increased risk for cardiovascular problems.
For example, opioids are known to slow down breathing, which reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood. If your heart doesn’t get enough oxygen, it has to work harder. This extra toll on your cardiovascular system can eventually lead to heart failure or even a heart attack.
Liver and Kidney Damage
The liver and kidneys are responsible for processing opioids inside the body. If you continue taking too much of the drug, then these organs will have to work over time. In addition, if you already have existing liver or kidney problems, taking the drug can further strain these organs.
One of the reasons why opioids harm your liver is because many opioid painkillers contain acetaminophen. The liver needs to take time to process this agent, so taking too much can damage the liver or even cause liver failure.
Taking opioids can also harm your kidneys because the drug lowers blood pressure and slows down blood flow to the kidneys. This can lead to kidney disease or kidney failure. Opioids also slow down the bladder, making it harder to empty. When this happens, there is a high risk of developing urinary tract infections (UTIs) or kidney stones.
Mental Health Disorders
Opioids also harm the brain and cause serious problems with your mental health. Mental health disorders and other mood disorders may all result from using the drug too much.
For one, using opioids can lead to depression. Taking opioids for a long time will make your brain rely on the drug to produce chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. So, without the drug, you’ll start to feel sad and empty. The imbalance in the chemicals that control your mood can result in chronic depression, even after stopping opioids.
Cognitive Problems
Opioids are prescribed to help slow down your brain function. This should be fine in a medical setting under professional supervision. However, continued use will start to result in different cognitive problems.
The drug depresses the central nervous system. Continued abuse will start to slow down the communication between brain cells, resulting in brain fog. You may start having difficulty making decisions and experience severe memory issues to the point that you’ll start struggling with forgetfulness over simple tasks.
Infections
One way to take an opioid is to inject it. If you take opioids illicitly, there is a high chance that you may be using needles that aren’t clean. In some cases, people addicted to opioids may even share needles, which is highly unsanitary and dangerous. Injecting opioids when you don’t know whether the needles are clean or not puts you at a higher risk of infections such as hepatitis and HIV, to name a few.
Opioids also weaken the immune system, which is responsible for fighting off infections in the body. If bacteria enter the bloodstream, your body must work twice as hard to prevent them from causing serious negative effects. A weak immune system may lead to sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition that can cause organ failure or even death.
Addiction and Overdose
This is one of the most dangerous long-term effects of using the drug, as it requires professional intervention to stop. Dependence and addiction mean that opioids have rewired your brain and that you’ll experience different withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit the drug.
As you continue to struggle with addiction, the risk of opioid overdose increases. An overdose happens when you’ve taken too much of the drug for the body to process. It’s a serious and life-threatening situation, and you should always call for emergency medical services right away if you ever suspect an overdose.
Find Opioid Addiction Treatment with Us
Dealing with opioid abuse is a complex problem that requires professional help. If you ever feel like you’re in this situation, don’t be afraid to seek help. At Luxe Recovery, we welcome clients seeking professional guidance to achieve sobriety.
Our treatment for opioid misuse will be personalized to your own goals and experiences so that you get the best chance at recovery. We will always be here to answer your call or email and provide you with the support necessary for your recovery journey.
