Opioid Addiction

One of the unfortunate entanglements with opioid addiction is that the more you take, the more tolerant to the high you become, resulting in you taking even more in attempt to get that same high while all the negative effects are that much greater, and so it continues spiraling more and more out of control and ending up in overdose.

Opioids: What are They?

Opioids are a synthetic version of the opium poppy, it is what the most serious painkillers consist of, such as Oxycontin, Vicodin, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Meperidine, Hydromorphone, and Propoxyphene to name a few. These opioids interfere with the nervous system and how the brain perceives pain, and they create a high, similar to heroin, in fact, addiction to opioids generally can end up in an addiction to heroin.

How Serious is Opioid Addiction?

Pill-popping is no unheard of term, painkillers, or opioids are promoted in television shows left and right, even as a light joke, “Now I need a Vicodin just to get me through the day with you,” there are infinite commercials promoting opioids, and it is in no light way that opioid addiction is taking the Western populace by storm.

One of the worst of the opioids is Oxycodone, as it is one of the most dangerous and has the greatest potential for abuse. It is as powerful as the street drug, heroin, and it affects the nervous system the same way. This medical drug comes in tablet form and is sold under many trade names, these include Percodan, Endodan, Roxiprin, Percocet, Endocet, Roxicet, and OxyContin. One of the serious risks of opioid addiction is that high doses of opioids can cause the addict’s lungs to slow down and come to a stop, resulting in death.

Addiction to opioids is no small problem that we face as Americans. In 2010, 210 million opiate prescriptions were filled out, making opioid addiction one of the highest drug abuse problems we face today. In turn, it falls into the hands of our youth all too easily; teens are a common opioid abuser. On the other end of the spectrum, elderly trying to deal with pain are commonly faced with opioid addiction. Doctors, as well as rehabilitation therapists, state that prescription drugs are one of the harder drugs to treat.

Symptoms of an Addiction to Opioids

There are many symptoms that show addiction to opioids, some may include but are not limited to the following signs:

• Getting multiple prescriptions from different doctors
• Usage increase
• Ongoing use
• Dramatically changing moods
• Extra pill bottles turning up in the trash
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Neglect of responsibilities
• Increased sensitivities of perception
• Blackouts and forgetfulness
• Sudden financial problems
• Decline in appearance and daily habit changes
• Defensive over pills

Some effects of opioid addiction also may include any of the following symptoms:

• Noticeable elation and euphoria
• Marked sedation and drowsiness
• Confusion
• Constricted pupils
• Slowed breathing
• Intermittent nodding off, or loss of consciousness
• Constipation

Some symptoms of withdrawal of opioids can include:

• Restlessness
• Sharp bone and muscle pains
• Insomnia
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Cold flashes with goosebumps
• Involuntary leg movements

Opioids, like all drugs, mask the pain, they do not cure you. So one can soon find themselves constantly trying to dull the pain and taking higher and higher doses until they can’t make it through the day, or through the morning, or the hour, without the drug, and yet they remain uncured, and heavily addicted to opioids.

Although illegal drugs plague us today, the fact remains that the deaths from all of the illegal drugs combined do not begin to surpass the number of deaths from opioid painkillers.