Opiate Addiction – Everything You Need To Know
What are opiates?
The drug category “opiates” refers to specific substances that are depressants of the central nervous system and are derived from opium which is naturally produced by the poppy plant or derived from certain alkaloids that are semi-synthetic in nature. Some of the more common opiates on the market and the streets today include:
Opiate receptors can be found in the brains of animals as well as humans which act as action sites for the different opiate types that exist (e.g. heroin or morphine). Due to the fact that internal or endogenous neurotransmitters exist in the brain, they act on these different receptor sites to produce specific responses in the body similar to the side effects produced by opiates.
Opiate addiction – opioid dependency
Opiates effect the central nervous system. The central nervous system is a combination of the brain and the spinal cord.
When the individual who has been using opioids for an extended period of time they have most likely developed an opiate addiction or opioid dependency. Opiate addiction is most easily defined as a disorder of the central nervous system which results from the continual use of opiates. Opioid dependency is medically diagnosed condition that is characterized by not being able to stop using opioids such as the ones listed in the above section. Even when it is in the person’s best interests to stop using them, they can’t.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Expert Committee on Drug Dependence defined the term “dependence” as:
“A cluster of physiological, behavioral and cognitive phenomena of variable intensity, in which the use of a psychoactive drug (or drugs) takes on a high priority. The necessary descriptive characteristics are preoccupation with a desire to obtain and take the drug and persistent drug-seeking behavior. Determinants and problematic consequences of drug dependence may be biological, psychological or social, and usually interact”
The guidelines of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and WHO both state that in order for a dependency to exist, there has to be three or more of the following characteristics that have to be present:
- Increased amounts of time being spent to obtain more of the drug in conjunction with a growing neglect of certain pleasures and responsibilities
- Increased doses of the drug are needed to offset the growing tolerance to it
- The onset of depressive moods, harm to one’s liver, and impairment of any cognitive functions
- There is a strong compulsion or desire to continue taking the drug
- Unable to control one’s drug taking
- When the use of the drug is reduced or stopped, we see an onset of a physical state of withdrawal and its symptoms
It is important to note that care providers and addiction treatment and recovery facilities should not mistake opiate addiction and opioid dependency as a character weakness. Additionally, undergoing opiate detox does not comprise total treatment nor is it a complete cure for the condition.
What causes opiate addiction?
Past research and studies have revealed that individuals with an opiate addiction also are suffering with at least one psychiatric condition. These conditions are assumed to have been there before the addiction began since opiates, when used for the treatment of pain, do not typically cause these conditions to arise. Since opioids are characterized by their anti-depressive, anti-psychotic, and anxiolytic qualities, self-medication causes the dependency to develop.
What you need to know about opiate addiction
Hydrocodone presents much of the same side-effects as other opioids including euphoria, sedation and somnolence.
- Opiates are categorized as analgesics or painkillers and other than heroin, all of them are legal if they are prescribed by a physician. Conversely, heroin is illegal and is still one of the world’s most powerfully addictive substances.
- OxyContin is synthetic opioid that was developed for the treatment of pain and is now one of the most popular prescription drugs among recreational substance users. It is responsible for numerous admissions into addiction treatment and recovery centers as well as a number of overdose deaths every year.
- Methadone is an opiate that was developed for the treatment of heroin addiction and helps to offset the cravings of it despite not creating any euphoric feelings.
- Although most individuals begin ingesting opiates orally, many eventually turn to injecting them because it provides a stronger high much quicker. IV use is also a dangerous health threat which can lead to the contraction of serious diseases such as Hepatitis and HIV when syringes are shared.
Depressive moods are a sign of Opiate addiction.
- Opiate addiction causes the individual to do anything to obtain more of their drug of choice. As the tolerance continues to build when you are taking opiates, you will need to take more and more of the drug in order to achieve the high you are looking for.
- When opiate use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms are inevitable. Although they are rarely life-threatening in nature, they are very uncomfortable and oftentimes result in the individual relapsing back into their opiate addiction. The more common symptoms of withdrawal from opiates include:
- anxiety
- chills
- irritability
- nausea
- sleeplessness
- sweating
- When an individual takes more of these drugs than what their bodies can safely handle, an overdose occurs. When it is heroin that is overdosed it is usually because the individual bought a bad batch that contains toxic substances or is just too strong.
Get Help Now For An Opiate Addiction
If you, a loved one, or a close personal friend is suffering with opiate addiction, you should seek professional help immediately. Sometimes an intervention may be required because the individual is in total denial or will not admit to having a problem.
The bottom line is that opiate addiction is dangerous and can be life-threatening. Getting the professional help of an addiction treatment and recovery center may be the only option for saving the person’s life.
If you would like more information on an effective opiate addiction treatment and recovery program with one of the highest recovery success rates in the US, we encourage you to contact the Delray Recovery Center at the toll-free phone number listed above.
