Opioids are one of the most abused drugs because they can be obtained via a doctor's prescription. While they do help many patients, opioids can be habit forming. If you would like to learn more about opioids to better protect yourself or a loved one, keep reading.
What Are Opioids?
Opioids are a type of drug that is made from the opium poppy plant. The main use of opioids is pain control. Therefore, doctors may prescribe opioids for patients with chronic pain or temporary but severe pain. There are many types of opioids, including oxycodone, morphine, fentanyl, methadone, and tramadol. One of the most well-known types of opioids is heroin, which is an illegal form of the drug.
Opioids work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and other parts of the body. This blocks pain messages to reduce the intensity of the pain.
Why Are They Addictive and Habit Forming?
Unfortunately, opioids are addictive and habit forming. In most cases, if you follow the doctor's instructions and only need opioids for a short time, you won't become addicted. However, problems arise when you must use opioids to treat chronic pain. Even if you don't abuse the medicine, your body comes to believe it needs the opioids.
In some cases, your body may start to tolerate the opioids, so you start to feel pain again. In this case, you may be tempted to increase your dose yourself, which can lead to addiction. Side effects of opioid addiction include mood changes, depression, avoiding important activities like work/school, etc. Symptoms of opioid withdrawal include anxiety, vomiting, tremors, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
How Is Opioid Addiction Treated?
Treatment for opioid addiction is often aggressive because the addiction is aggressive. Many people may choose an in-patient or out-patient opioid addiction treatment center that can give them the medical attention they need during the withdrawal phase. During this time, however, you may be given methadone or buprenorphine to help ease the symptoms.
You will also undergo counseling to help fight any underlying reasons that you became addicted, such as depression. They may also help you learn coping mechanisms, pain management control, and much more.
Opioid addiction is real, and it can be hard to fight when you do it alone. An opioid addiction recovery center, however, can help you recover safely and with the help of others. If you would like to learn more, contact a recovery center in your area to ask about a quote and/or treatment options.
