PRESCRIPTION OPIOID ADDICTION

Opioids are a class of drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. Some prescription opioids are made from the plant directly, and others are made by scientists in labs using the same chemical structure.

 

Opioids are often used as medicines because they contain chemicals that relax the body and can relieve pain. Prescription opioids are used mostly to treat moderate to severe pain, though some opioids can be

used to treat coughing and diarrhea.

 

Opioids can also make people feel very relaxed and "high" - which is why they are sometimes used for non-medical reasons. This can be dangerous because opioids can be highly addictive, and overdoses and death are common.

 

Popular slang terms for opioids include Oxy, Percs, and Vikes.

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What are common prescription opioids?

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Hydrocodone (Vicodin®) oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percocet®)

Oxymorphone (Opana®)

Morphine (Kadian®, Avinza®)

Codeine

Fentanyl

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How do people misuse prescription opioids?

 

Prescription opioids used for pain relief are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by a doctor, but they can be misused. People misuse prescription opioids by:

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taking the medicine in a way or dose other than prescribed

taking someone else's prescription medicine

taking the medicine for the effect it causes-to get high

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When misusing a prescription opioid, a person can swallow the medicine in its normal form. Sometimes people crush pills or open capsules, dissolve the powder in water, and inject the liquid into a vein. Some also snort the powder.

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How do prescription opioids affect the brain?

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Opioids bind to and activate opioid receptors on cells located in many areas of the brain, spinal cord, and other organs in the body, especially those involved in feelings of pain and pleasure. When opioids attach to these receptors, they block pain signals sent from the brain to the body and release large amounts of dopamine throughout the body. This release can strongly reinforce the act of taking the drug, making the user want to repeat the experience.

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What are some possible effects of prescription opioids on the brain and body?

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In the short term, opioids can relieve pain and make people feel relaxed and happy. However, opioids can also have harmful effects, including:

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drowsiness

confusion

nausea

constipation

euphoria

slowed breathing

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Opioid misuse can cause slowed breathing, which can cause hypoxia, a condition that results when too little oxygen reaches the brain. Hypoxia can have short- and long-term psychological and neurological effects, including coma, permanent brain damage, or death. Researchers are also investigating the long-term effects of opioid addiction on the brain, including whether the damage can be reversed.

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What are the other health effects of opioid medications?

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Older adults are at higher risk of accidental misuse or abuse because they typically have multiple prescriptions and chronic diseases, increasing the risk of drug-drug and drug-disease interactions, as well as a slowed metabolism that affects the breakdown of drugs. Sharing drug injection equipment and having impaired judgment from drug use can increase the risk of contracting infectious diseases such as HIV and unprotected sex.

 

 

Tolerance vs. Dependence vs. Addiction.

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Long-term use of prescription opioids, even as prescribed by a doctor, can cause some people to develop a tolerance, which means that they need higher and/or more frequent doses of the drug to get the desired effects.

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Drug dependence occurs with repeated use, causing the neurons in the brain to adapt so they only function normally in the presence of the drug. The absence of the drug causes several physiological reactions, ranging from mild in the case of caffeine, to potentially life-threatening, such as with heroin. Some chronic pain patients are dependent on opioids and require medical support to stop taking the drug.

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Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences and long-lasting changes in the brain. The changes can result in harmful behaviours by those who misuse drugs, whether prescription or illicit drugs.

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Can a person overdose on prescription opioids?

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Yes, a person can overdose on prescription opioids. An opioid overdose occurs when a person uses enough of the drug to produce life-threatening symptoms or death. When people overdose on opioid medication, their breathing often slows or stops. This can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, which can result in coma, permanent brain damage, or death.

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Can the use of prescription opioids lead to addiction?

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Yes, repeated misuse of prescription opioids can lead to a substance use disorder (SUD), a medical illness that ranges from mild to severe and from temporary to chronic. Addiction is the most severe form of SUD. A SUD develops when continued misuse of the drug changes the brain and causes health problems and failure to meet responsibilities at work, school, or home.

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People addicted to an opioid medication who stop using the drug can have severe withdrawal symptoms that begin as early as a few hours after the drug was last taken.

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These symptoms include:

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muscle and bone pain

sleep problems

diarrhea and vomiting

cold flashes with goosebumps

uncontrollable leg movements

severe cravings

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These symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable and are the reason many people find it so difficult to stop using opioids. 

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What type of treatment can people get for addiction to prescription opioids?

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A range of treatments including medicines and behavioural therapies are effective in helping people with opioid addiction.