Types of Opioids

There exists a number of different opioids on the market today. One of the most widely recognized and abused opioid drugs includes heroin. Heroin, an illegal drug, is produced from opium poppy plants found in parts of Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. It can be consumed through snorting, smoking, or injecting, and can be found in powder form, or as a black, sticky substance referred to as black tar heroin.

While heroin is an illegal substance to use or possess, most other opioids are legal to consume with a valid prescription. Some of the most common opioid prescription medications include morphine, fentanyl, hydrocodone and oxycodone. When prescribed by a doctor, most of these medications are intended to be consumed orally by mouth.

Patients prescribed opioid medications will often receive a great level of monitoring by their physician to ensure the drugs are working effectively to treat their ailment. This supervision also allows the physician to keep an eye out for signs of dependence and addiction.

Effects of Opioids on the Body

When consumed, opioids impact virtually every system in the body including the brain, respiratory system, nervous system, digestive system, and immune system, just to name a few.

Effects on the brain: Opioids are effective in impacting the parts of the brain that control our feelings of sleepiness, often causing users to experience daytime drowsiness. For example, many heroin users report feelings of profound lethargy, causing them to exhibit what is referred to as “nodding off.” When an opioid user is nodding off, they will slip in and out of consciousness without any control. Another major impact of opioid use on the brain is the development of major depression after prolonged use. In fact, research has found that individuals who have used prescription pain medications for more than six months were 50% more likely to experience a depressive episode.

Effects on the Respiratory System: Opioid drugs are particularly dangerous because when taken in high doses, they can lead to respiratory depression. When respiratory depression occurs, the users breathing has slowed to an unnaturally low pace. In some cases, breathing will stop entirely leaving the body and brain with a lack of oxygen to function. Critical organ injury can occur, as can death.

Effects on the Nervous System: While opioid drugs are intended to reduce pain in users, prolonged use can actually result in a condition of increased sensitivity to pain known as hyperalgesia. Use of these drugs can also result in a loss of coordination and slowing of the user’s physical movements.

Effects on the Digestive System: Having opioids in the digestive system can lead to slowed gastrointestinal motility, chronic constipation, small bowel obstruction, and even uncontrolled vomiting.

Effects on the Immune System: Use of opioid drugs can severely diminish the body’s immune system, leaving users at risk for illness and infection.

Risk Factors for Opioid Addiction

Because opioid drugs are so easy to access, individuals from all walks of life are at risk for developing an addiction. In some cases, however, certain characteristics present a greater likelihood for developing an unhealthy dependency. For example, individuals who have a blood relative that has battled an addiction to drugs or alcohol are more likely to develop an addiction themselves. Additionally, those who have a psychiatric disorder are more likely to struggle with addiction. This is because many attempt to self-medicate with drugs in an attempt to stave off negative feelings and emotions.

Another risk factor for addiction to opioid medications is having a labor-intensive job. Those who engage in physical work have a greater risk for injury, meaning they may find themselves requiring a prescription for opioid pain medications.

Opioid Withdrawal

When a recovery patient begins their journey towards health and wellness, the first step they must take in the opioid addiction treatment process is to undergo opioid withdrawal. When an addicted individual does not consume their opioid drug of choice for even just a few hours, they may begin to experience unpleasant opioid withdrawal symptoms as their body attempts to adjust to a drug-free state. Opioid withdrawal symptoms vary in severity and duration based upon the user’s history of drug use and level of addiction.

It is highly recommended that those going through opioid withdrawal as part of their opioid withdrawal treatment do so under the care of addiction specialists. Not only can certain opioid withdrawal symptoms be particularly dangerous, but recovery patients are at their greatest risk for relapse during this time as the physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal set in. Some of the most common opioid withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, agitation, inability to sleep, sweats, fever, hypertension, runny nose, muscle aches, and yawning. As withdrawal continues, recovery patients may begin to experience further opioid withdrawal symptoms such as stomach cramps, cravings, diarrhea, depression, and nausea and vomiting.

In some cases, it may be appropriate to administer pharmacological methodologies to assist in the opioid addiction treatment process. Certain medications will help relieve some of the unpleasant opioid withdrawal symptoms, allowing patients to successfully move on to the subsequent stages of their treatment.