How Opioid Addiction Occurs
America is currently a public health crisis on two fronts. One is the global COVID-19, but the other has been around for over a decade and reaching new levels of severity as a result of the pandemic. I am of course talking about sharp rise in opioid use we are currently encountering.
In a time of high stress and isolation, where people have been sheltering in place, losing their jobs and fretting over loved ones–many are resorting to drugs to feel better. Unfortunately, this also means a rise in drug addiction and overdoses. In times like these, knowing how opioid addiction occurs can help you stay safe and weather the storm.
How Opioid Addiction Occurs and the Symptoms of Opiate Use
So, what are the signs that somebody is an opioid user? If a loved one is abusing their medication, or has developed an addiction, here are some changes in behavior to look out for:
- Poor hygiene
- Bizarre sleeping patterns (always tired, rarely sleeps or sleeps at odd hours or in excessive amounts)
- Stops exercising or practicing healthy behaviors
- Poor finances
- Comes in late to work or school or misses family obligations
- Isolates themselves from others
The symptoms of opioid use, like the changes in behavior we just mentioned, stem from increased misuse and include:
- Euphoria and numbing of the body when taking the drug (aka “the high”)
- Drug cravings
- Confusion
- Insomnia
- Chills
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Slowed Shallow breathing
- Gastrointestinal problems (stomach pain, diarrhea or constipation)
- Tremors
How Long Does It Take to Get Hooked on Opiates?
Opiates prescribed for medical use such as oxycodone, codeine, meperidine and fentanyl are regarded as opioids that are both effective painkillers and very addictive. Yet because these drugs are prescribed by doctors, there is a common belief that these drugs are far less addictive than say street drugs like heroin. This is unfortunately not the case.
Ideally, the role of any doctor prescribing painkillers is to monitor patients’ dosages and discourage misuse but there is still a chance that the person still develops an addiction. But how long does it take to get hooked on opioids?
According to Johns Hopkins, physical dependency can develop in as soon as two weeks. It can also occur more quickly and vigorously some based on factors such as:
- Genetics — The inherited likelihood of developing an addiction or abusing drugs
- Environmental — Living in an area with high crime, being in toxic relationships, or having an unstable living situation
- Psychological — Having mental disorders that are associated with a likelihood of developing an addiction such as personality disorders, bipolar disorders, adjustment disorders, anxiety, and depression
Continue reading here : Opioid Addiction
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