Facts about opiate addiction and treatment in the US are generally concerning—opioid use is on the rise, and treating opioid dependence rarely addresses the root cause of the problem.
Moreover, the stigma surrounding drug addiction makes it more difficult for opioid users to get the help they need. For that reason, it’s essential to be aware of the facts about opiates and understand that dependence can happen to anyone.
Read along to learn more about opiate addiction and treatment, the risks that come with consuming opioids, and other drug facts to help you make informed decisions when using these substances.
What Are Opiates, and How Dangerous Are They?
Opiates are substances derived from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) and used to treat pain or cause feelings of sedation and euphoria. They belong to the class of opioids, a broader category that includes drugs with similar effects but either partially or fully synthesized in a lab.
Despite their analgesic effect and widespread use in medicine, opioids (including opiates) can be rather dangerous, as they carry a significant risk of dependence, addiction, and overdose. This is true even for supposedly weaker drugs, which is why it’s important to use them only when prescribed and follow all instructions carefully.
In order to alleviate pain, opioids bind to opioid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS), blocking the transmission of pain signals. At the same time, they activate the release of dopamine, a hormone of reward and pleasure, which causes mild euphoria often associated with opioid use.
These dopamine releases are instrumental in developing opioid addiction. Individuals addicted to opium and substances in the same drug family often experience cravings, which make resisting the drug particularly challenging.
Types of Opioids
Opioids can be broadly classified into three types:
- Natural opioids (opiates). Occur naturally in nature and encompass substances such as morphine, codeine, and opium.
- Semi-synthetic opioids. Derived from naturally occurring opiates, semi-synthetic opioids include hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, heroin, and more.
- Synthetic opioids. Fully synthesized in a lab, synthetic opioids are drugs such as tramadol, fentanyl, methadone, and buprenorphine.
What Is Opiate Addiction: Key Facts
Opiate addiction develops when a person becomes both physically and psychologically dependent on the drug.
It all starts with physical dependence, which may develop after only a couple of weeks of opioid use. People dependent on opioids need drugs to function—without them, they experience cravings and withdrawals characterized by stomach aches, shivers, sweating, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and more.
The opioid dose necessary to satisfy their needs keeps increasing, so they may go through withdrawal even if they take their regular dose.
The facts about opiate addiction and treatment show that dependence can occur even if you carefully follow your doctor’s instructions—the only requirement is that you take the drug long enough. That’s because opioids alter brain chemistry, especially with prolonged use.
On the other hand, opioid addiction doesn’t develop in all cases and is present only in patients who struggle to control their impulses and experience intense cravings for the drug. This may lead to reckless behaviors and negatively impact their lives.
Opiate Addiction Risk Factors
Anyone can develop opioid dependence, but addiction is less straightforward. Although the risk is always present, some groups are still more likely to develop an addiction. These include:
- Younger adults (18–25 years old)
- People with a history of substance abuse
- Individuals with mental disorders (anxiety, depression, PTSD)
As analysis of the facts about opiate addiction and treatment shows, it’s always safer to use non-opioid analgesics or ask your doctor for other alternatives. Opioids should be your last resort, used for the shortest time possible.
Signs and Symptoms of Opioid Use and Addiction
Signs and symptoms of opioid use and addiction may vary from person to person, but they typically include the following:
- Physical dependence. Opioid users first develop a physical dependence on a drug, and this condition can turn into a full-blown addiction with time. Physical dependence is characterized by an inability to function normally without opioids and results in opioid withdrawal symptoms when the drug isn’t ingested regularly.
- Tolerance. With prolonged opioid use, the brain increases the number of opioid receptors while minimizing the release of endorphin, the body’s natural painkiller. As a result, patients need a larger dose of opioids to satisfy their new needs and experience the same effects as when they began taking them.
- Increasingly risky use. People addicted to opiates can’t control their cravings and may become irresponsible when consuming opioids. For instance, they may take them too frequently or ignore their doctor’s warnings and related health concerns. Eventually, their opioid use may interfere with their personal lives, relationships, and careers.
- Behavioral changes. Opioid use disorder (OUD) and addiction can manifest in numerous behavioral changes. These include lack of hygiene, decreased interest in physical activities, isolation from friends and family, changes in sleeping habits, moodiness, irritability, and more.
Short- and Long-Term Effects of Opioid Use
Prolonged opioid use may result in short-term side effects and long-term consequences, especially when misused. Even when used correctly, these drugs may affect your physical and mental health.
The short-term effects of opioid use include:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Slower breathing
- Feelings of euphoria
- Insomnia and difficulty sleeping
Typically, these symptoms subside once you stop using opioids. However, that’s not the case with long-term effects that result from chronic opioid use.
Common long-term side effects of opioid use are the following:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Digestive issues
- Respiratory arrest
- Decreased fertility
- Irregular breathing
- Disordered sleeping
- Chronic constipation
- Heart rhythm abnormalities
- Increased risk of bone fractures
- Significantly higher risk of overdose
You should avoid prolonged use of opioids. Consult with your doctor and follow their instructions carefully to minimize the risk of experiencing severe side effects and an overdose.
Opioid Overdose Signs & Facts
Opioid overdose occurs when you ingest a larger drug dose than your body can handle. Typically, people at the greatest risk of overdose are patients who don’t follow their doctor’s instructions and patients recovering from addiction who have relapsed.
Opioid overdose is a major health crisis in the US, as there were approximately 81,806 deaths related to opioid abuse in 2022, according to the facts about opiate addiction and treatment provided by the National Center for Health Statistics. This encompasses both prescription and illegal opioids, it’s concerning since the number has increased over the years.
Considering how common the issue is, it’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a potentially fatal dose has been ingested.
Some of the most common ones include:
- Choking
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Limp body
- Drowsiness
- Small pupils
- Blue or gray lips
- Decreased heart rate
- Slow, weak breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- Pale, cold, and clammy skin
- Difficulty walking and talking
Opioid overdose requires immediate medical care; otherwise, it can quickly result in death. Two of the most dangerous and deadly opioids are heroin and fentanyl.
The Opioid Epidemic in the US
The opioid epidemic in the US began approximately two decades ago but wasn’t immediately taken seriously. It wasn’t until 2011 that it became a public health concern when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raised the alarm about overdose deaths from prescription opioids.
The CDC developed guidelines to combat the opioid epidemic, calling for tighter legal restrictions, greater caution, and responsible use. However, despite the warnings and widespread concern, the use of illegal and prescription opioids only continued to grow.
According to the facts about opiate addiction and treatment, approximately 12.7 million adult Americans reported having at least one opioid prescription in 2020 and 2021, and a large percentage had more than one. The total number of opioid users is even higher, as this survey didn’t include illegal opioids, such as heroin or fentanyl.
Overdose deaths are also on the rise, particularly in California, Florida, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The situation is particularly concerning in West Virginia, where opioid overdose deaths rose from 31.5 per 100,000 people in 2011 to 77.2 per 100,000 people in 2021.
However, facts about opiate addiction and treatment show that heroin is no longer the culprit behind the majority of these opioid-related deaths. Although it’s still quite deadly, fully synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, have become far more prevalent and dangerous.
The Rising Threat of Fentanyl
Fentanyl is considered the strongest available opioid, 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is intended to be used exclusively for severe pain, and just two milligrams of the drug can be lethal.
This drug is extremely easy to misuse and carries a high risk of dependence, addiction, and overdose. More concerningly, it became a popular street drug, manufactured and sold along with heroin, cocaine, and other illegal substances, and often ingested inadvertently.
The statistics for fentanyl are dire: according to the facts about opiate addiction and treatment provided by researchers from the Mayo Clinic, there was a 282% increase in out-of-hospital fentanyl-related deaths between 2016 and 2021. A large jump occurred between 2020 and 2021, with approximately 14,000 more people dying of fentanyl overdose in the subsequent year.
In light of this, fentanyl-related substances were recently reclassified as Schedule I drugs. Fentanyl itself remains a Schedule II drug—only available for medical use with high restrictions and control.
Opiate Addiction Prevention Strategies
There are no foolproof strategies to prevent opiate addiction except to avoid using them altogether. All opioids, even the ones advertised as safe, like tramadol, can lead to dependence and addiction.
So, whenever possible, it’s advisable to look for alternatives and consult your healthcare provider about non-opioid analgesics and other treatment options.
However, if your only choice is to resort to opioids, here is what you can do to minimize the risk of dependence and addiction:
- Follow the prescription to the letter.
- Don’t increase the dosage or frequency of use without consulting your doctor.
- Don’t mix opioids with other substances, be they antibiotics, non-opioid painkillers, or herbal medicines, unless your doctor approves.
Unfortunately, opioid dependence can develop despite your best efforts to prevent it. In that case, it’s important to seek appropriate help—preferably the kind that addresses the root of the problem.
ANR Treatment for Opiate Addiction and Dependence
Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) is an innovative opioid dependence treatment that can help you fully overcome opioid dependence in a matter of days.
Developed by Dr. Andre Waismann, ANR has helped over 24,000 people worldwide by directly addressing the root cause of dependence and addiction. Unlike opioid detox treatments, ANR doesn’t simply focus on detoxing; instead, it returns your brain to its pre-addiction state.
This occurs over the course of a 4–6 hour procedure, which is done while the patient is under deep sedation. Thanks to that, the patient can entirely avoid the otherwise uncomfortable withdrawal process and wake up fully recovered.
Throughout this entire process, the patient is in the hands of highly experienced and certified medical staff, including anesthesiologists, critical care specialists, and nurses. The treatment is carefully tailored to each patient’s needs and medical history, so it is safe and highly successful.
Take the first step toward recovery by contacting us and scheduling your free, 100% confidential consultation.
Key Takeaways
Finally, let’s wrap up with the most important facts about opiate addiction and treatment we’ve covered today:
- Opioid addiction has been on the rise in the US for the past two decades; since 2011, it has been recognized as an epidemic.
- The fact about drug addiction and dependence is that anyone can experience it—the only prerequisite is using opioids for a prolonged period of time.
- There is no foolproof method to prevent opioid dependence except to avoid the drugs altogether and only use them when absolutely necessary.
- ANR is the only treatment for opioid dependence that focuses on the neurological changes caused by long-term opioid use. Therefore, it directly addresses the root cause of the problem instead of focusing on managing the symptoms.
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