What is Prescription Opioids Addiction?

For the past several decades, prescription opioid use has been on the rise in the United States and much of the world. Opioids, which are analgesics, or pain-relievers, are commonly prescribed by doctors to treat severe and chronic pain.In fact, the medical community doles out prescription opioids at such a high rate that opioid use has become normalized. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculate that there are 58 opioid prescriptions filled for every 100 Americans. Statistics show that 17% of Americans currently have one or more opioid prescriptions filled. These numbers do not include the vast quantities of people who use prescription opioids without a prescription — or who, having become opioid dependent, have switched from prescription opioids to cheaper alternatives such as black tar heroin. Because medical professionals so readily prescribe prescription opioids, many people do not understand the dangers or recognize the risks of substance abuse. But the simple fact is that prescription opioids are deeply implicated in the current national opioid addiction crisis.

Drug overdose has now emerged as the number one leading cause of accidental death in the United States, superseding even automobile crashes. The main cause is opioid overdoses, with 20,101 overdose deaths occurring in 2015 alone. In the United States, it is estimated that every 12 minutes someone will die of an opioid overdose. The rate at which prescription opioids are supplied to people is to blame. Research shows that 80% of new heroin users began by using prescription opioids.

While many people are indeed legitimately given opioid prescriptions to treat actual pain, even this population is susceptible to opiate addiction. People who suffer from this affliction are deemed by the medical community to suffer from a condition called opioid use disorder (OUD). People with opioid use disorder use opioids compulsively, suffer from negative emotions when they’re not high on opioids, and find it difficult to control their use. The clearest sign of the presence of opioid use disorder is trying to stop using opioids and repeatedly failing to do so. This sense of ones life being beyond ones control can be a profoundly demoralizing feeling. Unfortunately, because prescription opioids are purchased legally in a pharmacy, they are often understood as a safe drug and many people feel to take action before it is too late.

Not only does opioid addiction damage ones sense of self-worth, it can destroy relationships with friends and family. It can also make it difficult to obtain or maintain a job and ultimately destroy a career. People with opioid use disorder find it difficult to manage their finances and many people end up in debt. Because opioid addicts often reach a point where they will stop at nothing to obtain drugs, they can sometimes face legal consequences for criminal behavior. Prescription opioid use — and the illegal opioid use to which it often leads — also does enormous damage to both physical and mental health. It can even be fatal in the event of an opioid overdose.

Opioid use disorder means that an individual finds it nearly impossible to stop taking drugs on their own. Thus, by definition, opioid use disorder requires outside help. Fortunately, treatment for opioid use disorder is widely available. Treating opioid addiction is usually done in several stages that reflect the unique needs of the individual as they recover. A variety of treatment options and modalities are used simultaneously to ensure recovery, including support groups and counseling. Treatments for opioid addiction also often include prescription drugs that alleviate cravings and limit some of the more severe withdrawal effects. Doing so provides patients not only with long term recovery and relief from the compulsion to use, but a means for living a healthier and more prosperous life in sobriety.

The first step in treating an opioid use disorder is enrolling in an opioid detox program. This first stage of treatment involves physically quitting and withdrawing from prescription opioids. As the substance leaves the body, individuals experience an assortment of physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms. During this stage, medical professionals at the detox program might prescribe methadone or buprenorphine, drugs that help individuals deal with the cravings and withdrawal effects that occur during severe opioid detox. It is crucial to go through opioid withdrawal under the medical supervision that a detox program offers. Unsupervised withdrawal can be dangerous and have disastrous effects on ones health. Sometimes medical interventions are necessary. It is also a painful and arduous time during which the majority of people benefit from counseling and the strong support system of a detox program. Depending on how severely addicted the patient is, an opioid detox program can last from a few days to a few weeks.

It should be understood, however, that opioid addiction is not cured as soon as one has detoxed and become physically abstinent. In fact, opioid use disorder, like many diseases, can be treated but never cured. After detox, patients are advised to continue treatment in a residential treatment center or an outpatient program. Doing so will allow individuals to continue to learn coping strategies, understand the underlying issues behind their addictions, work on their mental health, and develop skills to enable them to build a new life afterwards in sobriety.