What is Opioid Addiction (or Opioid Dependency)?
Addiction is a chronic, debilitating illness that causes disruption to your life as well as psychological and physical pain.
Opioids can activate your reward circuit in your brain and produce feelings such as pleasure and euphoria. You may feel compelled again to take opioids, even though the high lasts only a short time.
Physical dependence
A person becomes physically dependent upon an opioid if they take it regularly. For the same effect to occur, they will need more of the drug.
Withdrawals are unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when an individual stops using opioid medication. These symptoms can include pain in the muscles and bones, nausea, vomiting cold flashes, and tremors.
Every person experiences withdrawal symptoms differently. While symptoms may be brief for some, others may last for many months or years.
Although tolerance and physical dependence are common side effects from repeated drug use, they do not mean you are addicted to the substance. Although addiction and dependence can sometimes be confused, it is crucial to know the difference.
You have a craving
Opioid cravings are a common part of addiction. They can be hard to manage even though you have been using less opioids.
Cravings last between 20 and an hour and are often intense. They may occur with particular people or in certain locations.
Maintaining opioid cravings can be done with medication such as maintenance therapy (MAT). It helps you to reduce the urge to take opioids. Buprenorphine and methadone are two common forms of MAT.
The patient can work with a therapist to develop coping skills and help them stop using drugs. Patients can also learn how to distract themselves, take care their health and talk about their feelings with others. These actions can be used to reduce the chances of relapse after treatment and are crucial in helping people recover from opioid dependence.
Overdose
Opioids trigger a reward-processing circuit in your brain that activates, which can lead to euphoria. But, excessive use can lead to a loss of this connection and physical dependence.
You might develop tolerance to the drug. That means that you will need more of the drug to have the same effect. People who misuse prescription opioids might become addicted to heroin or illegally produced fentanyl. It is up to 50 to 100x stronger than pharmaceutical fentanyl.
An overdose occurs when opioids are taken in excess or too rapidly. Overdoses can lead to breathing problems such as a rapid and severe slowing down of breathing, or even a death rattle.
Treatment
There are many treatment options for opioid addiction. These include medically-supervised withdrawal, medication, therapy or counseling to address the underlying reasons for use and teach healthy coping strategies.
Opioids are a way to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings. It allows you to make lifestyle changes that can lead to recovery. It is important to remember that the medication will not treat the addiction.
A comprehensive treatment plan may include behavioral therapy and family therapy, in addition to prescriptions for medication. These therapies address the root reasons that people use substances and teach them how to cope with stress, anxiety, or depression.
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Addiction is a chronic, debilitating illness that causes disruption to your life as well as psychological and physical pain. Opioids can activate your reward circuit in your brain and produce feelings such as pleasure and euphoria. You may feel compelled again to take opioids, even though the high lasts only a short time. Physical dependence…