OPIOID ADDICTION

Opioids, sometimes called narcotics, are a class of drugs that act on the nervous system to produce feelings of pleasure and pain relief. This simple description belies the heartbreak, tragedy, and ruin that opioid addiction can cause.

Addiction — which occurs when someone feels a powerful physical or psychological need for a drug despite the potential for negative consequences — can lead to major health problems, including overdose and death. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose is one of the top causes of death in the U.S., leading to more deaths among 25- to 64-year-olds than car accidents.

Some opioids (for example, oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and tramadol) are prescribed legally by healthcare providers to manage severe and/or chronic pain, and some opioids, such as heroin, are illegal.

We don’t definitively know why some people are more likely to become addicted than others, but we do know that opioids are one of the most addictive drugs available because they trigger the brain’s dopamine receptors, causing extreme euphoria. The brain tells the body it wants more of these good feelings, leading to addiction — sometimes even when the medications are prescribed appropriately and taken as directed. According to the CDC, “opioids change the chemistry of the brain and lead to drug tolerance, which means that over time the dose needs to be increased to achieve the same effect.” This can lead to a greater risk that the user will take an unsafe amount and potentially overdose. In an overdose, breathing slows or stops, leading to unconsciousness and, in some cases, coma, permanent brain damage, or death.

Many people, including drug users themselves, have mistaken beliefs about drug addiction and recovery, according to Learn to Cope, a nonprofit addiction support network. “Two of the most pervasive myths are that a person can get off drugs alone and that most addicts can become permanently drug-free. These ideas stem in part from notions that continued drug use is voluntary and that a person’s inability to overcome addiction stems solely from character flaws or a lack of willpower,” says Learn to Cope.

Addiction recovery is a long-term process that requires commitment and caution. “Many of the same temptations will exist if the recovering addict returns to the environment in which the addiction started,” says Learn to Cope.