Recovery is Possible: Treatment for Opioid Addiction Feature Topics Drug Overdose

Read on to learn about the different types of opioids, how they affect your body, and which side effects to pay attention to. Opioid addiction is more likely to happen when opioid medications aren‘t taken as prescribed. You may hear the phrases opioid addiction and opioid use disorder opioid addiction treatment used to mean the same thing. However, opioid addiction is an older term no longer officially used to define opioid use disorder. Opioids can help you manage severe pain when used as prescribed. It’s essential to follow guidelines to avoid possible addiction symptoms.

If you or someone you know is struggling, treatment is available. While no single treatment method is right for everyone, recovery is possible, and help is available for opioid addiction. Opioid use disorder and opioid addiction remain https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/is-alcohol-good-for-you-benefits-and-risks/ at epidemic levels in the US and worldwide. Three million US citizens and 16 million individuals worldwide have had or currently suffer from opioid use disorder (OUD). More than 500,000 in the United States are dependent on heroin.

Opioid Use & Abuse Statistics in the U.S.

Using any opioids for their euphoric effect, even for a short time, raises the risk of substance use disorder, overdose and death. If you’re taking opioids and you’ve developed tolerance, ask your doctor for help. There are other, safe choices available to help you make a change and continue feeling well. Quitting these drugs abruptly can cause severe side effects, including pain worse than it was before you started taking opioids. Today, public health interventions aim to stem the deaths by offering over-the-counter naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses and relaxing restrictions on buprenorphine, a treatment for opioid use disorder.

• This medicine is different from methadone and buprenorphine because it does not directly prevent cravings or withdrawal.
• The persistent use of opioids should be diagnosed and treated promptly.
• By Julie Scott, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP

  Julie is an Adult Nurse Practitioner with oncology certification and a healthcare freelance writer with an interest in educating patients and the healthcare community.

• Opioids introduced from outside the body (called exogenous opioids), including opioid medications and heroin, also exert their effects by acting on these receptors.
• Opioid addiction does not have a clear pattern of inheritance, although many affected individuals have a family history of addiction to opioids or other substances.
• If you or someone you know is struggling, treatment is available.
• The third thing that you touched upon was the introduction of this drug and the kind of drug.

When you stop using opioids, you will experience a period of withdrawal. You will likely have symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, chills and fever, fatigue, and depression or anxiety. It is normal—although hard—to have these symptoms as your body recovers from the effects of the drug and lessens its tolerance and dependence on the drug. You should always talk to your doctor before you stop using a drug, even an opioid. They can help you reduce or prevent withdrawal symptoms by gradually lowering your dose over time until you no longer need the medicine.

How should I take prescribed opioids?

To find a treatment program, browse the top-rated addiction treatment facilities in each state by visiting our homepage, or by viewing the SAMHSA Treatment Services Locator. The helpline at OpioidTreatment.net is available 24/7 to discuss the treatment needs of yourself or a loved one. This helpline is answered by Ark Behavioral Health, an addiction treatment provider with treatment facilities in Massachusetts and Ohio. In partnership with OASAS, New York State offers ongoing virtual naloxone trainings, which teach people how to recognize signs of an overdose and use naloxone to reverse it.