What is Prescription Opioid Addiction?

WHAT IS PRESCRIPTION OPIATE ADDICTION?

Most prescription opiates are derived from poppy plants. Often prescribed to treat pain following injury or operation, opioid prescriptions may be immediate or time-extended release pills. The prescription drug works to reduce the feeling of pain by providing euphoric and relaxing effects.

However, a study reports that 1 in 3 Americans with Substance Use Disorder began by overusing opioid medications. For recreational use, oxycodone pills are crushed for snorting or liquified for injecting, enabling a more immediate misuse onset. So, how does a medically-approved prescription for pain become an uncontrollable drug addiction?

Oxycodone activates the dopaminergic system, which is associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. Because of the strong euphoric state they create, Opiates are misused to escape emotional pain or achieve a high.

After consistent use of prescription Opiates, withdrawal may motivate a person to continue Opiate use as they try to escape painful symptoms. Opiate withdrawal symptoms can are often physical and psychological - such as altered mood, tremors, nausea, anxiety, trouble sleeping, or sweating.

Fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45. If not from a pharmacy, be aware that fake prescription opioid pills are more likely to contain fentanyl than not according to recent data. In fact, the odds are so high that testing these drugs for fentanyl may not even be worthwhile - if the OxyContin, Percocet, or other opioid pill did not come from your pharmacy, you can reasonably assume it contains fentanyl.