Opiate Addiction
Opiate drugs are narcotic sedatives that depress activity of the central nervous system, reduce pain, and induce sleep. These, like other prescription drugs, could be beneficial to the body. However, the drug has the capacity to allow the body to become too dependent on it, leading to addiction.
Getting dependent to opiate is a disorder in the body’s central nervous system. Continuous and extensive opiate use causes the nerve cells in the brain to discontinue functioning as they normally and stop giving off natural endorphins. Opiate substitutes endorphins in the body. In return, the nerve cells start to degenerate and the body becomes physically dependent on opiates. Studies show that the brain has its own opiate and opiate receptors, which are concentrated in the parts of the brain that manages pain and emotions. Drugs that bind to opiate receptors in the reward centers of the limbic system that enhances the release of the brain chemical dopamine in another brain area called the nucleus accumbens. Flooding of dopamine in the brain produces a “high” of pleasure and relaxation which in turn could lead to addiction.
Usually an addict would do whatever it takes to hide the addiction. But eventually it will start to show, both in their behavior and in their attitudes. Some symptoms of opiate addiction include obsessing over medications, obsessing over doctor appointments and the need to get more medicine, being restless, irritable, and angry when not getting enough opiates, being preoccupied with getting more drugs, lying about how much they have used or when they got the medicine, and lying to doctors or faking injuries or illnesses in order to get more medicine. An addict may even go out of their way to the point of inflicting injury to one’s own body to get medication.
This type of addiction is treated the same as any other type of drug addiction. All treatments always start with the addict willing to overcome the addiction. Professional help is also needed for a high possibility of recovery from the addiction. First step of the treatment is the process of detoxification. In the procedure of the treatment, withdrawal symptoms can happen. Opiate detox and withdrawal happens when one suddenly stops the amount of opiates after intense use. Opiates could be an illegal drug or prescription drugs. Actually, it is the occurrence of withdrawal syndrome that pushes an individual to continue using the drug. Furthermore, people using opiates often experience drowsiness, vomiting, nausea, muscle soreness, constipation and dry mouth.
Opiate dependency was once viewed as a condition with no solution. Patients with opiate physical dependency were said to have inherited an addictive personality or psychological disorder or to have suffered with a dysfunctional family life. However, studies have been made on how to heal this kind of addiction. After more than a decade of NIH-supported animal and human research, buprenorphine was discovered to help stop opiate dependency. The discovery of the opiate receptor determined that buprenorphine worked like a treatment already available, termed methadone, by activating opiate receptors and mimicking opiate drugs of abuse. Receptor-activating medications can help relieve drug cravings and control a person’s addiction. Medications should also be paired with cognitive therapy such that the patient is encouraged to think positively and be hopeful that the addiction would later on subside. Also, one’s behavior should be modified as to how they deal with their dependence on the drug.
Opiate is a drug usually used to alleviate severe and chronic pain. It may be safe to think that prescription drugs are safe to take, however, dangerous effects may possibly occur due to misuse or abuse. Opiate can be tolerated by the body and later on may lead to addiction. Treatment may be hard but it is the only way out.
