What Are Opioids?

Opioids are a type of drug that primarily act as pain killers. It also includes several illegal drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, and other pain relievers. Opioids can be highly addictive and are misused frequently.¹

How Do Opioids Work?

When a person takes an opiate, their opioid receptors are activated. These receptors are on the nerves within the body, and they cause a reduction in pain. However, it also causes many of the negative side effects of opioid use disorder It can also lead to a dopamine release, leading to dependence or tolerance.²

Common Types of Opioids

There are many types of opioids, and they vary in strength. OxyContin, Vicodin, morphine, and methadone are the most common types of opioids. These are prescription drugs that are sometimes misused. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, and they’re illegally made. Heroin is a very concentrated form of opioid. It’s extremely addictive and illegal.³

Opioid Medications

Opioids are a drug class that come from the opium plant. Most prescription opioids come from the plant, while some are made in labs. Synthetic opiates are made from the same chemical structure, but they’re more concentrated.⁴

What Opioid Medications Do

Doctors normally prescribe opioids because they’re amazing pain relievers and do a great job relaxing muscles. Doctors will usually use them to help people struggling with moderate to severe pain.⁴

When Opioid Medications Are Dangerous

Opioid medications become dangerous when people don’t follow directions or misuse them. High doses of opioids can lead to severe or fatal side effects, leading to opioid dependence.⁵

Opioid Complications and Side Effects

When a person has complications after taking too high of a dosage, they might face several different kinds of side effects:⁶

Sedation
Nausea

Vomiting
Chemical dependence or addiction
Respiratory depression
Overdose

Safe Opioid Prescription

Opioid prescriptions are safe when you follow the directions. Your doctor knows how to manage the prescription to prevent overdose. Therefore, it’s imperative that you don’t take too much and continue taking the prescription after the designated period.

Opioid Misuse and Addiction

Opioids are a highly addictive prescription drug. Misuse can quickly lead to an addiction. Because of the potent nature of opiates, there can be severe to fatal consequences.

Opioid Overdose

Opioids impact a person’s ability to regulate breathing. This can lead to a person having slow or irregular breathing, or stalled breathing altogether. People who take opioids with other drugs or take too high of a dosage are most at risk for overdose.

How to Prevent an Overdose

The best way to prevent an overdose is by following your doctor’s instructions very carefully. Don’t mix opioids with other substances such as alcohol or marijuana. Make sure to stop opioid use when your doctor tells you to. If you begin to struggle with symptoms of an opioid overdose, seek medical attention immediately.

How to Recognize an Overdose

Look for these signs to see if someone is overdosing:⁷

Pale skin or face

Limp body
Purple or blue nails and lips
Excessive vomiting
Unconsciousness
Slow/irregular heartbeat or breaths

Signs of Opioid Abuse

Some common signs of opioid abuse are:⁸

Flu-like symptoms
Extreme drowsiness
Cravings

Unable to stop or manage opioid use
Uncontrollable weight loss
Decrease in libido
Isolation from loved ones
Stealing items from loved ones for money

Financial issues

How to Avoid Addiction to Opioids

The best way to avoid opioid use disorder is by consulting with your doctor about your prescription, not taking more than prescribed, and listening to the directions carefully.

Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Normally, people who struggle with opioid use disorder will need to go through treatment. There are several treatment options, and doctors will typically use multiple methods to best help the person. However, the most difficult thing about opioid use disorder is the withdrawal effects. These can be very difficult to cope with, so it’s best to undergo withdrawal in a hospital or treatment center.

Medications

Due to the severe withdrawal effects, doctors will generally prescribe medication to assist with the recovery process. This will help wean people off the drug while reducing side effects.

Methadone
Methadone is known as an essential medicine for opioid use disorder treatment.⁹ Methadone is a very mild opioid that can help people transition away from heroin or fentanyl.

Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine is just as important as methadone in the recovery process. These are used to help people in the recovery process.

Naltrexone
Naltrexone is just as effective as buprenorphine, but it requires a detox period. Because of this, doctors will sometimes choose buprenorphine over naltrexone. However, it’s still highly effective. All three of the medications have become essential in fighting the opioid epidemic.⁹

Counseling And Behavioral Therapies

People who struggle with opioid use disorder will typically undergo therapy to develop coping mechanisms to manage stress and cravings.

Contingency Management

Contingency management gives people rewards for staying sober and working a recovery program. This uses positive reinforcement to encourage sobriety. One interesting form of this would be gamification (using tasks and rewards like they were a game).¹⁰

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing is a style of therapy that focuses on goal-setting and motivating change. Doctors will honor personal autonomy and empower them to overcome their addiction.¹¹

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on identifying negative patterns of thinking. Once identified, the therapist will help the individual work through those to enable change. CBT focuses on developing healthy habits to cope with stress and change thinking habits.

Family Therapy

Family therapy can be essential when a disorder has negatively impacted immediate family members. During family therapy, the doctor will see individuals from the family and see them as a group to better identify potential triggers. Also, this is a time to work through potential trauma and hurts within the family.

12-Step Groups

12-Step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous can help a person develop a supportive community outside of treatment. These meetings use the 12-Steps to live recovery in their everyday life. These groups can be highly beneficial to people that don’t have a good support system at home. Commonly, 12-Step groups are used alongside therapy.

Opioid Misuse Prevention

It’s your responsibility to work with your doctor to manage your opioid prescription in a safe, effective way. Opioids are not meant to be misused, and it’s crucial to listen to your doctor.

What You Can Do to Prevent Opioid Misuse

You can do several things to prevent opioid misuse and addiction for both yourself and others. You can work with your doctor, store them properly, and monitor your use of other substances.

Work With Your Doctor

Always try options that don’t include opioids. They should be a last resort to manage your pain. Make sure to create a specific plan with your doctor and understand all the potential concerns. If you decide to begin an opioid prescription, check in with your doctor regularly.¹²

Take And Store Opioids Properly

Make sure only to take the proper dosage — never take more. Keep your doctor informed of any side effects you’re experiencing. Also, it’s important that you store your opioids in a safe environment where kids or other people in your house can’t access them. And lastly, never share your prescription.¹²

Be Aware of Potential Interactions with Other Drugs

Finally, make sure to track what other substances you take alongside your prescriptions. Alcohol and opioids don’t mix well together and can easily lead to overdose. If you or a friend are struggling with opioid abuse, reach out to a medical professional for help.

Opioids Guide

Opioids, an addictive class of drugs, come from the opioid plant and help with pain relief.