We can never truly know what is happening in a person’s mind. Sometimes, we realize that the subtle signs we may have ignored were cries for help that we chose not to see. In the case of opioids, what may start as a simple prescription for patients with chronic pain can turn into a substance use disorder that cannot be managed.
According to the World Health Organization, in the year 2019, there were 600,000 deaths worldwide because of drug abuse. 80% of these deaths can be connected to opioids, and 25% of those deaths were because of opioid overdose. These numbers show the increasing damage that opioid abuse is causing worldwide.
In this blog, we will talk about what opioids are, why they are used, and how they co-exist with the long-term effects of opioid use.
What Are Prescription Opioids?
Prescription Opioids are a type of drug that can be natural or synthetic. It works by attaching itself to the opioid receptors in your brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body that feel pain and pleasure. Once they are connected to the receptors, they intercept the pain signals sent from the brain to the body, and they start releasing massive amounts of dopamine throughout the body.
This is done to minimise the intensity of the pain signals arriving at the brain. However, this release mimics the feeling of taking the drug, which makes the person who took the opioid want to do it again.
Opioids are commonly used as medicine because of the chemicals they contain that can relax the body and relieve pain. It is used to manage moderate to severe pain. Doctors typically prescribe it to patients for post-operative recovery and in some medical conditions where chronic pain is involved. In some instances, it is also able to treat coughing and diarrhoea.
The use of opioids can create a very euphoric and “high” feeling, which is the reason why it has been used in non-medical situations. This bears the risk of becoming dangerous because they are addictive.
Commonly Used Opioid Medication
Some of the commonly used opioid medications are:
- Hydrocodone (Vicodin)
- Oxycodone (Percocet, Oxycontin)
- Oxymorphone (Opana)
- Morphine (Kadian, Avinza)
- Codeine
- Fentanyl
Synthetic Opioids vs. Natural Opioids
Synthetic Opioids are a kind of opioid that is manufactured in laboratories with the same chemical structure as natural opioids. These typically tend to be 2 to 3 times more powerful than natural opioids because they are completely manufactured. Examples of these are fentanyl or tramadol. On the other hand, natural opioids are drugs made from opioids naturally found in the opium poppy plant, such as morphine and codeine. Semi-synthetic opioids are a combination of the two, such as oxycodone or hydrocodone.
Long-Term Opioid Effects
Long-term opioid use can cause various effects both in the body and in the brain. Each person will experience different effects, and these effects can persist even long after the patient has stopped the opioid misuse. Here are some of the possible effects the long-term use of opioids can cause:
Effects On the Body
The effect of opioids on the body will differ based on the way it was taken. If the person takes the opioid by smoking, snorting, or by an injection, the effects will be felt in just a few seconds. However,
Some examples of the general effects of long-term opioid use are:
- Drowsiness or being extremely relaxed
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Itchy and flushed skin
- Constricted pupils
- Slowed and laboured breathing
- “Nodding” in and out of consciousness
Effects On the Brain
The effects of each opioid may have different levels of strength, but in the end, they all do the same job, which is slowing down the central nervous system.
Once the central nervous system is successfully slowed down, the following are affected:
- Blood pressure
- Respiration
- Heart rate
In addition, the following parts of the brain that control
- Mood
- Impulse control
- Coordination
- Ability to sleep
- Desire for food
Once a person starts abusing opioids, it can prevent the body from releasing natural chemicals, which can result in drug dependence or drug abuse.
Dependence And Addiction
Like any other type of addiction, the consistent use of a drug, in this case, an opioid prescription, can result in dependence and addiction over time. Eventually, you will need to take a higher opioid dose to feel the same effects that you did with your previous doses.
In a specific timeframe, your body may become dependent on the effects of opioids on the body to function. If you try to stop your normal consumption after developing dependence abruptly, your body will go through withdrawal, and you will experience withdrawal symptoms.
Opioid Overdose
Using prescribed opioids beyond their recommended dose can end up fatal because it is highly addictive and will progress into dependence and addiction. It affects the part of the brain that controls our ability to breathe.
An overdose caused by opioids can be identified in the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing
- Purple lips and fingernails
- Faint heartbeat
- Vomiting
- Limp body
- Pale, blue, or cold skin
- Choking or vomiting sounds
- Tiny eye pupils
- Loss of consciousness
Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder
Opioid use disorder treatment can be different for each case. Finding the right opioid treatment option is a trial-and-error process. It will be a combination of other settings, different forms, and different timespans.
Medications are used to help with opioid dependence treatment by supporting a person’s recovery journey by helping normalise the brain’s chemistry, reducing opioid cravings, and, in some instances, preventing withdrawal symptoms.
Including medication as a part of the recovery journey is a decision made by the professionals assessing the client’s needs, but there is strong evidence that indicates it supports recovery.
The medications used in treating OUD are methadone, buprenorphine, lofexidine, and naltrexone. The first three decrease withdrawal symptoms and cravings, while naltrexone takes away the high that you get from taking opioids.
Counselling is also helpful in the recovery journey because it rebuilds your attitudes and behaviours that are connected to drug use. The different types of counselling that are used for OUD treatment are:
- Individual Counselling
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy
- Contingency Management
- Group Counselling
- Family Counselling
There is also residential or inpatient treatment and hospital-based treatment. In residential treatment programmes, the element of treatment and housing is combined. You will be surrounded by people who are experiencing similar problems while building a community by helping each other.
Hospital-based treatments are advised for those who have medical problems because it is a combination of health care and OUD treatment services. They may also provide intensive outpatient treatment programmes to those who need it.
Effectiveness Of Long-Term Opioid Therapy
The effectiveness of long-term opioid therapy depends on how the specific case of the patient will take the therapy. There is currently a lack of evidence tied to the use of opioids for chronic pain treatment because of widespread opioid therapy. Clinicians report that there are patients who experience meaningful benefits from opioid therapy. However, the increasing rates of opioid abuse and addiction combined with knowledge gaps and long-term studies dictate more caution should be practised.
For non-cancer pain, only tramadol has proven effectiveness for pain relief, while there is also a lack of available literature to support its effectiveness.
Coping With Long-Term Effects
It is important to practise tapering off of opioids the right and safe way once you have been consuming opioids for at least 7 to 10 days. Here are some tips you can do after consulting a healthcare professional:
- Unless you have a reason to lessen or quit drinking liquids for a while, increase your usual consumption of water or other liquids.
- Eat regular and balanced meals.
- Practice breathing and stretching exercises.
- Try to do other things in order to relax, such as getting a massage, listening to music, or reading.
- Distract yourself by talking to someone else, playing a video game, etc.
- Have a positive outlook while talking to yourself. Remind yourself that you can do this, and this is only temporary.
You’re Not Alone
Sometimes, people become creative and develop their ways of pain management. Excess consumption of pain medicine can happen if internal conflicts and personal crises are not addressed. We live in a world where people are suffering from all sorts of pain, and we will not fully understand what someone is going through until we are in that position ourselves.
Opioid addiction, or any other type of addiction, is an ongoing battle that many have to deal with. People end up in addiction for different reasons, and external pain can be a manifestation of an internal struggle. Please remember that you are not alone. There will always be someone who will understand what you’re going through, and reaching out will be worth it.
Let’s put an end to the stigma. Contact Sierra Recovery today and discover how we can help you.
