What Are Some Different Kinds of Opioids?
What are opioids?
Opioids are highly addictive narcotic substances that act on the nervous system to relieve pain. These substances include pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine, as well as the illegal drug heroin and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
What are some different kinds of opioids?
Prescription opioids, like those mentioned above, are fairly common and prescribed by doctors to treat pain. Heroin is an illegal drug that is an opioid. Heroin use has increased across the United States and in Mississippi among both men and women and at all income levels. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever that is more powerful than other opioids and is used to treat severe pain. However, the distribution of illegally-produced fentanyl has also been on the rise in recent years.
How do opioids affect a person using them?
Opioids reduce someone’s perception of pain, but they have other side effects as well. They can make someone sleepy, cause confusion, nausea, constipation, and decrease a person’s respiration. They can also lead to dependence. As many as one in four patients receiving long-term opioid therapy in a primary care setting struggles with opioid addiction.
If some opioids are available by prescription, are they safe?
Prescription opioids can be prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe pain, but that does not mean there are no serious risks or side effects. Regular use of prescription opioids, even as prescribed by a doctor, can lead to dependence. Misusing them can lead to overdose incidents and deaths.
Do I really need to take opioids if they are prescribed by my doctor?
We should all take responsibility for our own health.If you have concerns about opioids, discuss them with your health care provider and ask about possible alternatives. Alternative pain medications, or in some cases, physical therapy or other activities, may help relieve pain you are experiencing.
What are some signs of dependence or addiction?
Being unable to control or reduce the opioids you are using is one sign of addiction. Other signs include a desire or craving for the drugs, or the continued use of them, despite interference they are causing in your life. Developing a tolerance or using larger amounts of opioids over time are also signs of addiction. One clear sign that may occur could be the development of withdrawal symptoms, which may include nausea or vomiting, muscle aches, upset stomach, a fever, insomnia, or a negative mood.
Can’t someone just stop using drugs if they really want to stop?
It is difficult because addiction – substance use disorder, as it is clinically known – is a disease that usually takes more than simple willpower to overcome. Drugs change the brain in ways that affect someone’s self-control and ability to resist the urge to use drugs.
Most drugs increase the amount of the chemical dopamine in the brain, which affects how the body feels pleasure. Continued use of drugs can have a long-term impact on how the brain reacts to dopamine, which affects a person’s tolerance and the amount of pleasure and enjoyment they experience in life. Other chemical changes in the brain can affect learning, stress, behavior, memory, and decision-making skills. These changes are often why someone may relapse and return to drug use after a period of time remaining clean and sober.
Can addiction be cured?
Addiction is a chronic disease, but like other chronic diseases, it can be managed. A treatment program that is individualized for each person can lead to successful recovery. That treatment may include medication-assisted treatment, behavioral therapy, or both. Someone’s treatment plan may change over time, just like treatment plans for other chronic illnesses. Every person will have different needs.
How can I find help for my loved one who’s addicted?
Call the Mississippi Department of Mental Health at 1-877-210-8513 to ask about treatment options. All calls are confidential. For more information about opioids or opioid treatment options, visit
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