Is Opium as Addictive as Prescription Opioids?

Opium is as addictive as any opioid-based drug, specifically because it is the original source for many of these substances, including a number of prescription narcotics. Call 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?) if you have been struggling with opium abuse and addiction. We will help you find safe, affordable treatment you can rely on.

An Opium High = A Heroin High

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, “An opium ‘high’ is very similar to a heroin ‘high’; users experience a euphoric rush, followed by relaxation and the relief of physical pain.” When a person abuses heroin, the effects of the drug reach the brain very quickly, partially because of the administration of the substance, which is usually smoked or injected. Opium is often abused the same way, and while its onset may not be as fast as heroin’s, it can create a high just as strong as the latter drug’s.

This is one reason why opium can be just as addictive as prescription opioids. A person who has regular access to the substance is likely to abuse it often and in large doses until they become addicted to it. And, like with prescription drugs, a person may turn to heroin instead of their former opioid of choice because it is cheaper, has a faster onset, and is easier to obtain than any other opioid.

Opium and the History of Prescription Opioids

Though opium itself is not used as a treatment method today for pain and other ailments, it used to be. As stated in a study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Opium has been known for millennia to relive pain and its use for surgical analgesia has been recorded for several centuries.” Its current status in the United States is as a Schedule II drug (determined because of its high potential for abuse), and several prescription opioids that fall into the same category include:

Both prescription opioid abuse and opium abuse can lead to drug-seeking behaviors.

• Codeine
• Fentanyl
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Meperidine
• Methadone
• Morphine
• Oxycodone
• Oxymorphone

In many ways, opium is just as dangerous as prescription opioids when it comes to addiction because it causes the same severe side effects (including the respiratory depression during overdose), the same tolerance and dependence, and the same drug-seeking behavior. Whether a person abuses one drug or the other will not protect them from the very possible outcome of addiction.

Switching from Opium to Prescription Opioids

In addition to all the same issues one is likely to experience with opium and prescription narcotic abuse, an individual may switch from the former to the latter because, once they start to become addicted, they will begin to seek a drug that is easier to obtain and cheaper. This can also lead to heroin abuse as stated above.

Using opium recreationally is just as dangerous as taking prescription drugs without a prescription, and an individual will require treatment in order to fight their eventual addiction.

Top 5 Benefits of Getting Treatment for Opium Addiction

Do You Need Opioid Addiction Treatment?

If you are struggling with narcotic addiction, call 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?) now. We will help you find a rehab center that takes your insurance policy as well as provides you with the treatment options that will be most beneficial to your needs. Call today and begin your recovery.