With today’s fast-paced lifestyles, an unexpected accident or injury can really throw off a busy schedule. Prescription opiates fit in nicely with today’s hustle and pace, allowing a person to pick up where he or she left off while still recovering from an injury.
Unfortunately, this level of convenience comes with certain risks as opiate drugs in general carry a high potential for abuse and addiction. What may seem like a passing symptom along the can quickly develop into a full-blown condition, especially when opiate abuse practices take shape along the way.
Being able to spot signs of opiate abuse sooner rather than later offers the best chance of preventing an out-of-control addiction problem from taking over your life.
Call our toll-free helpline at 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?) for information on available opiate abuse treatment options.
Opiate Abuse Potential
The brain houses its own pain management system that uses endorphin chemicals to relieve pain, whether it be physical pain or emotional stress. According to the Journal of Pain Research and Treatment, endorphins share a similar chemical makeup with opiate drugs. This similarity allows the brain to easily adapt to opiate effects and adjust its own endorphin production rates accordingly.
These conditions account for why opiates carry such a high risk for abuse and addiction.
3 Reasons to Get Opiate Abuse Treatment
Physical Dependence
Fatigue and agitation are warning signs of opiate dependence.
With ongoing opiate use, the brain develops a dependence on opiate effects to carry out its regulatory functions. Over time, physical dependence brings on withdrawal effects, which are a clear sign that a person is engaging in opiate abuse.
Withdrawal effects result from growing brain chemical imbalances brought on by fluctuating endorphin chemical levels. Symptoms to watch for include:
- Problems sleeping
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Agitation
Psychological Dependence
Psychological dependence becomes an issue when a person starts to use opiates as a way of coping with daily life responsibilities. Much like the brain comes to rely on opiates to manage the body’s systems, psychological dependence develops out of the mind and the effects opiates have on a person’s thinking and emotions, according to the Journal of Science & Practice Perspectives.
In the absence of needed opiate abuse treatment, this “need” for opiates will override all other priorities in a person’s life.
Lifestyle Effects
While it may be difficult to spot the physical and psychological effects of opiate abuse, major changes in your daily lifestyle are hard to miss. In effect, psychological dependence breeds poor choices and faulty decision-making for the sake of getting and using the drug.
Lifestyle effects to watch for include:
- Relationship conflicts caused by drug use
- Problems on the job or loss of employment
- Financial strain
- Problems with the law, such as DUIs
Considerations
While following prescription guidelines greatly reduces the risk of opiate abuse, it’s still possible to fall into drug abusing patterns all the same. As a general rule, the longer you stay on opiates the greater the risk.
If you suspect you or someone you know may be engaging in opiate abuse and need help finding a treatment program that meets your needs, call our toll-free helpline at 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?) to speak with one of our addiction counselors.
The Makings of an Opiate Overdose & the Need for Opiate Addiction Treatment
Should I Be Concerned about the Dangers of Opiates? -
If you are taking prescription painkillers for chronic pain, it is important to be concerned about the possible dangers of these drugs. When a person takes opioids in the way they were prescribed without deviating from their dosage, these drugs are usually not harmful, but there is still a chance for possible side effects as ... 
Signs Your Child is Abusing Opium Derivatives -
Opium carries with it images of far flung, exotic locales. We think of opium dens and Chinese men smoking for days from long pipes. Opium dreams were inspirations for the poet Coleridge and for composer Chopin. Opium feels dated and somewhat romantic. But, it isn’t. If someone in your life is abusing opium, you know ... 
How Do I Reconnect with Family During Opium Addiction Treatment? -
Opium addiction can be very difficult on the addicted individual, but it can also seriously hurt their family members, friends, and other loved ones. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Drug abuse puts a lot of stress on parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents––anyone who is part of the home,” and this often causes ... 
How Medication Assisted Treatment Works -
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2010 there were over 2.4 million people in the United States addicted to prescription medication alone. This figure does not take into account all of the people who are addicted to illegal drugs. To combat what is an addiction epidemic, doctors and scientists use a variety ... 
5 Ways to Know Buprenorphine Treatment is Right for You -
Buprenorphine can be an incredibly helpful medication for many individuals. Depending on your needs, you may want to choose buprenorphine as the opioid treatment medication for your recovery. Call now to find rehab centers that provide options to help patients to create a well-rounded treatment program. 1. You Have a Mild Dependency on Opioids If ...