Opium is a substance that derives from the sap produced from the seed of the poppy plant. Opium in its raw form is extremely potent, because it contains multiple alkaloids, such as morphine and codeine. All drugs that come from opium, which includes most prescription painkillers and heroin, are highly addictive.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, morphine, heroin, and some prescription painkillers, such as OxyContin, belong to the class of drugs known as opiates. Opiate drugs act on receptors in the brain, which also interact with naturally produced substances known as endorphins, which are important in regulating pain and emotion. Although beneficial in many ways, opiates have significant abuse liability.
Opium based drugs will block pain receivers in a person’s body causing a user to feel minimum pain, and they will cause a user to feel extremely sedative. When taken in large doses or when injected, opium drugs can cause a person to feel a euphoric rush, and since they also impact a person’s reward system in their brain, many people develop addictions and dependencies to opium drugs.
Finding Help for a Loved One Who is Addicted to Opium
You can find help for your loved one today. Addiction recovery is possible.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are a range of treatments, including medications and behavioral therapies, which are effective at helping people stop their heroin and other opiates usage, and return to more stable and productive lives. Common medications for treatment include buprenorphine and methadone. Both medications work by binding to the same cell receptors as opiates, but more weakly, which helps a person wean off the drug.
In order to find the right treatment for a loved one who is addicted to an opium based drug, a person should consider the likes and dislikes of the person in question, and should find a treatment program that is specific to the individual’s needs. For example if their loved one is addicted heroin and is shy around members of the opposite sex, then they should get treatment at a program that focuses specifically on heroin addiction and that is gender based.
There are thousands of rehabs located throughout the country and most people addicted to opium based drugs want to get help, they just do not know how to. Having a loved one support them and help guide them, can significantly increase their chances of receiving the help they need, and will help them get through the trying times of opium detox.
10 Signs You Need Addiction Treatment for Opium -
If you're experiencing any of the following symptoms or warning signs, you should seek opium addiction treatment immediately. 
The Many Ways in which Opium Addiction Can Ruin Your Life -
According to the NIDA, “Although the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people,” addiction occurs when the individual can no longer control their drug-seeking behavior. “The brain changes that occur over time challenge an addicted person’s self-control and hamper his or her ability to resist intense impulses to take drugs.” This result ... 
Helping Your Family Cope with Your Addiction Recovery Process -
Recovering from addiction can be difficult for everyone involved, which is why there are various treatment options that involve the families of addicts. 
How Is Hydromorphone Addiction Treated? -
Hydromorphone is a type of prescription narcotic that can cause addiction if abused. Those who become addicted to it are treated in the same fashion as other prescription opioid abusers. If you have been using hydromorphone in a way that was not prescribed by a doctor, call now to allow Opium.org to help you find ... 
Short-Term Opium Drug Effects -
Pure opium, as well as opium-derived drugs, all produce strong analgesic effects that work well as pain-relief treatments. Examples of opium-derived drugs include: Codeine Heroin Morphine Synthetically made opium-type drugs also exist in abundance, some of which include: Hydrocodone Oxycodone Percodan Whether natural or synthetic, short-term opium drug effects remain the same. According to the ...