It can often be difficult to tell if you or someone you care for is developing an opium addiction, most users feel that the they are taking a safe amount, and that nothing will happen. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. Opium is addictive, and if you do not become aware of the warning signs, it can lead to traumatic results.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction is a chronic, often-relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and drug use. The brain changes that can occur over time challenges a user’s self-control, and creates an intense impulse to use more.
Signs of Opium Addiction to Be Aware of
Signs and symptoms of addiction can result in physical and psychological damage for the addict. While not all users will display the same signs, there are common telltale signs of opium addiction to watch out for (and if necessary be willing to seek treatment whether for yourself or your loved one):
Becoming depressed or irritable when you are not smoking opium is a sign of addiction.
- Feelings of irritability
- Becoming aggressive or hostile towards others
- Feeling depressed
- Start to feel anxiety
- Start telling lies to cover up the use of opium
- Often feeling agitated or restless
- Become exhausted easily
- Develop insomnia
- Constantly thinking of taking more opium
- Skin may start itching
- Moments of nausea or vomiting
- Sweating
- Muscle spasms
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling paranoid
- Experiencing hallucinations
- Hard to control cravings for opium
- Excessive talking
The signs of opium addiction are not limited to those mentioned above, and can depend on the severity of the addiction. Most signs might go unnoticed for awhile because an addict can try and conceal their addictive problem. Also, these symptoms are not necessarily a fact that a person is addicted to opium, there may be other reasons for the changes a person is displaying.
Life Threatening Signs of Opium Addiction
The common signs of opium addiction discussed above can be dangerous to you or your loved one’s overall health, and can have an impact on those around you, causing stress and worry. Other warning signs that are life threatening include:
- Stealing money or items from others to pay for more opium – you or your loved one can end up getting arrested or worse, run into someone that will hurt you physically for stealing from them (they might have a weapon to protect themselves and use it).
- Suicidal thoughts – having such thoughts may lead into the actual act of suicide.
- Heavy amounts of opium – taking very high doses can lead to an overdose and put you or loved one into a coma, cause a stroke, a heart attack or death due to a rupture of the blood vessels in the brain.
No one should wait until warning signs become evident. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug addiction is a preventable disease. Education and research are key in helping you or a loved one understand the risks of addiction. Stay informed and learn more about the dangerous risks of opium addiction.
What to Do if Your or Loved One Have an Opium Addiction
If indeed you or a loved one have become addicted to opium, then seeking help from a health professional will be a decision that can save a life. Do not wait to see if something happens, because that “something” can turn into a devastating life-changing event.
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