In the United States there is a serious epidemic that affects millions of innocent Americans and their families every single year. This is the opioid epidemic or opioid crisis. To be more specific, more than 2 million Americans are negatively affected by prescription opioid misuse; although the opioids’ purpose was to help with chronic pain and to help individuals return to a pain-free, traditional life. However, with opioid drugs, many people do not return to a pain-free, traditional life. In fact, their lives change completely. Many individuals that use opioids end up sadly developing a opioid use disorder. If you, or a loved one is suffering from opioid use disorder, here is what you should know about opioid use and recovery. After all, recovery is possible.
Opioid Use Disorder
Before discussing opioid use disorder, it is important to understand the opioid definition as well as what opioids are used for, exactly. By definition, opioids are groups of pain-relieving drugs. They work to reduce your pain by working with, or interacting to, the opioid receptors in your body. Opioids also come in many forms. Morphine, Kadian, Duragesic, oxycodone, and fentanyl- just to name a few, are all forms of opioids. At first, one believes that opioids help. How could they not if they are supposed to decrease pain? But, many individuals become dependent on opioids and need them multiple times throughout the day- sometimes in high doses, just to function properly. This dependence is what leads to the larger opioid use disorder.
Opioid use disorder is similar to a dependence in that individuals rely on opioids, in physical and psychological ways. Opioid use disorder further leads into addiction. In other words, it’s a long, negative spiral that leads to consuming more and more drugs; sometimes even drugs such as heroin.
Signs Of Opioid Use Disorder
There are ways in which to tell if your loved one, or yourself is struggling with opioid use disorder. In fact, there are many signs that confirm this diagnosis.
Loss Of Control: The first, common, and sometimes slightly obvious sign is loss of control. Your loved one or yourself can no longer control how many or how much opioids he or she is consuming. Instead, he or she keeps taking them and taking them, and most of the time it is an ample amount throughout the day.
Drowsiness/Changes In Sleep Patterns: If you notice that your loved one or yourself always feel tired, or has trouble sleeping or remaining asleep this is a sign of opioid use disorder. This is especially true if your loved one or yourself has a completely different sleep pattern or habit than they previously did before taking opioids.
Weight Loss/Flu-Like Symptoms: If you notice that your loved one or yourself has lost a significant amount of weight in a short period of time, or seems to constantly have a cold/flu like symptoms this is a sign that they are/you are addicted to opioids.
Isolation: Although there are plenty of more signs and symptoms of opioid use disorder, this is the last one to be discussed. If your loved one or yourself has become increasingly anti-social and this has resulted in isolation from all family and friends, they are possibly addicted to opioids. While taking the drugs, no people or things matter. What matters is constantly being able to use opioids, and that is what isolation is a key sign of this addiction.
Opioid Treatment
There are a few different types of treatment your loved one or yourself can undergo to break free from this serious addiction. After all, opioid overdose is becoming increasingly common in the United States and this isn’t a good thing.
In-Patient: You can attend an in-patient treatment facility, this is the most common. Here, trained medical professionals will provide you with medication that reduces withdrawal symptoms. In addition, they will accompany you throughout the entire withdrawal process. After that, you will attend counseling and support groups where you can learn the skills needed to cope outside of the facility. Your treatment will continue outside the facility because it is an ongoing process in order to stay sober.
