Monday, March 25, 2024

Am I Addicted To Opiates

Using Opiates Interferes With Your Family

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When using opiates interferes with your family and how you respond to them it is time to seek treatment, especially if a family member has mentioned your drug use. Family members often ask an addict to stop taking the drug before the addiction gets to the point of being damaging.

Because opiates can cause you to skip family outings, become irrational, or become abusive to your family, it is important that you seek treatment as soon as you see it start damaging your family.

What Causes Opioid Addiction

Opioid drugs alter your brain by creating artificial endorphins. Besides blocking pain, these endorphins make you feel good. Too much opioid use can cause your brain to rely on these artificial endorphins. Once your brain does this, it can even stop producing its own endorphins. The longer you use opioids, the more likely this is to happen. You also will need more opioids over time because of drug tolerance.

Drug tolerance is when your body, over time, gets used to the effects of a drug. As this happens, you may need to take a higher dose of the drug to get the same effect. When you take opioids over time, you need a higher dose to get the same pain relief.

If you stop using an opioid for a period of time, your tolerance will begin to fade. If you need to begin taking it again, you most likely will not need your former higher dose. That can be too much for the body to take. If you stop taking a medication, and then resume, talk to your doctor about dosage.

Am I Addicted To Opiates Or Pregabalin

Sr. Moderator: BDD, NMI, DC

Staff member

The fact you’ve got a lot of ‘nothing’ days in there suggests you may not be as addicted as you think you are.Keep that diary going and try to increase the ‘nothing’ days. It’s a hard slog, but doable – especially as you’re not yet on daily dosing.

you haven’t taken any opioids or pregab in 3 days?I think that answers your question on if you’re dependent or not, otherwise you wouldn’t be asking

Thank you.I am afraid I took 60mg dihydrocodeine, a really low dose, since I wrote this.I have spent, since Friday in bed, totally unmotivated, overwhelmed, anxious and depressed and it all got a bit much.Well, back on the wagon tomorrow.As supply may stop, I may have forced abstinence, which is probably why I had a bigger gap in my opiate usage.Relapse is part of recovery, may I somehow get the ability to face life without drugs soon.

The fact you’ve got a lot of ‘nothing’ days in there suggests you may not be as addicted as you think you are.Keep that diary going and try to increase the ‘nothing’ days. It’s a hard slog, but doable – especially as you’re not yet on daily dosing.

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Do I Plan My Daily Schedule Around Getting & Using Opiates

A physical dependence on opiates affects the brain and body on a physical level, leaving the brain unable to function normally in the absence of the drug. According to the U. S. National Library of Medicine, addiction affects the mind, creating a type of psychological dependence on the drugs effects.

With addiction, opiates takes on top priority to the point where a person arranges his or her day around two primary motivations: obtaining needed drug supplies and using the drug.

How Can You Avoid Addiction To Opioids

Opiate Addiction: A Step

If you or a loved one is considering taking opioids to manage pain, it is vital to talk to a physician anesthesiologist or other pain medicine specialist about using them safely and exploring alternative options if needed. Learn how to work with your physician anesthesiologist or another physician to use opioids more wisely and safely and explore what pain management alternatives might work for you.

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What Is Naloxone And How Can It Help With An Overdose

Available as an injection or nasal spray, naloxone is a lifesaving medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. If you happen to have naloxone when responding to an overdose, call 911 and administer the medication according to the package instructions.

Access to naloxone is expanding on a state-by-state basis. It can be prescribed by a physician, is often carried by police officers and emergency medical responders, and is increasingly available over the counter at some pharmacies.

Withdrawal Symptoms Of Opioids

People who are on drugs, including opioids, can learn ways to hide their use, and it can be difficult for family members to know for sure whether or not they are abusing substances. While you may not notice physical symptoms of the actual use of the drug, another way to know if someone is on drugs is to look out for withdrawal symptoms. When someone is a prolonged opioid user, they will experience withdrawal symptoms if they dont take the drug even for a short period.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms may include:

  • Extreme anxiety

Withdrawal from opioids can seem similar to the flu and can include physical symptoms such as a headache, nausea, vomiting, sweating, fatigue and extreme anxiety.

If youre worried a loved one could be abusing opioids, its important to recognize both the physical and behavioral symptoms. These signs of opioid abuse can often be present very early on, and then they tend to worsen over time.

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Whats Known About Opioids And Overdose

An overdose happens when too much of a drug is taken and harms your body. When too many opioids are taken, your breathing can slow and stop. Opioid overdoses can be nonfatal or they can result in death. People who have opioid use disorder are more likely to experience an overdose.

If you take opioids exactly as prescribed by your provider, its very unlikely that youll experience an opioid overdose.

An opioid overdose can happen for a variety of reasons, including if you:

  • Take an opioid to get high.
  • Take an extra dose of a prescription opioid or take it too often .
  • Mix an opioid with other medications, illegal drugs or alcohol. An overdose can be fatal when mixing an opioid and benzodiazepines medications prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia. Common benzodiazepines include diazepam , alprazolam and clonazepam .
  • Take an opioid medication that was prescribed for someone else. Children are especially at risk of an accidental overdose if they take medication not intended for them.

Immediate action is needed to help someone experiencing an opioid overdose. Naloxone is a drug that treats the overdose immediately. Naloxone can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose if its given to the person quickly. Medical attention is still urgently needed after naloxone is administered.

How To Spot Signs Of Opioid Addiction

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Doctors use an 11-point checklist to help determine if a persons opioid use signals a deeper problem. Heres what they look for.

It isnt always easy to tell if a person has an addiction to opioids.

But any strange habits or suspicions should be taken seriously, says Jonathan D. Morrow, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan.

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If youre using more and more of a drug, yet your daily functioning is getting worse instead of better, thats a sign of addiction, Morrow says. If youre using for a longer time than prescribed, thats a warning sign. If youre using it for reasons other than prescribed for example, because youre depressed or anxious or bored, that puts you at really high risk.

Whether an opioid was obtained legally or not, taking it isnt supposed to be satisfying.

If you use opioids for the intended purpose, you ideally should get no high, Morrow says. You get lots of side effects such as nausea and constipation. Its really not pleasant.

Its once you go beyond the amount you need for pain control that you start getting a high.

Opioids cause the brain to release dopamine, which triggers a desire to repeat the drug-taking experience. Taken for too long or in high amounts, they can be highly addictive.

Morrow spoke about the checklist and how it is applied.

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Opioid Use During Pregnancy

In the most recent estimateexternal icon available, the number of women with opioid-related diagnoses documented at delivery increased by 131% from 2010 to 2017. According to 2019 self-reported data, about 7% of women reported use of prescription opioid pain relievers during pregnancy. Of those, 1 in 5 reported misuse .

Behavioral & Lifestyle Signs Of Opioid Abuse

It can be difficult to determine if someone is abusing opiates because it may be easy for the person to hide some of the physical symptoms. However, there are general behaviors and lifestyle patterns that may be easier to recognize.

Some behavioral signs may include:

  • Withdrawal from activities and commitments
  • Loss of interest in hobbies
  • Hanging out with new people

When someone is addicted to opioids, they tend to withdraw from activities and commitments, such as school or work. They tend to lose interest in things they were previously interested in, and they may also start following different habits or routines, and hanging out with different people.

There can be attitude changes such as irritability and angry outbursts. Other behavioral signs include a sense of anxiety or nervousness, secrecy or dishonesty.

Families and loved ones of people who are abusing opioids will tend to see that their loved ones start to focus elsewhere often on figuring out ways to obtain more of the drug theyre abusing. This process tends to lead the individual to become even more disconnected from their previous life. Besides neglecting school, work, and family commitments, people may start to neglect their physical appearance as well.

Doctor shopping may occur, which means the person abusing drugs will start visiting many different physicians and creating fake symptoms in the hope of obtaining opioid prescriptions.

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How Should You Respond To An Opioid Overdose

If you think someone may be experiencing an opioid overdose, take the following actions immediately:

  • Lightly tap, shake, and shout at the person to get a response. If you do not get a response, rub your knuckles on the personâs breastbone.
  • If the individual responds, keep the person awake.
  • If You Get Little or No Response

    If lightly tapping, shaking, and shouting at the person or rubbing your knuckles on the personâs breastbone do not elicit a response , take the following actions:

  • If breathing is shallow or nonexistent, or if the personâs skin color is blue and he or she has dark-colored lips, perform mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing by tilting the head back and lifting up the chin until the mouth opens, clearing the airway. Give two quick breaths to start and then a strong breath every 5 seconds.
  • If the person does not have a pulse or is not breathing, perform CPR. Push down repeatedly on the chest at a rate of 100 times per minute. Deliver rescue breaths after every 30 compressions.
  • While waiting for emergency responders, stay with the person. If you must leave the person alone or vomiting occurs, place the individual in recovery position â on the personâs side, with the opposite hand supporting the head, mouth facing to the side and down, and top leg on the floor to keep the person from rolling onto the stomach.
  • Why Are Some People More Susceptible To Opioid Addiction

    Opiate Addiction eBook

    Nobody is quite sure why one person becomes addicted to opioids and not another. Typically, opioids produce pain relief, which is good after surgery. However, for some people opioids create a pleasurable effect. For example, caffeine is a reinforcing drug people like the effects.

    That is true for about 80 percent of the adult population in U.S. But, some people avoid it because it makes them jittery or anxious. Early in the process of opioid use, people may take it because of the pleasurable effect, and some people actually dont like the effect of an opioid and may go on to avoid them. If you take an opioid and your pain is gone, and you find yourself saying, I feel really good, it may be a warning sign that you are vulnerable to misusing these medications.

    Over time that good effect diminishes for people who like how an opioid makes them feel, and many people take more opioids because they hope to get that good feeling, and they also dont want to go through withdrawal.

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    Clinical Screening Tools For Prenatal Substance Use And Abuse

    4 Ps*

    Parents: Did any of your parents have a problem with alcohol or other drug use?

    Partner: Does your partner have a problem with alcohol or drug use?

    Past: In the past, have you had difficulties in your life because of alcohol or other drugs, including prescription medications?

    Present: In the past month have you drunk any alcohol or used other drugs?

    Scoring: Any yes should trigger further questions.

    NIDA Quick Screen

    • Step 1. Ask patient about past year drug usethe NIDA Quick Screen

    • Step 2. Begin the NIDA-Modified ASSIST

    • Step 3. Determine risk level

    Conduct a Brief Intervention

    • Step 4. Advise, Assess, Assist and Arrange

    CRAFFTâSubstance Abuse Screen for Adolescents and Young Adults

    C Have you ever ridden in a CAR driven by someone who was high or had been usingalcohol or drugs?

    R Do you ever use alcohol or drugs to RELAX, feel better about yourself, or fit in?

    A Do you ever use alcohol or drugs while you are by yourself or ALONE?

    F Do you ever FORGET things you did while using alcohol or drugs?

    F Do your FAMILY or friends ever tell you that you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?

    T Have you ever gotten in TROUBLE while you were using alcohol or drugs?

    Scoring: Two or more positive items indicate the need for further assessment.

    John R. Knight, MD, Boston Childrens Hospital, 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. For more information, contact .

    What Is The Difference Between Opiates And Opioids

    Opiates are derived from the naturally-occurring poppy plant that creates the active ingredient in the drugs. Common opiates include opium, heroin morphine and codeine.

    An opioid is a substance that can be derived from the from the poppy plant, be synthetic or be semi-synthetic, meaning the active ingredients are created chemically in a lab. Common opioids include morphine, oxycodone, OxyContin, hydrocodone, fentanyl and others.

    All opiates are opioids, but not all opioids are opiates. However, opioids and opiates have the same effects on your body because they have similar molecules, and they both have high addiction potential.

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    Warning Signs And Symptoms

    As is true with taking any type of medication there are associated risks, including risks for misuse, dependence, withdrawal, and overdose. To help you figure out of you are addicted to opiates, it is helpful to be aware of the warning signs and symptoms. The Mayo Clinic provides the following examples of warning signs that may be indicative of opioid addiction:

    • Regularly taking an opioid in a way not intended by the doctor who prescribed it, including taking more than the prescribed dose or taking the drug for the way it makes a person feel
    • Taking opioids just in case, even when not in pain
    • Mood changes, including excessive swings from elation to hostility
    • Changes in sleep patterns

    Role Of The Obstetriciangynecologist And Other Obstetric Care Providers

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    Patients who use opioids during pregnancy represent a diverse group, and it is important to recognize and differentiate between opioid use in the context of medical care , opioid misuse, and untreated opioid use disorder. To combat the opioid epidemic, all health care providers need to take an active role. Appropriate prescribing of opioid medications is vitally important. Before prescribing opioids for their patients, obstetriciangynecologists and other health care providers should do the following:

    Box 1.

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    Help For Opiates Addicts

    Opiates are some of the most abused drugs in America, with prescription opiates accounting for up to 5.1 million cases of addiction.

    Around 210 million doses of opiates, including morphine, OxyContin and Vicodin, were prescribed in the US in 2011, so its not surprising that the problem is extensive.

    Opiates are any drugs that are derived from the opium poppy. Effectively, all opiates affect the body in the same way. Opiates are prescribed for treating moderate to severe pain, such as post-operative pain, back pain etc. They can also produce euphoria, which makes them potentially addictive if used over longer periods of time. Opiate overdose accounted for more deaths in 2014 than car accidents . Consequently, they should be prescribed sparingly and only when absolutely necessary.

    What Are Opioids Approved For

    Prescription opioids are approved for managing moderate to severe pain. This can include:

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also approved the use of some opioids to treat intense coughing and chronic diarrhea. Loperamide is an opioid healthcare providers use to treat diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome . Opioids such as codeine and dextromethorphan are useful as cough suppressants.

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    How Do Opioids Affect The Brain

    When an individual takes an opioid, they may feel a variety of effects, including drowsiness, relaxation, and slowed breathing.3 Many people also experience a rush of pleasure, also referred to as euphoria, that they find intensely rewarding.3

    Opioids bind to specific receptors in the brain and disrupt the pain signals transmitted between the body and the brain, dulling the perception of painful stimuli.4 Opioids also increase the activity of dopamine, a brain-signaling molecule with an important role in reward and reinforcing behaviors.5 This release of dopamine is associated with producing pleasure, leading to repeated drug use.3 Dopamine helps to reinforce pleasurable activities, such as exercising, engaging in a fun hobby, and spending time with friends and loved ones. So, in a sense, when dopamine is released as a result of an opioid, the drug tells the brain to continue behaving in the same way, which is a contributing factor to what makes opioids addictive.3

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