When people hear the word “opiate”, they often conjure up an image in their mind of the great authors who were addicted to opium such as Charles Dickens, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. However, the fact is that opiates are still a very real part of our society, and they are an extremely addictive and deadly substance. To help people to understand this better, here is a quick overview of whatopiates are, where they can be found in modern society, and how you can tell if a loved one may be suffering from an opiate addiction.
What is an Opiate?
Opiates, also commonly referred to as opiods and narcotics, are a group of drugs that are derived from opium, which comes from the poppy plant. These powerful yet highly addictive drugs have been used for centuries to relieve pain. There are two types of opiates: natural opiates and synthetic opiates. Natural opiates include opium, morpheme, and codeine. A majority of the drugs that are considered opiates are synthetic, or, man-made. These synthetic opiates include Demerol, Oxycontin, Vicodin, Percocet, and Heroin. Heroin however has no medicinal use and is used only as a means to get high.
Prevalence of Opiate Addiction
Unfortunately, while an extremely addictive and dangerous class of drugs, opiate abuse rates have gone up significantly in the last few decades. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH), opiates are one of the most commonly abused prescription medications in the United States, with roughly two percent of the population having abused these drugs. The prevalence of opiate use is significantly higher among high school students, with roughly one in twelve students having admitted to using Vicodin for non-medical purposes. This is particularly problematic, as opioids are an extremely addictive class of drugs in which abuse can easily lead to overdose. In fact, opioid overdose death rates in the U.S. have quadrupled since 1999 alone (NIH). Many people question why opioid abuse rates are so high in this country; the main reason for this is due to misconceptions that exi st surrounding the safety of these prescription drugs. Since doctors prescribe these medications, there is a false belief that it is safe to use them recreationally; however, doctors only prescribe opioids for extreme pain, and they monitor those who take them closely due to their addictive qualities.
Does Someone I Love Use Opiates?
Unfortunately, if someone you love has an opiate addiction, but they are consuming non-prescription opiates, it can be difficult to ascertain if they have an opiate addiction without first discovering the drugs. However, you can often discover an addiction if your loved one begins to act irregular, paranoid, and if they have sudden mood shifts from high to low. If someone you love is taking prescription opiates for pain and has become addicted to them, they may be exuding these same symptoms, and you may notice them taking more than the prescribed dosage of their medication.
Opiates can be perfectly safe painkillers when used under the guidance of a doctor for medicinal purposes; however, these powerful drugs can be extremely addictive, and can be dangerous if their consumption is not controlled. Contact us to learn more about this class of medications, as well as to find out what you can do to help someone fighting an opium addiction.