Opioid Drug Abuse

Pregnant Women on Opioids Can Deliver Babies Addicted to it

Opioids are a type of drug that include strong prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl and even heroin. Also called as narcotics, not all are natural. While some opioids are made from the opium plant others are synthetic (man-made).

Doctors themselves prescribe opioids sometimes to relieve pain after some major surgery, when suffering from severe pain due to health conditions such as cancer and also sometimes for chronic pain. Read more on chronic pain at www.firsteatright.com. Opioids are safe to use when taken under the guidance of a doctor for a short time. Else these drugs can also be misused (consumed in huge quantities without a doctor’s prescription) and cause euphoria in addition to pain relief.

Opioids are chemically related and interact with the opioid receptors on nerve cells in the brain and nervous system to produce pleasurable effects and relieve pain.

Side Effects of Opioid Overuse

1. Using the drug regularly can lead to dependency/addiction to the drug and when it is misused, it can even result in death. Addictions is a chronic brain disease that makes the person reach out to drugs, even when he/she knows that the drug is harmful.
2. Other side effects of opioid use include drowsiness, mental fog, nausea and constipation.
3. Slower breathing which can lead to death sometimes.
4. Pregnant women on opioids during pregnancy can give birth to babies addicted and going through withdrawal, known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
5. Individuals sometimes take too much medicine, take someone else’s medicine, use it in a different way than actually intended or take medicines just for pleasure and this is known as opioid abuse. This can sometimes lead to heroin use as some people switch over from prescription opioids to heroin.
   
   

Signs of Opioid Overuse

1. The individual’s face goes pale and is sweaty
2. No signs of speech or goes to deep slumber
3. Vomiting
4. Breathing and heartbeat become slower or even stop
5. Entire body goes limp
6. Fingernails or lips have a purple or blue color
   
   

Treatment primarily involves medicines, counseling and constant encouragement from family and friends. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can help you stop using the drugs, get through withdrawal and cope with cravings. If given on time, the medicine naloxone can reverse the effects of opioid overdose and dismiss death.
​
To avoid problems with opioids in the first place, follow your doctor’s instructions to the dot, never share your medicines with others and get in touch with your physician if you have any queries regarding the medications.