Signs of Opioid Abuse
If you are concerned that a loved one may be misusing opioids, keep an eye on them and watch for some of the common signs of abuse. Because opiates affect both the body and mind, you may notice both physical and mental changes. Some of the most common physical effects are:
Sleepiness
Numbness
Shallow breathing
Small pupils
Nausea
Itching
Rashes or flushed skin
Constipation
Slurred speech
You may also notice changes in your loved one’s behavior. As one develops a psychological dependency on opioids, they may begin to withdraw from friends, family, or activities they once enjoyed.
Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
Since opioids foster such strong addictions, professional treatment is always recommended. Admittedly, the first step for many people is often the most uncomfortable: withdrawal. Once a person is dependent on opioids, they will find their body struggling without the drug. As the opioids begin to be processed out of the body, withdrawal symptoms may begin to appear. Common withdrawal symptoms include:
Muscle and joint pain
Sweating
Runny nose
Tearing
Rapid breathing
Excessive yawning
Abdominal cramps
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Enlarged pupils
Tremors
Increased salivation
Goosebumps or chills
Loss of appetite
Overcoming Opiate Addiction
There is no official standard for a “full recovery” from drug addiction. Treatment can be lengthy, and it is intimately personal. It’s important to find a treatment program that offers a customized approach to recovery. Fortunately, medications exist to treat opioid dependency.
Treatment does not end once an individual finishes a particular rehab program. Ongoing aftercare, such as attendance at 12-Step meetings and continued therapy, is needed to safeguard against relapse. While relapse is common with all addictions, there are studies that indicate the specific potential for relapse after treatment for opiate abuse.
In a study outlined in the Irish Medical Journal, a group of opioid-dependent individuals completed inpatient addiction treatment. Within one week of leaving treatment, 59% relapsed. This means costly treatments over and over again.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says the average price is over $1,000 a month.
Recover Your Addiction Treatment Costs
rug manufacturers lied to us about the addictive nature of opioids, and medical professionals prescribe them. Prescribing these drugs in high doses and for prolonged periods of time can lead to addiction and other devastating injuries. These include, among other adverse side effects, dependence, the craving to seek more drugs, use of other legal pain killers, use of other illegal drugs, and worst of all, overdose and death.
Doctors should only prescribe powerful opioid pain-killers such as fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, or methadone (drugs with common names such as Vicodin, Percocet, and OxyContin) for short term, intense pain, not to treat chronic pain conditions.
America’s opioid epidemic has affected, injured, or killed tens of thousands of Americans. It’s a national tragedy. All of these injuries could have been prevented. Drug manufacturers of opioid pain-killers have advertised their products as being less addictive than they actually are. Drug manufacturers have sometimes alleged that these drugs are safe to treat chronic pain. This marketing has lured scores of medication users and even doctors, into a false sense of security in using and prescribing such drugs.
If you or a loved one became addicted to an opioid, overdosed, or used an opioid during pregnancy and the baby has a birth defect, contact us today. We have decades of experience going against pharmaceutical companies and drug manufacturers that produce unsafe products.
