Opioid Addiction
Opioid addiction is characterized by a powerful, compulsive urge to use opioid drugs, even when they are no longer required medically.
Opioid addiction is a long-lasting (chronic) disease that can cause major health, social, and economic problems. Opioids are a class of drugs that act in the nervous system to produce feelings of pleasure and pain relief. Some opioids are legally prescribed by healthcare providers to manage severe and chronic pain. Commonly prescribed opioids include oxycodone, fentanyl, buprenorphine, methadone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine. Some other opioids, such as heroin, are illegal drugs of abuse.
Signs 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
· Borrowing medication from other people or "losing" medications so that more prescriptions must be written
· Seeking the same prescription from multiple doctors, in order to have a "backup" supply
· Poor decision-making, including putting himself or herself and others in danger
Opioid Agonist Therapy
Opioid agonist therapy (OAT) is an effective treatment for addiction to opioid drugs such as heroin, oxycodone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), fentanyl and Percocet. The therapy involves taking the opioid agonists methadone (Methadose) or buprenorphine (Suboxone). These medications work to prevent withdrawal and reduce cravings for opioid drugs. People who are addicted to opioid drugs can take OAT to help stabilize their lives and to reduce the harms related to their drug use.
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Sources: www.nlm.nih.gov/, www.camh.ca, https://www.mayoclinic.org/